At the Hanger this morning myself, Graham Jenner and Rob King were assembled looking out on a bleak spring day; hirundines were in evidence with Swallows, House Martins and Sand Martins all zooming about over the North Brooks heralding spring in full flow even if the weather wasn't in the mood. Other distractions were a singing Nightingale spotted in a nearby flowering blackthorn and a couple of singing Blackcaps. The skies were becoming more leaden and more hirundines were assembling high over the brooks - it was then our eyes turned to the skies and a few moments later a shout went out of swift. We all got on the bird to be greeted with a large swift which was an unmistakeably an Alpine! An unexpected surprise which set the adrenalin running as the bird scythed through the April drizzle showing off its white underparts and dark breast band. The bird was initially picked up at 11am and was last seen at 1.18pm showing almost continuously feeding over the trees between the Hanger and Jupps View.