Common Scoters and other garden birds at the Old Vic

That classic garden bird Common Scoter appeared again a few days ago Ebird list here with six groups of these sea ducks passing over the garden between 10pm and 1am on April 3rd/4th.  Also had Greylag Goose on the noc mig plus the usual Barn and Tawny Owls, Redwings and Moorhens etc. 

We've picked up Red Fox at night on the camera trap. 

Not much happening in the moth trap as the weather has deteriorated again but a couple of mild nights recently produced a couple of new for years. 

Bugger all happening on the mini-farm as it was Jacob's birthday week so been doing hellish stuff like kids parties and tea parties. 

Mini-zoo ticking over following the fish death cluster which could have been due to excess nitrates so now got water chemistry recording strips to keep an eye on that. We pick up the new Palludarium on Saturday. Been expanding the species range of live food to now include Black Soldier fly larvae, water fleas, brine shrimps and blood worms. Bit strange really as got all these different live animals, some pets and some prey and in other situations the pets would be prey (eg feeding small rodents to snakes if we had them). We also need to keep the prey healthy and nutritious so need to look after them and feed them and regulate their environment before we release them in the leopard gecko cage.  I guess its the closest I'll ever get to be a Billionaire and deciding what humans to feed to other humans in the Capitalist system :-) 

Stock Dove

Rook in the Ash tree- don't often see them actually in the garden, just flying over mainly

Red Kites -Always present and always appreciated 

Grey Squirrel- don't think I've ever taken a photo of one in the garden but we regularly get two or three around. Bryan (Holly's dad) wants to shoot them (he's a hunter) but I don't mind them if not causing too much trouble. 

Parornix sp. There are several species that could occur, all are gen dent jobs. 

I think this is a Knot Grass but an unseasonal one