3rd April.... Fox.

While out this afternoon, peered through a gap in the hedge, just a short distance away sat this beautiful Fox.

We engaged in a bit of a staring match, 'til the Fox slowly turned & crept away.

A bit of a shaky video clip.

Here's another large nest.

Heard my first returning Chiffchaff of  the Spring singing from across the valley in Ballinger Woods.
Don.

3rd April..... Misbourne Valley.

  

Cock pheasant looking good these days, coming in close to the house picking up spilt seed from under the feeders while trying to impress the hen pheasants. The moorhens too are busy courting.

Two nuthatches are also coming in to the garden to feed.

The starlings continue to nest build.

On Wednesday walked down to the Misbourne, which is flowing well.

Enjoyed the view from the other side of the valley, (that is until HS2 ploughs right  through).

Watched at least 20 kites and a couple of buzzards pick up a thermal and rise.

Later came across 7 roe deer.

Stewart.

Images Copyright : Stewart Dennis.

2nd April..... Village Birdlife.

Never surveyed the birdlife in the village of Lee Common before, so today on my lockdown walk with the wife we walked along Ballinger Road, Oxford Street & out towards The Lee Green. Recorded an amazing 24 Species in total, far far more than can be found in the surrounding farm land. Predictably Robin, Wren & Blackbird were the most numerous with 6 individuals of each species recorded.
Full List:
Great Tit, Red Kite, Greenfinch, Starling, Carrion Crow, House Sparrow, Wood Pigeon, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Wren, Goldfinch, Dunnock, Stock Dove, Goldcrest, Chaffinch, Jackdaw, Magpie, Pied Wagtail, Mallard, Robin, Song Thrush, Pheasant, Great Spotted Woodpecker & Collard Dove.

Blackbird on it's song post in Ballinger Road.

Got my eye on you.

Don.

Twitter

Have now set up a Twitter account which can be followed here https://twitter.com/DonSton37420445 not really sure how it operates, just playing around with it at the moment, will have to see how it goes.

Lockdown Life: Mallard Style.

This pair of Mallards are clearly adjusting to lockdown life well as they rest in a deserted Chesham Broadway on market day. Kind of ironic that they're sat next to the War Memorials, as that's what the present crisis feels like in many ways, as we fight an invisible enemy, with the NHS over stretched, restrictions on movements, panic buying & half the country shut down along with most of the World. Hopefully when this is over the World's Governments will change their ways of policy making, for the good of the environment & humanity alike.
Don.

Lockdown Roe Deer.

I've found a nice couple of approachable Roe Deer on my daily Lockdown walks.

Don.

29th March..... Burrow.

Yet another lockdown walk, never walked the local fields so much, today found this Rabbit Burrow which it seems has been dug out by a Fox, judging by the deposit that's been left behind.

Don.

Nests.

Here's a couple of large nests.

Images Copyright : Stewart Dennis.

28th March..... Another Dinner Guest.

I set a trail cam over a dead rabbit (roadkill) in a nearby field a few days back, went to retrieve it on our walk today and had these images of a buzzard on it.

Images Copyright : Stewart Dennis.
 

28th March..... Time for Dinner.

  

Starlings continue to nest build in a box on the side of a shed in the garden, their colours showing well in the sun.    Later out on our daily walk my wife spotted this young male Sparrow Hawk dining on a Wood Pigeon at the woodlands edge, watched it for a short while, 'til it was disturbed by an approaching dog. A big bird for a male sparrowhawk to take. Average weight of a wood pigeon is 500g, a male sparrowhawk is only 220g.
Stewart.

This could quite easily be the same bird that's been visiting our garden this week, looks very similar & Stewart was only 1/2 a mile from our place when he took this photo, that's no distance for a Sparrow Hawk.
Don.
Image Copyright : Stewart Dennis.