Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella)

I  went to the farm shop and bought some little lettuce seedlings for the garden, which they grow really well. It makes the use of the garden much more efficient which is a good thing. After several chats and laughs with the staff I headed back to the area of the Wittantree.

I wondered whether I'd see another yellowhammer there. Last time I watched and waited but they weren't to be seen. Today as I stood by this magnificent tree I could hear distant skylarks and occasional songs from birds. But there were few hopping about the hedgerow unlike an earlier visit when I'd first identified the small flock of them. 

At last a blue tit arrived and sang from the tree as it hunted amongst the new leaf buds that are about to spring out. Then this yellowhammer appeared near the very top of the tree's canopy. I was delighted but found it quite hard to get the right exposure in the bright sunlight at mid-morning. When it finally flew away I did try to record it, but the results were a bit blurred, so I'm happy to have this bright image.