Spring images.

Sparrowhawk helps with the washing!

First Small Tortoiseshell of the year.

Spire amongst the Daffs.

This young Mink was watched feeding on a frog on the 17th. Chiffchaffs are now calling and the first Tortoiseshell was seen on the 19th.

Spawn signals Spring.

On the 6th a Curlew flew down the valley, no doubt heading for Brascote. Other recent sightings have included Peregrine, Raven and Woodcock. By the 10th there was plenty of spawn in the pond and a pair of Mallard had moved in. The final Webs count was completed today(13th). The highest count was 74 Mallard and 31 Tufted duck. There were also 14 Cormorant, some being the sinensis sub species, from eastern and southern Europe ,which breeds in the Baltic. (See photo). The highlight were the 9 Sand Martins that were feeding low over the reservoir, a sure sign that migration has begun.

Hybrid Duck.

On the 27th February I noticed 3 juvenile Pochard near the outflow in the company of this male hybrid. I have recorded a similar hybrid at Thornton and I suspect that it is a male Tufted crossed with a female Pochard.