Spot the difference

 Didcot Power Station

The 3 southern most cooling towers were demolished with 180kg of explosives at 05:01 this morning. Apparently loads of folk stayed up to watch the event in the early hours but we settled on watching the video after the event!

One photo taken several months ago and one taken today from almost the same spot (Loren).

Warm & Sunny

Sunny, 28º, light NW.

Plenty of raptors in the air today over the hill, 20+ Red Kite, 9 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 3 Hobby, 1 Sparrowhawk, several Swallow and Swift feeding overhead also. I guess they are feeding on insects disturbed by the harvesting.

A single Lesser Blackback Gull flew NW.

A single ♂ Redstart still on the hill halfway along in the Hawthorns and several Chiffchaff feeding along the south face as well.

Several Yellow Wagtail in the vicinity, 1 Spotted Flycatcher still around, 2 young and 1 adult Bullfinch on the north side of the hill was unexpected.

Butterflies: Small Tort, Small White, Large White, Green-veined White, Brimstone, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Small Skipper Large Skipper, Gatekeeper, Holly Blue, Common Blue, Marbled White, Peacock and Red Admiral.

Dragonflies: Brown Hawker, Southern Hawker, Blue Emperor and Common Darter.

Common Darter and Migrant Hawker in the garden.

 Common Darter

 Common Blue

Bath time

Sunny, 28º, little wind.

Another day spent in the garden, a couple of Chiffchaff around and a Green Woodpecker nearby and one of the adult Moorhens visiting.

The young Sparrowhawks still present and being fed regularly by the parents (mainly the ♀).

One of the Carrion Crows sitting on the garden fence this evening waiting for us to go in so as it could bathe.

2 Brown Hawker, a Common Darter and a Blue Emperor dragonfly all visitors to the garden today along with Large White, Small White, Brimstone, Peacock, Small Tort, Meadow Brown and Gatekeeper butterflies.

Birds, Butterflies and boring weather

Sunny, 28º, light E..............getting bored with the weather!

Another warm sunny day and a walk around the hill.

At least 2 Common Redstart present and possibly a 3^rd in the hedgerow that leads off south, becoming increasingly difficult to find. 6 Chiffchaff feeding in the Hawthorns along the south face, a Willow Warbler in the NW corner, 8 House Sparrow, 10+ Linnet, 2 Greenfinch, 5 Goldfinch, 5 Yellowhammer, several Corn Bunting in the fields along with at least 6 Yellow Wagtail.

The House Sparrows and Greenfinch are not regulars on the hill, maybe the abundance of grass seed and the ripening cereal crops have attracted them?

A flock of 10+ Swift flew over south and 2 flocks of 5 Swallow each flew south east, 2 Kestrel still hunting insects on the hill.

At least 2 Spotted Flycatcher on the north side and 3 Hobby vocally very agitated and engaging in some high altitude aerial combat with Red Kites (4) and Buzzards (2) overhead.

A couple of Brown Hawker and a Blue Emperor dragonfly, 16 butterfly species: Large White, Small White, 2 Brimstone, 3 Comma, Small Tortoiseshell, Marbled White, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Gatekeeper, 1 Common Blue, 2 Holly Blue, Peacock, 3 Red Admiral, 2 Speckled Wood, Small Skipper and 1 Large Skipper.

 Hobbys

 Common Redstart

 Common Redstart

 Spotted Flycatcher

 Spotted Flycatcher

 Common Blue

 Volucella sp

 Small Skipper (Loren)

 Common Blue (Loren)

 Marbled White (Loren)

 Honey Bee (Loren)

 7-spot Ladybird (Loren)

Garden time

Sunny, 28º, breezy E.

An interesting day in the garden today tidying up flower beds etc.

2 Kingfisher along the brook next to the garden, by the time I got the camera the birds had been flushed by a dog walker.

A ♀ Redstart put in an appearance in the meadow along a hedgerow, initially heard calling, managed to get the bins on it and again it was flushed by dog walkers, last seen moving into a large garden nearby! Why so many Redstarts turning up locally these days?

3 Sparrowhawk seen in the meadow, a ♀ and 2 young present early evening.

During the day several Buzzard and Red Kite high overhead also up to 20 Swift, 20 Swallow and a dozen House Martin.

A Moorhen in the garden, a Pied Wagtail flew over and a Chiffchaff briefly.

A Common Darter dragonfly put in an appearance along with several butterflies: 2 Red Admiral, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Small White, Large White, 1 Holly Blue, Meadow Brown and 1 Ringlet.

High flying Buzzard

              Red Admiral spent a few minutes on my shoulder! (courtesy Loren)

Courtesy Loren