Garden Latest and Other Sightings

Friday 25th - Sunday 27th March 2011

The highlight of Friday afternoon in the warm sunny weather around Frampton was the butterflies, with six Peacocks, five Brimstones and three Small Tortoiseshells around the lakes. A Treecreeper (long-toed!) was singing like mad along the track on the east side of Court Lake, and a Goldcrest was similarly tuneful near the Perryway. After hearing Chiffchaff for several days, including a bird to the rear of my garden, I finally saw my first one here. It's great to hear them again. On Saturday, the pair of Bullfinches were once again in the garden (photo of male above), while a Mallard which flew low over mid-afternoon was a garden tick! The Bullfinches were back again on Sunday, and a Lesser Redpoll put in an appearance at the feeders (below) and a pair of Ravens flew overhead, heading north.

I spent a family afternoon at Clevedon, Somerset on Sunday, where a total of seven Swallows, coming straight from the sea and then heading inland, were my first of the year.

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