A couple more sightings from Michael:
Stoat seen running around the Orchard stones Sunday morning, and three hares (one being chased off by another) near Pony Wood early this morning.
Video clip of three hares (12 MB)
A couple more sightings from Michael:
Stoat seen running around the Orchard stones Sunday morning, and three hares (one being chased off by another) near Pony Wood early this morning.
Video clip of three hares (12 MB)
Whilst trying to find rogue Spanish bluebells this morning we heard bird alarm calls and looked up to see a little owl in the horse chestnut tree.
A better (?) view
Sorry I forgot to post Jonathan’s announcement of our proposed tasks for the Saturday session but here is what we actually did:
Fifteen volunteers attended the monthly Saturday volunteering session on a lovely spring morning.
On Saturday, the arable field was sown with barley.
On Sunday, a group of 8 volunteers sowed a variety of seeds around the crop on a hot afternoon.
While walking up the hill sowing seed, I spotted this oystercatcher.
Yesterday the arable field was ploughed and the tractor was followed by numerous Lesser Black-backed and Herring gulls.
Also seen were lapwing (2 initially and 6 at the end of the day).
On the ploughed field we also saw a wheatear, probably on its migration to Greenland or Canada.
Butterflies seen included tortoiseshell, orange-tip and peacock.
I have also been asked to mention that an early morning walker has seen 8 shelduck on recent mornings plus a nuthatch in the Orchard and regular hare sightings.
Swallows were swooping over the Wednesday Work Group as we worked to clear algae from the Alder Pond in Big Meadow. We were careful not to go near the moorhen’s nest and found this newt.
As we were packing up, a mother mallard emerged from the marsh with her chicks, we think eight, and led them on to the water, clearly appreciating our clearance.