Swallows and Flycatcher

A visit to Bough Beech Reservior turned up 2 Little Egrets, 4+ Green Sandpiper, 4+ Common Sandpiper, Common Terns and my first Spotted Flycatcher for the reserve (126th species). Unfortunately I didn't get any decent pictures before it flew off into the nearby trees - just a perching shot on the dead tree in the orchard.

Spotted Flycatcher

The Swallows performed well over my head and consisted of juveniles harassing adults.

Acrobatic Swallows

Juvenile and adult Swallow in collision

Also saw this Black-tailed Skimmer dragonfly.

Black-tailed Skimmer

Sevenoaks Reserve

A brief look at Sevenoaks Reserve yielded highlights of a Green Sandpiper, Little Ringed plover and a family of 5 Egyptian Geese. A Peacock butterfly was also seen and a group of Mistle Thrushes were in the horse paddock.

Coots a plenty

Lapwing

Mistle Thrush

First Red Tommy

Had a trip up to Redditch yesterday and saw 2 Red kites and a Buzzard on the M40 near Oxford.
Meanwhile in the garden the first Tomato has ripened, well ahead of it's siblings. There's really no advantage in ripening first - it just means you get eaten first.

First Tomato

Little Hoppers

A small froglet was found by the kids in some damp leaf litter by the kids and we saw a large female frog in some brambles nearby. It shows they are around and it spurs me on to get the pond completed - an update on that in future postings.

A Frog in the hand ...

... and in the bush

Meanwhile, I disturbed this brown Grasshopper from some long grass at the front. Not sure what species it is though.

Aaah Grasshopper

Butterflies

With the fantastic warm weather, garden butterflies are being seen daily namely Large White, Small White, Speckled Wood, Holly Blue and the first Gatekeeper for the year.

The Large Whites have shown an interest in the vegetable patch and I have already found eggs and larvae on the cabbages - so I expect the leaves to be full of holes soon.

Speckled Wood

Holly Blue

Tit flock and tame Blackbird

At the weekend a large party of 10+ Long-tailed Tits moved through the garden, mostly juveniles. Noisely chatting away they were very scruffy looking and some had missing tail feathers. A Chiffchaff and Goldcrest was also noted amongst them.

Long-tailed Tit

Meanwhile, whilst digging the pond, I was joined by a willing helper. A female Blackbird picked up worms and grubs around my feet to feed her hungry nestlings. Unfortunately, the cats have also noticed how tame she is and I feel for her safety.

Female Blackbird helping in digging the pond

Leopard Moth

The kids found this superb Leopard Moth in the garden recently.