After work this afternoon, as it was sunny and warm, I decided to switch to a 300mm lens and track down some butterflies, while of course keeping an eye on the birdlife  :-)

I headed for the sheltered hedgerow that runs the length of the Tree Nursery, and straight away found a Small Tortioseshell, actually it was the same one from yesterday, a tatty specimen. Three GREEN WOODPECKERS flew up as I traversed the hedgerow, BLUE TITS, DUNNCKS and WRENS flitted about, and a CHIFFCHAFF called from a nearby large garden, looking ahead of me I saw a large butterfly coming straight at me, as it grew closer, then flitted past and ever onwards, I saw it was a lovely sulphur coloured male Brimstone, my first this year, I watched in despair as it flew miles away, yet again i've not got a Brimstone photo, will i ever get one of this species ? :-) I reached the end of the hedge and then made my way back again, all the time watching a KESTREL hunting over the adjacent Greenhouse grounds, then came what I was looking for, a pristine male Orange tip, I followed it all round the Tree Nursery for some minutes, before it crossed the road and went over to the Greenhouse Grounds, I was in hot pursuit however! The Orange Tip being much more mobile than me was lost to view for a time, but I soon found it again, flitting around one of the glasshouses, where it settled on a dandelion head, once again I crept over to it, and this time got some reasonable photo's, the wind blowing it around didn't help!

Orange Tip - shame all the grass got in the way!

Orange Tip. Not the best set of photo's, but there should be time for a better effort on another day. Mind you, they are only around until end of May

Orange Tip

Orange Tip

After a few shots, it flitted off again, and I left it to go on its way, a quick scan off the habitat around the grounds didn't provide any exciting migrant birds, just the usual BLACKBIRDS, SONGTHRUSH, PIED WAGTAIL more Wrens and Dunnocks and a pair of ROBINS. A Small White butterfly, then a more impressive Red Admiral flitted past me, not stopping for a photo though.

I went over to my seat at Migrant Alley and scanned the fence lines and paddocks, but no Wheatear were seen, so i again made my way back to the Tree Nursery, where I found two more Butterfly species, a Comma and a Holly Blue - 7 species for an early April day is good for my patch!

Whilst sitting and waiting for something to happen, something did happen, a superb male PEREGRINE FALCON ( 51) flew over, quite high up, and as I watched it, a BUZZARD drifted into view, and came quite close to me, shame I only had the 300mm lens on today, I took a photo of it anyway  :-)

One of five Common Buzzards seen this afternoon

The Buzzard then soared away, ever higher, where I was amazed to see it join four more circling high up, with them was a SPARROWHAWK! Four raptor species in two hours is some going for my patch!

I was out at first light this morning, eager to kick off the April list of species, which got off off to a flying start with 48 species being recorded plus another two added during an afternoon session  :-) 50 for the month already, that leaves 27 to find to equal the best April count, set last year, very much easier said than done!

Encouraged by some early sunshine, the first dozen species were quickly found as I walked along Ashes lane, those being STARLING, BLACKBIRD, WOODPIGEON, JACKDAW, GREAT TIT, COLLARED DOVE, WREN, HOUSE SPARROW, ROBIN, BLUE TIT, LONG TAILED TIT, and GREENFINCH. The Greenhouse Complex added flyover STOCK DOVE, LINNET, SONG THRUSH, GOLDCREST, CHAFFINCH, CARRION CROW and PIED WAGTAIL. Things slowed up as I passed through Migrant Alley, not much habitat here, but the paddocks and sheep pasture added ROOK, and flyovers by CANADA GOOSE as well as a MEADOW PIPIT, good to get a winter bird on the April list  :-)

The College Grounds and gardens were full of activity, with all the following seen, CHIFFCHAFF, BLACKHEADED GULL, LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL, HERRING GULL, PHEASANT, DUNNOCK, MISTLE THRUSH, BLACKCAP, TREECREEPER, MOORHEN, COAL TIT, MALLARD, JAY, GREEN WOODPECKER and GOLDFINCH. Two GREYLAG GEESE were seen flying low over the Greenhouse Complex on my return journey back home for a half time drink.

Five minutes later I was back out, visiting the lake area, via the Small Holding and Wet Woods, most of the regular species had already been found in the first half of the walk, but YELLOWHAMMER, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, and a flyover GREY HERON were added to the months list before I got to the lakes. The only waterfowl seen here that weren't already recorded earlier, were the COOTS, and the feral BARNACLE GOOSE   :-)  NUTHATCH and BULLFINCH were seen in the Scrubby Woods, where two more recently arrived Blackcaps were also found.

As usual, I made my way back over to Migrant Alley for a skywatch to end the morning, no migrants were seen, in the clear blue sky, but SPARROWHAWK and KESTREL were seen numerous times. A subsequent afternoon walk, mainly to try and find some butterflies, added a COMMON BUZZARD, seen low over the Wet Woods, and a LITTLE OWL called from the Greenhouse Copse, as for the butterflies, a tatty Small Tortoiseshell was seen, as well as my first Green Veined White  :-) Phew - I think everything got a mention!
As the sunshine was back, the camera came out too.....

Immature Herring Gull

Immature Black Headed Gull

Immature Black Headed Gull

Coal Tit

Coal tit

Songthrush

Sparrowhawk