Plum blossom, Chiffchaff, Stonechat, Dunnock, Tadpoles and English Elm - Day 12

Another bright day, but still the northeasterly remains. The Victoria Plum tree in our front garden is just starting to flower.

A different walk today, starting of at Beachy Brow, with its maze-like patches of scrub. Chiffchaff, Raven, Buzzard, Skylark, Goldfinch, Coal Tit and a splendid male Stonechat. The old path down from Foxholes Brow has become another widely cleared track. Heard the calls of Green Woodpecker.

Down in Foxholes wood I was extremely excited to find a massive English Elm tree, identified by its tiny red, brush-like flowers. Somehow this tree has eluded Dutch Elm Disease, ironically while all the Ash in the wood is succumbing to Die-back.

The larger of the garden ponds is now full of new tadpoles, a happy sign of Spring. Also in the garden, Mr and Mrs Dunnock are a permanent fixture.

 Plum blossom

 Another day, another Chiffchaff

 Male Stonechat

 Goldfinch

 A surprisingly yellow tree

English Elm flowers

 Mr and Mrs Dunnock

Tadpoles

Chiffchaff, Blackthorn blossom and Bee-flies - Day 11

Sometimes I think about the situation, and the enormity of what is going on becomes overwhelming. I have to focus on one day at a time.

Today was bright, and the awful wind of yesterday had eased to be quite pleasant. In the woods for the dog's walk, a Chiffchaff was singing again. I also saw some flowering Blackthorn at the woodland edge. Some parts of the wood show no sign of spring, as the Ash trees that dominate has all succumbed to the die-back, but this will be an opportunity for new life. The trees either side of the main paths have been cut back severely, to prevent them falling on walkers. This has opened the woodland up quite extensively, and may lure back Nightingales, which have not sung in it for at least three summers.

At lunchtime I spent some time in the garden, and got some good views of Bee-flies. Strange furry creatures, that seem to hang in the air.

Violet, growing on the wildflower lawn

Chiffchaff

Ash Woodland

Blackthorn

Bombylius major, the Dark-edged Bee-fly

View from the downs

Magpie

Wood Pigeon, Hart's Tongue Fern and making Bumblebee nests - Day 10

A fierce northeasterly wind and wild sleet showers limited my outdoor time. An early Woodpigeon made short work of spilt food from the bird feeder. Such a ubiquitous bird, I rarely give them a second glance, but I am always pleased when I do.

The walk in the local wood was actually quite sheltered, but the wind had blown away any wildlife. The steep-sided scarp edge of the Downs has curving indentations, meaning there are several north facing slopes which favour Hart's Tongue Fern. They were looking good in the bright, summer-time sunshine with barred, rust- red sori.

Later in the day I ventured out in to the garden and hastily planted the rest of my butterfly seed mix. We also made four bumblebee nests, by filling inverted terracotta flowerpots with moss and dried grass, then partially burying them. I look forward to seeing if any become occupied.

 Woodpigeon

Hart's Tongue Fern

Bumblebee nests. Each one has moss and dry grass inside.

Snakes-head Fritillary, Wild Cherry and the Downs - Day 9

A Saturday, which due to the schedule we had been keeping all week, actually felt like a weekend. The wildflowers in the garden continue to attract the early insects. We went on a slightly longer dog walk today, but stayed within 2km of home.

I the woods I was delighted to find three wild cherry trees in flower, though I am not sure which species they are. The Wood Anemones continue to look superb, and I saw my second ladybird of the year. Closer to the top of the ridge croziers of the Adders Tongue ferns were emerging.

The wind on the Downs was not pleasant, though it was good to see Skylark, Linnet, Kestrel, Chaffinch and Buzzard.

At home, I dug out one of the compost bins and used the soil to sow butterfly seed mix.

 Snakes-head Fritillary

 Cherry blossom

 Wood Anemone

 Seven-spot Ladybird

 Herb Robert

 Moss fruiting bodies

 Green Alkanet

 Adders-tongue Fern croziers

 Dandelion and wasp

 Robin

 Dew pond on Willingdon Hill

 Willingdon Hill, looking west

 Red Dead Nettle

 Chaffinch

 Violet - looking rather blue

Daisies

Anemone blanda and a Dunnock - Day 8

A less connected day, in terms of the natural world. Another lovely sunny day, but with a freshening cold wind, but I had to spend time shopping for food and delivering it. I only spotted 13 species of birds, but a Blackcap singing in the garden was great. The Anemone blanda, growing on the wildflower lawn looked splendid in the sun, and one of the gardens Dunnocks seems to becoming almost habituated to my presence.

On a positive note, the panic buying seems to have stopped, and the supermarkets were almost fully stocked.

 Anemone blanda

 Dead Ash trees. Part of my local wood has completely died

Dunnock

Celandine, Chaffinch, Long-tailed Tits, Stonechats and Great Spotted Woodpeckers - Day 7

Another clear and cold day, which started with Together with Birdsong again. I contributed Greenfinch, Coal Tits and copulating Herring Gulls. 

Bracken's morning walk around Foxholes Wood was a joy, with two singing Blackcaps joining the Chiffchaffs, Great Tits, Wrens and Stock Doves. I was thrilled to get a really good look at a smart male Chaffinch, which has become rather scarce locally. Celandines, Herb Robert, Violets and Vipers Bugloss were flowering, along with the continuing magnificent display of Wood Anemone.

In the garden there were more flowering plants: Ivy-leaved Toadflax, Eregion and Hellibore. The feeders continued to be busy, with Long-tailed Tits being notable, after a few days absence. A pair visited, one of whom has only one eye. Sometimes we get a group of three.

Overhead there was the usual traffic of Buzzards and Ravens. The Buzzards looked to be performing ritualised dives. At one time, a mobbing Carrion Crow was grabbed by a Raven and the two fell cartwheeling down, before the Raven released the crow.

Later on there were Skylark, a pair of Stonechat, Kestrel and three Great Spotted Woodpeckers on the downs. Bird list for the day was 23, a new record.

Celandine

Wood Anemone

Chaffinch

Magpie drinking at the front pond

Raven and Carrion Crow confrontation

Long-tailed Tits

Busy feeders

Male Stonechat