Wednesday 15 April 2020

The Magnificent 7

Another day, another dollar and a bit breezy our intent was to catch up on some of the
WATERFOWL
which have produced a few young
With just a single
WHITE-TAILED BUMBLEBEE 
in the local trap it was straight off, via the newly harrowed
WILD FLOWER PATCH
 to the
Irrigation Pond
where the Coot parents are nurturing no fewer than 
c7 Magnificent Chicks
Around the corner at the
Gravel Pit
strange happenings indeed as it would seem that the absent for 4 days 'prodigal'
LITTLE GREBE
chick has returned to the fold
Mum or Dad
Far more likely it has been holed up in the depths of the reedbed
keeping well away from that
Grey Heron
One of the traits of the Grebe Family
is to carry their young 
Piggyback style
During this observation perion a pair of
REED BUNTING
had been knocking about with the female landing, all be it briefy,
right in front of me
With little else to amuse it was off to the Heath where it was also deathly quiet
but did think that the large tracts of Heather that had been cropped to
stimulate further growth had also seen another benifit as an attractant to 6 -10
Woodlark
All else included an encounter with this male
CHAFFINCH
no big deal there but a cracking bird,
clumps of now flowering
JACK-by-the-HEDGE 
and a new Butterfly species for the year
 ORANGE TIP
 It would have been easy enough to photograph the upper side on the day
but that would surely only have told half of a
Beautiful Story
This specimen was captured last year in one of our Moth Traps 
and while still logy we were able to capture all sides before release,
What a Beauty!