There were 4 smart male wheatears by the scrape (in the field to the immediate west of the path from the Orchard to Pony Wood) this afternoon. This ties in nicely with a mass arrival of this trans-Saharan migrant in recent days.
Month: March 2014
Song thrush
Song thrush seen in the north hedge of the Flora West Field, perhaps the one who has been serenading this end of Willow Lane for some weeks
Widgeon
Two pairs of ducks on School Pond yesterday afternoon which after consulting my bird books I am pretty sure were widgeon. Too large for teal, the males had distinctive brown heads and a flash of white toward the rump as they sailed along. Females very much like mallards.
Osprey Siting
Ian saw an Osprey today: it circled Fauna twice then headed north – no doubt where the ponds are deeper and the fish bigger
Hare Today
Mick spotted 2 hares this morning running along Lucy Brook
Herons
There was a heron poking about in Cromwell’s Pond again this morning. Just as I got hold of my binoculars for a closer view, another one flew in from the direction of Carr House Farm. The occupant of the pond promptly flapped its wings and headed off in the direction of the Grammar School field, leaving its place to be taken by the newcomer until it too was disturbed by traffic on the footpath.
Tree creeper in Pony Wood
I should have posted this before but forgot!
Three of us saw a tree creeper in Pony Wood on Sunday last when talking to our landscape architect about the footpath we are hoping to install running round Pony Wood. He/she was creeping up a tree, too!
Siskins into Sowerholme
Sunny March 10th and three siskin flew out of our garden into Sowerholme. Heading for the trees lining the brook?
Sue
Proposed Ploughing Operation
It was evident from Mike Derbyshire’s history session that there is a very real danger that ploughing may destroy the unique agricultural archaeology of strip lynchetts. It is absolutely vital that this does not happen.
If ploughing is inevitable, then it must be undertaken with the utmost care and the lynchetts must be clearly marked for the ploughman. It is certain that a present day large tractor and mullti-furrow plough will immediately destroy the field system. The work can only be undertaken with a small tractor pulling a one or at most two furrow plough. A pair of heavy horses pulling a single furrow plough would be ideal but unlikely. Ploughing can only take place in one direction and must be undertaken by a skilled operator who is fully aware of the archaeological importance of the site.
Does anyone else share our concerns?
Spring is springing
Whilst working with the Hedge Working Party in and around Flora this morning we saw
- The big brown hare
- A pair of jays
- Two heron
- A woodpecker (sorry we heard rather than saw!) in Pony Wood
- Ladybirds
- Peacock butterflies
- Long tailed tits
- The white violets on the Pads footpath just to the south of the Orchard
Much better than enduring the rain!