To Sunday 20th April
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| Reeling Grasshopper Warbler, CWP |
A few musings since my last update. In the Cotswold Water Park, the scrubby area to the north of pits 43/65 was teeming with birds yesterday morning, including a
Cuckoo, a
Grasshopper Warbler (above), and several
Whitethroats and
Sedge Warblers, all ticks for the year. I returned in a similar direction in the afternoon with the family to visit North Meadow, Cricklade, for the annual show of
Snake's Head Ftilliaries. These were giving a good show, certainly better than last year when the cold spring had affected their growth.
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| Snake's Head Fritillaries, North Meadow, Cricklade |
Even though the bird is an escape, I had to go to Coombe Hill Meadows on 11th to see the exotic
African Spoonbill. I wonder where it's come from? I also year-ticked a fine male
Redstart and two
Little Ringed Plovers here, and at least five
Pike were in the canal.
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| African Spoonbill, Coombe Hill Meadows; next to dancing Greylag |
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| Pike, Coombe Hill Canal |
On 12th, the tide at Saul Warth yielded little, but a male
Wheatear was north of the sluice; its extensive buff underside suggesting
Leucorhoa Greenland type.
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| Wheatear, Saul Warth |
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| Leucorhoa? - it was ringed later I learned, but metrics were inconclusive |
Late on the 12th at Upton upon Severn, a pair of
Redshanks were at Upper Ham, Upton upon Severn, and showing well at the side of the riverside footpath.
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| Redshank, Upton upon Severn |
On 13th these two
Brown Hares were in the old orchard opposite Haywicks Farm, Hardwicke:
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| Brown Hares, Hardwicke |
On 13th at Snowshill Manor, I spotted some interesting King Alfred’s Cakes fungus,
Daldinia concentric, between the car park and the manor; very distinctive and strange-looking.
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| King Alfred’s cakes, Daldinia concentric, Snowshill Manor |
And finally, some photos from Good Friday, 18th, taken at the National Trust's Brockhampton Estate in Hereforshire, of Orange-tip, and
Hairy-footed Flower Bee and
Common Carder Bee. As I was trying to photograph the bees, next to the front door of the house, a very helpful guide, looking at me pointing the camera amongst the shrubs, asked me "is the the flowers or the bees?". "the bees" I said. She said "see that tree", pointing behind me, "it's a Tamarisk; the tenant bought it from Woolworth's in 1956; it cost 6 pence", "Well I never, I've got one in my front garden. It doesn't look that old." I said. As I continued photographing the bees I thought - perhaps I should have sounded more impressed? Sorry.
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| Orange-tip on Cuckoo Flower |
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| Female Hairy-footed Flower Bee, Brockhampton |
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| Common Carder Bee, Brockhampton |
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