Saturday June 30

A rather blustery day with a mixture of cloud and sunshine. Not my favourite conditions for birding, and by the time I had got to the flash pools it was proving as disappointing as I had suspected it would. There were now five Green Sandpipers present, which is very good for the time of year. I couldn't find the brood of Tufted Ducks which Matt Wilmott had discovered in the week, and the flash flooding which had affected the area on Thursday had left little trace, although the waterlevel in the pool did look a bit higher.


A view of the set-aside borders

I soon became tempted to concentrate on the wildlife beneath my feet. The long grass bordering the fields is fantastic for plants and mini-beasts. The latter included Small Skipper, Small Copper, Common Blue, and Red Admiral butterflies today. I really struggle to name the plants, so I took a few pictures with the intention of trying to identify them later. 

Grass Vetchling

I think the tiny pink flower between my fingers is Grass Vetchling, possibly only locally distributed in Warwickshire. Finally, I had a good view of the Tawny Owl in the barn, which remained asleep throughout the time I was watching it.