Latest from the Old Vicarage

Slow at the Old Vicarage at the moment. The 2022 bird list is up to 47 species HERE  and the moth list is still stuck on one. New birds recently include a Moorhen calling at night and Mallard on the neighbours pond. Greenfinches are singing now (up to six around), Jackdaws continue to prospect in the Walnut, the Grey Wagtail is still around, more birds are singing now (Chaffinch started up today), Siskins are still gracing the garden, there are up to three calling Green Woodpeckers and two Great Spotted Woodpeckers. Redwings and Woodpigeons are feeding in the sheep field and the partially leucistic Redwing is still around. 

We've bought a few wildlife supplies for the year ahead including some pheromones and pheromone trap to try for Clearwings this year, bought 10 survey matts (to try for herps and small mammals). On the wider projects front also bought six volumes of Leraut's Moths of Europe (for some trips this year). Got a couple of trips coming up soon; leaving for the Azores tomorrow and then at the end of the month heading over to Azerbaijan in search of 'Omid', the last Siberian Crane in the Western Palearctic.

Meanwhile in-doors, plans are afoot to create a Paludarium to add to the mini-zoo and we've been researching this. The plan is to create an indoor mini bioactive rain forest with tropical plants, fish, lizards, amphibians and inverts. Will attempt to create some kind of self regulatory elements to it. We discovered what could be a Malaysian Trumpet Snail in the aquarium (a stowaway) and also added three Glowlight Tetras. 

Adult Common Buzzard (above and below) 

Female Siskin 

Wren- more birds are showing territorial behaviour with a good dawn chorus now

Green Woodpecker- up to three of these calling and fighting 

Mallard on the neighbours pond- handy that they've created this pond, saves us a job as we can access it and see it easily, should be interesting what turns up on this, this year  

Redwings in the Sheep Field