The summers really here and its time to come out....

.....time to discover what fun is about....
               Here Comes The Summer, J J O'neill (The Undertones)

A nice highlight today was two Orange-tip Butterflies.

House Martins (25+), Sand Martins (1) and Swallows (15+) always make me think of the summer days, though usually  watching them as mere flecks in the high sky....not riding the surf of the gravel pits...!

Still...they are here and the summer is....nearly here....well...we almost seem to be heading back to winter with the interesting development in the weather yesterday..and even today around 1220 there was an interesting mix of rain/sleet and snow.....

9.00 - 12.30 bright but clouding over, cool to cold W f2-4

A wander across just about every part of the site....I thought it would take me around 4 hours....but did  it in 3 and a half.  Though I may have been spurred on at the western end of the site due to the windy climate...at least the eastern end offered some protection and little corners of warmth in the sun.

The Skylark have made a comeback at the ploughed field as I said they would...2 were singing there this morning...does this simply show nature doesnt understand a head being banged against a wall....its a matter of time before the next phase of field maintenance begins and again the Skylark will be back to square one.

Warbler count.....

Blackcap 23

Whitethroat 30

Lesser Whitethroat 5

Willow Warbler 2

Nightingale 6

Garden Warbler 1

Chiffchaff 34

Sedge / Reed Warbler - several

Now that the Des-res site is occupied (see previous post) today produced another Nightingale in one of last years spots....hmmmm....this is definitely going to take a night time visit to sort them out once and for all....is it a late arrival...or has one moved....again.

Talking of moving, down to 2 Willow Warblers, though this isnt news really, what is news is the lack of one in the most reliable of places on site.

The Garden Warbler found yesterday has moved to the middle of the site.  Literally!  Well, im sure its not directly the middle...but at a guess it must be pretty close.  Hopefully its settled there as well as it provided good views from distance.

Wren, Robin, Kestrel, Magpie, Crow, Goldfinch, Linnet, Blackbird, Reed Bunting, Great Tit, Song Thrush, Green Woodpecker, Woodpigeon, Dunnock, Buzzard, Goldcrest, Bullfinch, Blue Tit, Cuckoo, Long Tail Tit, Jackdaw, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Starling, Yellowhammer, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, Stock Dove.

Canada Goose, Moorhen, Coot, Little Grebe, Grey Heron, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe, Mandarin Duck, Cormorant, Snipe.