The Met Office 'magic hat' approach to forecasting was correct this morning....even their 10% chance of rain was true...thankfully it was light and occasional..!
Now that its getting lighter earlier....and of course will do so for the next month....I wasnt really on site in time for Nightingale singing, only getting occasional blasts....they must have been on their morning break for breakfast.....so I either have to go for getting their earlier....or later.....before they cease sometime during June....eeek!
Talking of ceasing.....I didnt hear Lesser Whitethroat last time out, though I did see one. Thankfully I heard one today. Im sure they are all...3....still on site and now breeding, hopefully, successfully! Wondering if they are another species that, for the most part, stops giving it the appropriate noise once they pay attention to the important thing in their life.
Garden Warbler....on the other hand...continues to mumble along quite happily. I love their cheerful little tune, never going to the highs of Blackcap but letting you know they are there. For me this bird is much more appreciable in the hand when ringing, which I guess is why most people tend to overlook it.
A Buzzard was up and about despite the moody, grey skies....
..............................................................heres a bright pic to cheer us all up....
Yellow Flag Iris, Iris pseudacorus
........................................and a Peregrine Falcon popped by....about 20 or so Swift were over the western pit.
Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and Whitethroat were all in voice as was Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting and Dunnock.
Red Deadnettle, Lamium purpureum
I Googled Red Deadnettle...it said Purple Deadnettle....same thing as the latin is the same and obviously with purpureum in the name I suppose purple is obvious....but to me its always been red....hmmm....another one of those 'you say potato I say....chips!'
Will finish off with a photo I took last week...meant to post it...doh!
Beautiful Demoiselle, Calopteryx virgo
Well, probably not the best photo...or even a beautiful one....it was sitting up in an Oak tree....this is the first time I have noticed this species on site. Im hoping this is more due to me being a blind old geezer but either way its nice to see.
No Beautiful dems here yet Graham, I wonder if they will appear at all :-(
ReplyDelete*Lesser Whitethroats tend to stop singing as soon as they find a mate :-)