A lovely mostly sunny morning for Angela, Andy, Alan & Stella, Ezio & myself to enjoy yesterday. A Red Kite was spotted early on, and in the fields just a lone pair of Teal pottering around in a wet patch was all that remained of the winter wildfowl.  As expected plenty of Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs singing, and Whitethroats now joining the chorus. A Great White Egret flapped off in the distance, but some Little Egrets and Herons also around.  A Reed Warbler heard and Reed Bunting seen near where the path through the fields rejoins the railway while a Long-tailed Tit was perching and flitting around , so likely had a nest nearby as I’d seen one in exactly the same spot on Saturday morning. 

The heronry was busy and noisy, with young birds visible on at least two of the nests.  Cormorants were perched in the oak tree and Little Egrets probably had nests in the copse too. On the east side was a group of 25 Mute Swans in a field south of the millstream.  Along the river we had a Raven flyover, 7 Whitethroats singing in the scrub, heard a Sedge Warbler and several Linnets, then a Yellowhammer singing (but forgetting the “cheeeeese”).  We finally heard a Goldcrest on the track to Frogshole, two Swallows flew over the causeway, several Greenfinches were near Rye Farm, and finally a Nuthatch was added to the list by Hollands Lane. There had been a Garden Warbler singing at the same spot Sunday afternoon, but not today.

Butterflies noted were Orange-tips and a Peacock.

50 species recorded, thanks as always to the day’s team!

Val