Monday 21 March 2016

Yet another overcast morning, but with little wind and no rain it was pleasant enough out.

An early visit to the lakes, just in case a different duck species had turned up there overnight, proved fruitless, just single pairs of MUTE SWAN, GREYLAG GOOSE, CANADA GOOSE and only the one pair of COOT were seen this morning, plus a few MALLARDS and MOORHENS.

The majority of my visit was spent over at Migrant Alley, where a 90 minute sky watching session was had, but apart from a trickle of MEADOW PIPITS heading NW, no migrant activity was noted. A couple of SKYLARKS were up singing over the mass of BLACK HEADED GULLS out on the sheep pasture and paddocks, which again included among their number, a pair of MEDITERRANEAN GULLS and a pair of LESSER BLACK BACKED GULLS. Three BUZZARDS were interacting low over the Greenhouses, with at least 2 more up in the distance and the KESTREL pair were back after not being seen yesterday, they were once again mating on one of the greenhouses.

Very few FIELDFARE were about, just 8 were seen on one of the paddocks, no Redwing were noted today though.

A sigh of springs very slow approach was seeing my first Tortoiseshell Butterfly of the year along Ashes lane, very nice, 14 days later than last years first sighting, showing how retarded this spring has become.


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