Sunshine and showers

Sunshine and showers, 15°, breezy SW.

A walk out to the Lees, Long Ditch areas.

5 singing Sedge Warbler and 2 singing Reed Warbler, 6 Reed Bunting, 3 Yellowhammer, several Skylark, Chiffchaff, Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, Jay, a couple of Swallow and 50+ Swift feeding overhead.

Both Barn Owl and Kestrel nest sites located but the Church Road House Martins have mysteriously disappeared from their nesting area!

Mammals: Muntjac Deer.

Dragonflies: Beautiful and Banded Demoiselle and a Black-tailed Skimmer. Unusually no Damselflies, maybe the ditch is too polluted?

Butterflies: Large Skipper, Common Blue, 8+ Painted Lady, Meadow Brown and Small Heath.

South West

Cloudy with a few sunny periods, 20°, light ESE.

A walk out towards Aston Tirrold via the Lees today.

Several Reed Warbler and Sedge Warbler seen with food along the “Reedy Ditch” and the occasional snatch of song heard.

Several Reed Bunting along the “Long Ditch” and nearby and a couple of Blackcap, a Chiffchaff and a Nuthatch at the Lees.

2-3 Yellow Wagtail, a couple of Yellowhammer and a Corn Bunting between the Lees and Manor Farm.

Mammals: Brown Hare.

Dragonflies: Beautiful Demoiselle, Banded Demoiselle, Azure Damselfly. Emperor Dragonfly and Four-spot Chaser.

Butterflies: Large Skipper, Large White, Small White, Small Tortoiseshell (50+), Comma, Speckled Wood, Marbled White and Meadow Brown.

A few Hoverflies around today including a Pellucid Hoverfly and a possible Ant-hill Hoverfly.

And if you have passed thru the Bull’s Hole you may have noticed the Hart’s Tongue Fern growing on a wall.

Sedge Warbler

 Hart's Tongue Fern

 2 butterflies (Large Skipper & Meadow Brown)

 Buff-tailed Bumblebee on Knapweed

 Pellucid Hoverfly

Batman Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)

 Young Swallows on the wing (courtesy Alan Dawson)

 Reed Bunting

 Small Tortoiseshell

Beautiful Demoiselle