Cleeve Hill

Saturday 10th April 2010

I got some good birds on Cleeve Hill Common this morning with Mike and Andy in the sunny and warm Spring weather. Five Ring Ouzels in two groups of two and three respectively were just below the heather enclosure at 8:00am (above); the three were last seen flying towards the masts and the two towards the top of the enclosure. A Grasshopper Warbler was nearby at SO995255 seen crawling amongst the Gorse and briefly heard reeling; four Blackcaps (2m, 2f) were also here, and a male Redstart was near the Wash Pool in full song (below).

A Red Kite was seen south from the masts car park and at Warden's Wood a male Cuckoo was calling and patrolling the area; nearby a Brimstone and several Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell butterflies were on the wing. Willow Warblers were singing everywhere, and Skylarks also in abundance over the common. It was also nice to see a decent patch of Wild Daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus) on the common in full flower (below).

This afternoon, a Bee Fly (Bomylius major) was in the garden (below).

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