Friday April 26

After the excitement of the last couple of weeks it was to be expected that things would calm down a bit. This morning was cool with a light southerly breeze (but associated with an approaching low pressure system) and became cloudy by 11.00am.

I had a bit of luck to begin with though. I had stopped at High Field Farm to buy some eggs, when a Nuthatch swooped out of Bannams Wood and landed on the gravel drive where it proceeded to pick up grit.

Nuthatch

This apparently strange behaviour can probably be explained by the Nuthatches nesting habit of choosing a hole in a tree and then making it smaller by partially blocking up the entrance with mud. It seems a little late for the nest making process, but perhaps it was doing some D.I.Y. Anyway it gave me the opportunity to plug a gap on my photo year-list.

At Netherstead my arrival was briefly blocked by a lorry. It transpired that it was delivering fencing components for the volunteers (I had to admit I was not one of them) who were going to mend the bridge on the public footpath. After a scan of the horse field revealed two male Wheatears, I met the workers, all of whom looked older than me, as they were preparing to attend the site. They certainly put me to shame.

The resident warblers are now all here and the whole area reverberated to the sound of Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, Whitethroats, and Lesser Whitethroats. They were joined by two singing Sedge Warbler, a calling Cuckoo, and a singing Willow Warbler. There was no sign of the Grasshopper Warbler, or so I thought, but I later bumped into Chris Lane who had heard and seen it briefly after I had walked past.

The Avocets were definitely not present, although a pair of Shelducks had appeared in their place. At least two Little Ringed Plovers, 10 Lapwings, and seven Teal still remain. I also spotted a third Wheatear on the return journey.

Skylark

Yellow Archangel

Canada Geese with goslings

A Skylark allowed a closer approach than is usual, while a few spikes of Yellow Archangel along the road beneath Bannams Wood caught my eye. The breeding season is looking to be good for the local Canada Geese and also for a pair of Coots which also have young.