Hello
Sunny Northamptonshire lived up to it's reputation again today with almost wall to wall sunshine albeit with a cool breeze! Great weather for lifting the spirits and despite the cool air temperatures there were plenty of insects on the wing including spring butterflies like Brimstone, Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock. However it is also possible to see Small and Large White, Red Admiral, Comma and even Orange-tip and these have all been sighted in the county during the last few days, often in gardens. South of us even the majestic and rare Camberwell Beauty has been spotted, with several Large Tortoiseshells on the south coast too.
Bees are active, the first hoverflies are out, as are Bee-Flies and today was one of those days when Pitsford Reservoir was alive with millions of chironomid flies!
Eleanor revisited the Brampton Valley Way just south of the Kelmarsh Tunnels and found the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in exactly the same position, still calling and drumming. Graham Martin heard his Lesser Spotted Woodpecker drumming again in Salcey Forest at 7.30am this morning.
My period of exercise this afternoon took me to Pitsford Reservoir where it is still possible to scan the reservoir from the dam and causeway even though the site is officially closed. At the dam end, five gorgeous adult Little Gulls were flying around catching the flies and they were my highlight of the day.
Back in the garden and all the usual birds turned up with quite a gathering of Reed Buntings and Yellowhammers and a few Pied Wagtails too. The wagtails and the Starlings look for the dried mealworms, the buntings are more interested in seed. The Yellowhammers seem to prefer cereal grain and larger seeds and the Reed Buntings the smaller seed, probably especially the millet.
Regards
Neil M
Sunny Northamptonshire lived up to it's reputation again today with almost wall to wall sunshine albeit with a cool breeze! Great weather for lifting the spirits and despite the cool air temperatures there were plenty of insects on the wing including spring butterflies like Brimstone, Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock. However it is also possible to see Small and Large White, Red Admiral, Comma and even Orange-tip and these have all been sighted in the county during the last few days, often in gardens. South of us even the majestic and rare Camberwell Beauty has been spotted, with several Large Tortoiseshells on the south coast too.
Bees are active, the first hoverflies are out, as are Bee-Flies and today was one of those days when Pitsford Reservoir was alive with millions of chironomid flies!
Eleanor revisited the Brampton Valley Way just south of the Kelmarsh Tunnels and found the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in exactly the same position, still calling and drumming. Graham Martin heard his Lesser Spotted Woodpecker drumming again in Salcey Forest at 7.30am this morning.
My period of exercise this afternoon took me to Pitsford Reservoir where it is still possible to scan the reservoir from the dam and causeway even though the site is officially closed. At the dam end, five gorgeous adult Little Gulls were flying around catching the flies and they were my highlight of the day.
Back in the garden and all the usual birds turned up with quite a gathering of Reed Buntings and Yellowhammers and a few Pied Wagtails too. The wagtails and the Starlings look for the dried mealworms, the buntings are more interested in seed. The Yellowhammers seem to prefer cereal grain and larger seeds and the Reed Buntings the smaller seed, probably especially the millet.
Regards
Neil M
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| Male Reed Bunting courtesy of John Gamble. |
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| Female Starling courtesy of John Tilly. |
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| Jay courtesy of Robin Gossage, |
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