Bats in the Belfry

 While the overnight temperatures continue to show the odd double-figure we continue to flash up the Moth Traps, taking no more than a flick of a switch, then paying the occasional visit outside to see if anything is flying about. That was the case a couple of evenings ago when one of our checks found there to be something flying about but not a Moth, but far more unusually a Bat. On size alone we considered it to be a

NOCTULE BAT

but if so something of a freak happening as their ‘flight-period’ is usually between April and October. That aside, should our eyes not be deceiving us if this was a Bat then surely it follows there should be Insects and hopefully Moths, we only had to wait for

daylight, on a Spring like morning, to find within a single

CHESTNUT
logged and added to the Year List while across the southern half of our area only a single

Northern Thrush

by way of this

FIELDFARE
building up fat reserves prior to flying back to Scandinavia or other parts of Europe.
("Fly away you sweet little thing, they're hard on your trail" - Supper's Ready - Genesis)

Surveying the Stubble Field in hope of a Lapwing only these 2

ANGLERS
were spotted, someting we have never seen before along this beat of the
River Stour. Returning closer to home the screeches of the local pair of

KESTREL's

caught the ear, close to their usual nest site, initially propossed for Owls,

and if not very much mistaken failing to capture a moment of 'food passing'?

With

SONG THRUSH's
(plaural)

now dominating the
Dawn Chorus

it was a completely new one on us

to see so many

BLACK-HEADED GULLs
perched on the wires of the National Grid while directly below

STARLINGs

engaged themselves in what we Mariners describe as a

Bath and Dhobie

while from up north the only news was the arrival of

Adrien Tugwell's
much needed Solar Panel Cleaning Team - A Great Gang
with Action Shots to follow once they get turned to.