6th May..... Long Tailed Tits.

Walking down a country lane close to home a few weeks ago noticed movement in a holly hedge and just glimpsed the moss and lichen of a long tailed tits' nest, presumably still building. Today as I walked past both parents were busy feeding young on caterpillars from oak trees above the hedge where their nest is. Continually flying up into the trees and back to the nest with caterpillars. Hope no magpies or jays are watching.
Stewart.

Images Copyright : Stewart Dennis.

6th May..... Fox.

Set up the remote camera last night in a likely spot & picked up a bit of Fox activity.

Don.

6th May..... Apple Blossom.

The juvenile Dunnocks are now being fed by the adults out in the open on the lawn.
Shame the Dog proof fencing is in the way.

Bugle in flower.

As is the Apple blossom.

Don.

5th May..... Lapwings.

Eight Lapwings present at a local breeding field, while two more were at another site. Also Whitethroat gathering nesting material & singing Skylark.
At home Blue Tits & Great Tits are feeding young in the boxes. Seven House Martins above the house this evening. Cuckoo Flower starting to bloom.
Don.

HS2 Petition.

With 'notice to proceed' delayed again, halt all HS2 enabling work immediately. 

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/255413

4th May..... Nesting Chiffchaff.

A Chiffchaff busied itself in the undergrowth early morning gathering up bits of nesting material, & continually flying to the same location in the garden, where I presume it's nesting, at one point it was struggling with a piece of Pigeons down half way up the conifer tree, but it proved to much & gave up. Over night a tall Cherry tree has toppled over, close to the Chiffy nest site, that will just have to wait a while until the youngsters have had chance to fledge, before I clear it up... more wood for the burner.
As I cut the lawn between showers this afternoon a pair of Dunnocks constantly scolded me every time I passed by, the reason finally became clear once I caught sigth of the newly fledged youngster.
Don.

3rd May..... House Martins Return.

The first of our House Martins returned back to their summer home as three birds flew around the house at eaves level mid morning.
Don.

This morning noticed two juvenile dunnocks around, good to see another species doing well in the garden.
Stewart.

Image Copyright : Stewart Dennis.

2nd May..... Whiteleaf Cross.

A visit to Whiteleaf and Pulpit Hill this morning after watching the blackbirds again stealing the show around the garden. Three well grown fledglings following their mother begging for food.

Few birds or butterflies seen on our walk but did come across a green-veined white. Always  a chilly breeze out on Whiteleaf Hill but great views. Garden warbler heard and briefly seen on Pulpit Hill and good to see the spotted leaves showing of spotted orchids and common twayblades beginning to flower well.

Stewart.

                                                      Images Copyright : Stewart Dennis.

2nd May..... House Martins.

Six high over to the south this evening, showed no interest in our vacant nests..... so the wait for 'our birds' continues.
Don.

1st May..... Blackbirds.

Female Blackbird continually returning to our  small pond, gathering up beak fulls of moss & flying the short distance to the Laurel hedge, where she first attempted to breed back in March, which I suspect was unsuccessful, as no youngsters were seen, she then built another nest & I believe this too was predated, as I found broken eggshells a few days back, so hopefully this is third time lucky. Chiffchaff quietly searching through the bushes this evening, while a Pied Wagtail sat briefly on the shed roof, before descending onto the lawn. Still no sightings of any House Martins under our eaves yet, sure they've never been this late in returning before, did see a few above the colony at Ballinger this evening.
Don.