The last week of April and despite the cold weather the spring is moving forward, lots of nest building and already some birds have fledged and the parents are building for the second brood, I’ve already had young Blackbirds and Blue Tits in the garden. The Wrens have been building close to home and of course the House Sparrows. We are seeing a pair of Pied Wagtails who we think nest across the field, hopefully like last year they will bring their youngsters to the garden. We are seeing quite a few Chaffinchs about this year we have a pair feeding in our garden which we haven’t had for a number of years, one day I spotted three males squabbling.
It’s not quite so easy to take photographs now the leaves are coming out but I can certainly hear them, I’m still trying to work out some of the songs but I can recognise a few.
Besides the photos here I have also seen Bullfinches and the Green and Greater Spotted Woodpeckers are very active. I’ve also seen two Spotted Flycatchers and a Common Whitethroat, both migrants.
They have cultivated Netmead field it looks like they have sown directly into the soil without ploughing, I’m interested what the crop will be hopefully it will be good for all the birds that have frequented the field over the last winter. I’m still seeing a few Yellowhammers and Linnets. The Black headed gulls are also feeding on the field at the moment, they gave me a chance to practice my birds in flight images!
There is little insect action down the lane close to home, a few Bumble bees and Hoverflies but the nights are so cold to encourage them out, a few bees are taking advantage of the flowering Dandelions and a few Speckled Woods and Orange Tip butterflies in the shelter of the lane. I’ve seen a few Holly Blues but as soon as I spot them they are over the hedge!
