Good Friday

I love April. Even when its quiet, its good. This morning Dave and I wandered around in bright sunshine enjoying everything the patch had to offer. The first new bird was a Sedge Warbler singing from the hedgerows and reedbed at the dragonfly pools. It failed to show itself, but while we waited we could hear the first of an eventual four Lesser Whitethroats, and saw a few Swallows, House Martin, and Chiffchaffs.

We ambled to the flashes past plenty of Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Orange Tip, and Green-veined White butterflies.

Green-veined White on a Dandelion

The flashes were a bit of a let down. A single Little Ringed Plover and a pair of Teal were the best birds we could muster. Worryingly for the "big day" I plan for the end of the month there were no Green Sandpipers or Snipe, and the Teal may well also depart. The rough field was more productive, and we located four Wheatears; two males and two females.

We returned via Stapenhill Wood where more Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps were joined by our first Common Whitethroat of the year. It was singing well, but was hard to see. A nice male Pied Wagtail at the horse paddocks was worth a photo.

Pied Wagtail

By 11.00am Dave had to go, but I decided to return to the flashes. Scarcely out of the car-park I couldn't resist photographing this pretty flower.

I am rubbish at plant identification. I believe it to be Cuckooflower, but the book says they are rarely white (usually pink) so I'm not sure. As I passed the pool the second Common Whitethroat of the day burst into song, and eventually I got some shots of it.

69. Common Whitethroat

I also had a good view of a male Reed Bunting.

There was nothing new at the flashes, although I could just about see a Little Owl, and so I returned home.

Then after lunch, Lyn and I made our annual pilgrimage to see the Bluebells in Bannams Wood. This is still on the patch so I also tried to find birds. Blackcaps were singing strongly and chasing one another through the foliage, but I couldn't get a shot. At least the bluebells couldn't get away.

Although the Blackcaps proved elusive, I did add a bird to my photo year list.

70. Marsh Tit

This Marsh Tit sang briefly and stayed long enough to round off an enjoyable day's birding.