What have you seen
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Actually seen my first swallow today 😃.
Lots more butterflies and bees - a definite buzzing around now. Bird food going down rapidly so I think much feeding of partners who are nest sitting as generally numbers visiting are down. The hedge rocks from time to time as the sparrows miss land and squabble loudly. Only about 50 starlings visit breakfast time at present.
Awaiting a cuckoo, but not sure I heard one here last year. Spotted woodpecker drumming definitely less and I can still here the green woodpeckers.
I can almost watch the green leaves expanding as I sit! Still undecided about the oak and the ash. Today I think the oak is edging ahead.
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@Bakers2 it is the opposite up here in Lancashire where the Ash trees are ahead of the Oaks in their leaves being out. The site owner said that were Swallows about but we have yet to see them around the farm.
There were lots of butterflies out and about when We walked in Lathkill Dale, Orange Tips, Brimstones, Small Whites and Peacocks. OH spotted a tiny one which we can't identify. It was at rest on the ground with wings filed up, and had an emerald green rear underwing and a dark forewing. We did hear our first Willow Warbler today during our canal walk.
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@nelliethehooker The butterfly your OH saw was a Green Hairstreak which are usually out at this time of year we have quite a lot of them last year but not seen any yet this year and we have many butterflies on the Lilac including Common Swallowtail and the Scarce Swallowtail which they like and it is a good year for Brimstones as they over winter but could be on their second brood now.
The Nigthingale as arrived on Friday and started to sing straight away but it was better yesterday and this morning even though we have had heavy rain overnight.
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Where are you @mickysf?
When we were away this last week we heard quite a lot of Willow Warblers that had obviously just arrived and were establishing territories, along with Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs, plus our first Swallow and House Martin. We visited a peat bog in Shropshire on the way home and there was a good variety of birds and butterflies in various bits of Carr. A profusion of Green Shield Bugs hopping around. Singing Cetti's Warbler, Kingfisher on the adjacent canal and the best of the bunch, we heard a contact call from a Nightjar. Couldn't find it and as its fairly early in April to have them arriving we didn't want to disturb it. We found out later that they do in fact nest in another more wooded part of the substantial bog. Hope to return in a month or so to try to see them.
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2 Hoopoes flying around here this morning so possible pair, will keep an eye to see if they are nesting in next door overgrown small field as that is where the Nightingales go and again singing this morning, also had a pair of Wood Larks on the field now it has been mowed as they like short grass.
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Tenerife enjoying an extended family holiday, @Wherenext, kids and grandkids all together. From our balcony we can see four of the Islands on a clear day. Today I can only see the one I’m on and the mountains are covered in cloud too! However, saw more hoopoes, Canarian blue tits and what I think were palm swifts this afternoon.
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Thanks @RedKite I did look to see if I could compare it to the Green Hairstreak but I can't find the emerald colour that we saw on any of the photos of the G H that I can find.
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Popped into Burton reserve this morning for an hour as that was all we could spare. It was very quiet, maybe due to the cafe being closed.
Plenty of bird song and migrants going through. Green Sandpiper, Whimbrel, plus a fantastic view of a singing Grasshopper Warbler, Sedge Warblers, lots of Avocets and last but not least a wonderful caterpillar lurking on the side of a boardwalk partially hidden by grass. A Drinker Moth no less.
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Spotted four deer near the site the other night one near the dog walk and the other three just inside the Forrest by the forest road at the top of the site.
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They were about when we were at the site last November. They did not seem at all wary of those out walking from the site.
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Had a lovely walk around Cors Ddyga in the middle of Angelsey today. It's a low lying wetland Reserve. Accompanied by wonderful bird song from Aerobatic Lapwings, Booming Bittern, Madcap Sedge Warblers, Skylarks, Cuckoo's et al. Sunny but became overcast near the end.
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Saw 3 Swifts flying over our local small town first seen this year and back home had the Nightingales (2) singing this morning whilst hanging out the washing and this afternoon heard my first Golden Oriole, butterflies out today after a dull week a much warmer day so had 2 fresh Humiingbird Hawkmoths, 1 Scarce Swallowtail, 2 Brimstones and 1 fresh Orange Tip on one of our lilac bushes.
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Had a look out over our plot late this afternoon and perched on the end of the clothes line was a male Whinchat looking very smart in his Spring attire first time I have seen one here but/ did have a pair of Stonechats breeding in the rough wood of next door but not seen any since.
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@Wherenext I wonder if it was one of the same ones we saw when we were there a couple of years ago.
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That area does have a good population of Reds. This one was seen from the path next to the B road outside the site and the bottom end of it. Always lifts the spirit seeing one.
Managed to see a Stoat at Core Ddyga. I see they've been eradicating them on the Orkney and Shetland Isles to help the Curlews. I did wonder if they thought of doing the same on Anglesey to help the Red Squirrels and endangered birds like Lapwings that breed there.
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We saw them on the site itself, around the big tree on the right at the corner where the road descends to the lower level pitches.
I have just seen the article in Birdguides where RSPB Scotland and others have secured funding to enable them to try and eradicate Hedgehogs from the Outer Hebrides. They are not native to the Hebrides and are known to eat the eggs of ground-nesting birds.
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Had the pleasure of watching 4 red kite over our garden early this afternoon. Just above house roof height. It's fabulous to see their markings without aids.
We have a regular, around 8am, 2pm and 5pm visits daily from one red kite
When we first moved here 3 years ago I there were many more. Apparently a lady who fed them passed away soon after our arrival and gradually the numbers have reduced.
TThe resident crows still have dust ups with them over us.
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We had a walk along by the side of the River Annan today and there were literally millions of small flies heading upstream until suddenly in a matter of minutes the flow of them virtually stopped. There were none to speak of along the footpath thankfully, but I was surprised not to see any Swallows or Martins enjoying a readily available feast. We were treated to an abundance of birdsong on out walk, and with the assistance of Merlin, identified Greater Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Treecreeper, as well as the usual Tits, Wrens, Robins and Chaffinches. Also saw a Heron and a pair of Dippers, quite a number of Butterflies, predominantly Orange Tips, and in the woods carpets of Bluebell and Ransom. Around the site there are a few Swallows and the odd House Martin, plus Yellowhammers and Greenfinches.
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A couple of good days bird wise with a few season firsts, including Sedge Warblers down by the shore, Tree Sparrows in the hedge by the site yesterday, and then today on my afternoon walk a pair of Bullfinchs in full summer plume and a couple of Grey Wagtails by Annan Water. There are lots of Skylarks, Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers about too. A couple of not very good shots of the Grey Wagtails.
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Lots of birdsong today, starting off with a Cuckoo, and through the woods and by the water we saw Willow and Sedge Warblers, and with the help of Merlin heard Redpoll, Goldcrest, Blackcap and of course Chiffchaff, as well as the usual Tits, Robins and Wrens. There were also Swallows and House Martins flying over the water.
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We have our first baby starlings down to feed 😀. 3 for now, it's lively to see them, makes the copious amounts of bird food I buy worth it.
ThThere were at least 4 male blackbirds n the garden together gathering take-aways, as we're sparrows and robins - so much easier to see when they're ground feeders!
The crow continues to visit soon after food put down but he's pretty good and the jackdaws have returned after a bit of an absence. Mr pheasant continues to call at various times of the day, without his ladies who I assume are on the nest. I don't think I've ever seen a better looking specimen so I'll forgive him making holes in my grass. Photo snapped through the patio door so not great, the dog objects to his visits so have to grab the opportunity whilst you can 🫣
Amorous rock pigeons and ring neck doves little birds for the feeders absent this morning as they need a good top up as soon as I've a moment, within the next 30 minutes or so!
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Had a lovely afternoon at our local reserve at Burton.
The tide was up in the Dee estuary so quite a few waders on the scrapes, plenty of Knot, Black Tailed Godwits but also a Curlew Sandpiper. There was 2 Wood Sandpipers on another scrape. Plenty of Avocets to see as well. Our first Reed Warbler of the year was a bonus as was a Red Darter.
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