Three firsts

Friday 7 April 2017

First Mallard ducklings on the Ewelme Cress beds followed by the first Swallow there and best of all the first Cettis Warbler for Benson Parish. Found by Alan Brampton within the parish.

Singing Blackcap and new butterfly for the year.

A singing Blackcap at last and a Green Veined White butterfly which nearly fooled me and appeared to completely fool a couple of male Orange Tips which chased it for several minutes. They could have been getting desperate as female Orange Tips seem to be in short supply.

No birds

Thursday 30 March 2017

At least none of note! However the butterfly species reached 5 with an Orange Tip and especially pleased to see a couple of Grass Snakes - unfortunately very nervous as I was restricted to seeing the ends of tails as they rushed for cover.

Still winter

Wednesday 22 March 2017

After going AWL for a couple of weeks the Green Sandpiper returned today.

My Mistake

Thursday 16 March 2017

Water Rail still present so perhaps winter is not yet over. A distant flypast Mute Swan counts as species number 56 for the year.

More signs of spring

Monday 13 March 2017

This time Butterflies -5 Brimstone, 3 Small Tortoiseshells and a Comma.

and, at last managed to fish out one of the newts from the Millbrook Mead pond which, as expected turned out to be a Common.

Winter over?

Sunday 12 March 2017

It looks like the Egret, Sandpiper and Rail have moved on and with 3 Chiffchaffs yesterday summer must be on the way!