Once again this year , the Long-tailed Tits on the Common started building their nest .
Slowly but surely , their work of art grew .
Until , after just over two weeks , the nest was completed .
Two days later , it was ripped open and abandoned . The culprits , probably the flock of 5/6 Jays that are constantly seen in the area .
Also seen on site , Comma ( pictured ) , along with Brimstone and Peacock and the first Bee-fly /
Bombylius major , seen this year . A visit to the area around Bough Beech Reservoir wasn't very productive
but \I did come across this skull of a small mammal , which would appear to be that of a small rabbit ,
and under the feeders , the Bank Voles were busy collecting and fallen morsels .
A look around High Elms LNR found the first few Butterbur / Petasites hybridus , a member of the Daisy family and closely related to Winter Helliotrope , just pushing through . On a roadside verge , the Green
Hellbore / Helleborus viridus , a member of the Buttercup family , were found already in flower . Next week will mark the start of the weekly butterfly transect here .
On a visit to Elmley Reserve , I was closely watched as I entered by this Little Owl .
All the species seemed geared up for breeding , including this male Pheasant in his finery .
Fewer Lapwing were seen along the track , probably due to nesting , which meant that the partner's job was to deter the Marsh Harriers who were looking for an easy meal .
I spent a long time watching and trying to photograph the Brown Hares again , this time out in the open but
distant from the track , and couldn't believe my luck when I witnessed another bout of boxing . Who says lightning doesn't strike twice ? With sightings going quiet , I headed for Capel Fleet . On the slow run down
to the raptor viewpoint , a male Kestrel posed just long enough on the wires , and below amongst the
brambles , a small flock of Corn Bunting were keeping in touch with each other , 'jingling their keys' . With
them was a single male Reed Bunting . From the view point , I had a distant view of a raptor and initially thought it was a ring-tailed Hen Harrier , but as it got closer it's true ID beacame evident , a Common
Buzzard with an unusually pale rump . As it flew towards the Fleet , it joined a second bird and for a moment
I thought I was in for some talon grappling , but it didn't quite happen this time . On the return , a male Linnet
was singing , perched on the roadside fence , a pair of Red-legged Partridge were sheltering in the brick
ruins , a probable male Wheatear that flew off a fencepost before I could get the binoculars on it , and both
sides of the road , lots of newly born lambs , including several almost black individuals . A look at Shellness proved very quiet , but the tide was still well out so not surprising . Large numbers of Oystercatchers could
be seen out on the waters edge and a 50+ flock of Brent Goose flew by to land on the Swale . Most striking thing along the track was the amount of Alexanders / Smyrnium olusatrum , a member of the Carrot family
that was on view , it was literally everywhere .
A look around Hutchinson's Bank , and meeting up with Martin , produced a couple of butterfly species on
the wing , being 4 Brimstone , including one female and two Small Tortoiseshell .
Up on the Greensand Ridge , after the initial emergence , things seem to have ground to a halt , with just 7 male Adders being seen . As usual at this time of year , the males gather together and bask in the sun , like
these four individuals . Three heads in the middle of the shot and the fourth middle right . Mind you , when
this one caught my scent , all four quickly disappeared . Also found on the visit were a few Common Lizard ,
including this individual which had lost the end of it's tail , and my first live Slow Worm of the year , having
found a dead one with puncture wounds last week .
Today , I did the Down House bird survey and recorded an above average 24 species . The only possible summer migrant was a singing Chiffchaff .
1 day ago
2 comments:
A very entertaining read there Greenie. Good to see that spring is well and truly here!
Nice to see Adders and Slow Worms back on the blog Greenie, long may it last!
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