LRP & O's

Cloudy, 15°, breezy WSW.

Cloudy, cool, breezy WSW… classic April conditions that often keep things subdued but can still turn up a few movers.

Not a great deal around today, the gravel pit was fairly quiet, a Little Ringed Plover, 2 Oystercatcher, 3 Lapwing, 3 Tufted Duck, a Grey Wagtail and around 50 Gulls including a Common Gull.

I had a feeling a fair number of birds were out of sight in other pits.

Nearby, 3 Chiffchaff and a Blackcap.

Butterflies:2-3 Brimstone and a Speckled Wood, is pretty respectable given the weather. Brimstones especially seem to appear even when everything else is hiding.

A day for Butterflies and a Dragon

Hazy sunshine, 19°, breezy SSW.

A visit to Lollingdon the Bunk and River today: Wheatear, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Cetti’s Warbler, Goldcrest, Reed Bunting, Corn Bunting, Yellowhammer, Grey Wagtail, Common Snipe, Lapwing, Sparrowhawk, and 6+1 Lesser Blackback Gull.

20-30 Hirundines noted, mainly Swallow and Sand Martin and a single House Martin.

Mammals: Brown Hare and Roe Deer.

Dragonflies: Large Red Damselfly.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Small Tortoiseshell, Comma, Peacock and Speckled Wood.

AD & PC.

Comma

Large Red Damselfly courtesy Alan

Wheatear courtesy Alan

Dark-edged Bee Fly courtesy Alan

Goosanders

Sunny, 14°, light E.

2 Goosander on the river today but disturbed by paddle boarders! Plus Blackcap and several Chiffchaff.

Lollingdon: Lapwing still present plus a Wheatear.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Holly Blue, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock & Speckled Wood.

Goosanders courtesy Alan

Speckled Wood courtesy Alan

Lapwing courtesy Alan

Weather improving

Sunshine, 16°, light SE.

A good start to the day with a Willow Warbler singing near the garden.

7 Wheatear on Lollingdon hill this morning but all appeared to have gone by midday. Another Willow Warbler on the hill and 3 Raven overhead.

Seems to be plenty of Blackcap around now and a Little Owl nearby.

Alan found at least 1 Reed Warbler on the Marsh this morning. Presumably arrived overnight as this was the first for the year.

All the usual suspects noted and around 50 species noted between us.

Mammals: Brown Hare & Roe Deer and unfortunately an Otter found dead along the Wallingford road.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock & Speckled Wood.

Insects: Black Oil Beetle (first ones noted on the hill) & Dark-edged Bee-fly (Per Alan).

Black Oil Beetle

Coal Tit bathing

Raven

Dark-edged Bee-fly courtesy Alan

Mistle Thrush

Common Whitethroat courtesy Alan

Mistle Thrush

More arrivals

Sunny but a little cloudier today, 16°, light to moderate S.

Two visits to the hill today, the first was after a call from Tony W to say there is a drake Mandarin duck on a garden pond just north of the hill. Therefore, a quick visit to see that before shopping found the duck resting and preening by the side of the pond.

Then another more prolonged walk around the area this afternoon.

No sign of the Mandarin this afternoon, however 2 Yellow Wagtail in a horse paddock that flew off before I could get the camera on them (another seen over Cholsey Hill earlier when driving back home).

A Willow Warbler singing out by Amwell spring and a Swallow flew over.

Back by the paddock 2 Redwing flew in and then off almost as quick, a Little Owl heard calling, a single Goldcrest seen, 2 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great-spotted Woodpecker, 4 Yellowhammer and 2 Grey Heron again.

Several Song Thrush noted in song along with a Mistle Thrush and the now  regular Chiffchaff.

The hill was relatively quiet with several Skylark and 2 Corn Bunting in song, both Kestrel and Sparrowhawk over and the usual Buzzard and Red Kite in the vicinity and several Linnet back on the hill.

Grey Wagtail seen frequently near the garden and another Chiffchaff in the garden today.

Butterflies: Frequent Brimstone, Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell and the first Speckled Wood of the year.

Mammals: Muntjac Deer.