Bees and bobs

12 Wheatears on the mound this evening. The other chaps had 8 Little Gulls today.

Male Spring Flower Bee with Dandelion and Red Dead Nettle

Female Spring Flower Bee

Clouded Drab (left) and Hebrew Character (right) in the trap last night

Easter Monday at the Farm

Iceland Gull


Common Sandpiper (First one for the spring)

Pale Mottled Willow. Not been much else in the moth trap in recent evenings- either too cold or too wet. A Clouded Drab and the odd Common Quaker.

Varied Carpet Beetle- found it in the office

Just a few bits and bobs about yesterday including the first Common Sandpiper for the year. Dodge called me earlier today with news of the first Common Tern flying past my window which I managed to see before it dissappeared northwards.

Easter Sunday on the Farm

Grey Plover- a grounded migrant in a light north east wind, overcast and drizzle

6-8 Wheatears on the mounds

When the rain stopped we did a bit of ringing but only got 1 Blackcap, 1 Wren, 1 Blackbird and 1 Great Tit. Seems like the overnight conditions were not good for migrating warblers.

White-shouldered House Moth (?)- in the trap last night (first for the obs)

Good conditions this morning for grounded migrants with a Grey Plover on the islands, a Little Ring about, at least 6 Wheatears on the mound, 15+ Sand Martins, 2 Swallow and 150+ Meadow Pipit moving north and 20+ Linnet heading the same way.

Also Peregrine.

A little fall

Male Wheatear

Low pressure, a light north easterly and low cloud set the scene for a bit of vis mig and grounded migrants. 6 Wheatears, 1 LRP, 1 Sand Martin, 1 Swallow, 50+ Mipit over and 3 Yellow Wagtails were logged. Seemed to be a few more Robins and Woodpigeons about too.

Bridgewalk, Bluebells and Bees

Ramblers at Irrigation Bridge demonstrating that the bridge should be saved for public access to the future nature reserve

Bluebells- the first ones are out

Tawny Mining Bee
Started off the day with a Bridge Protest March and then did a quick walk round. Not a lot in the way of summer migrants although double figures of Buzzard going over. Johnny had a Sedge Warbler and Steve had a Yellow Wagtail going over. Had a couple of Orange Tips along the path.

Beddington Ringing

Willow Warbler

Blackcap

Chiffchaff

Great Tit

Dunnock- the first bird we ringed

Migrating adult Med Gulls

Green-veined White

First day of ringing today- caught 13 birds including a few migrants. The clear skies are back so not too much in the way of grounded migrants. A few bits going over at height including Med Gulls and a handful of Common Buzzards.

Migrants!

North east winds and low cloud finally replaced the high pressure conditions and immediately the migrants have become evident (instead of migrating out of sight at height). Today we had 3 Swallows, 2 Sand Martin, 2 Willow Warblers, 1 Common Buzzard, 6 Fieldfare and an increase in Blackcap and Chiffchaffs. Highlight of the day was 2 Avocets which dropped onto the lake for a few minutes. Also a Jack Snipe.
A big day tomorrow- the first day for our new ringing group!