Mandarins

Friday 19th April

And about time too, warm from the off and got warmer, quick walk up to the pool, but very quiet there.
Off we then went to Catherton Common, hazy sunshine but very nice, very surprised to spot three Curlew, managed some distant record shots, also saw few buzzards, meadow pipits, stonechats, mistle thrushes, ravens, lots of pigeons, but unlike last visit we did not see any Red Kites.
Kestrel very active but couldn't get close to it.
Heard a Cuckoo calling several times from different places, does that mean Summer is on it's way.
Few moths and butterflies also flitting about.
Just a few minutes before we left a couple of swallows flew low quite near to us.
All in all a very enjoyable day, don't even mind that I never got any decent photos, was great just to see and hear the Curlews.

Curlew, heavily cropped

As above

Distant Kestrel

As above

Thursday 18th April

Misty but warm start to the day, mist cleared to leave some lovely sunshine, but late morning early afternoon it clouded up a little, but still nice and warm.
The heron was in action on Captain's but apart from a couple of skylarks over the cornfield it was pretty quiet.

Small grass snake

Canada Goose egg, decimated by a crow.

Insect wise a lot more action,  saw lots of male Orange tips, holy blue, small tortoiseshell and a peacock.
Male Leucozona lucorum

Record shot Holy Blue

Bumble Bee

19.00 tonight

Wednesday 17th April

Very warm day, hardly a cloud in the sky.
School holidays so Grand daughters here all day, so not much wildlife watching.
Been to Severn Valley Country park at Alveley today, lots of orange tip butterflies about.

Had a few minutes up the pool, but very quiet there, managed couple of photos of insects in the garden.

Hay fever been active for week or so but today it has really kicked in, oh dear, will have to see how it goes.

Large Bumblebee

Hoverfly - Male Epistrophe eligans

Tuesday 16th April 2019

Dull cloudy start with just the odd spot of rain.

Had an early walk up to Captain's, very quiet up there as there was a work party going on.
Popped back out later on and was quiet over the fields and the reserves, 2 male Mandarin ducks on Captain's and that was the only highlight. GC Grebe still sitting on the nest.

Tufted Ducks

Monday April 15th

Birds still nesting hence it is still quiet, good job Captain's produces a bit of interest now and then, mind you that was very quiet first thing then all of a sudden 2 male mandarins dropped in and a few minutes later they had gone again.
Warmed up slightly this afternoon so I just sat by the pool for a while, saw a few Blackcaps and treecreepers, but all in all it was pretty quiet.
Couple of Moorhens had a nice little fight, the female GC Grebe spent most of the day sat on the nest with the male still collecting nesting material.
With warmer weather on the way I am looking forward to spending the occasional evening up at the pool.

Male Mandarin

Mandarin leaving

As above

Treecreeper

On the nest

Big log

Landing

Blackcap

Curious

Moorhens

Moorhens

Moorhens

Terrapin

Sunday April 14th

No frost but it was very chilly, had a walk round the reserves and the cornfields, walked down Stanklyn as far as the paddocks, no sign of the Swallows this morning, pretty quiet all round actually.
Put out 3 more painted rocks.

Best sightings again were on Captain's Pool, pair of Tufted Ducks landed while I was there and departed within half hour, so I was pleased to have seen them.
Also of interest  was to see a crow chasing a buzzard, the buzzard went so close to the water before it flew off over the trees, all happened too quickly for me to get a photo, also will now be keeping my eyes open as I saw a bird fly so fast out of the reserve and across Captain's, tried for photo but was gone in a matter of seconds, flew from the dam wall reserve in a very straight flight and flew up through the top right corner of the pool looking from the dam wall.
Also saw Heron fly over a couple of times, but with fisherman there it didn't stay.
Just as I was about to leave a mallard came into view with her family.

Pair of Tufted Ducks

Heron

Mallard with family.

Saturday April 13th

Early walkabout and again didn't see a lot, but a lot of bird singing going on.
As it was such a nice start I popped out for another walkabout just after breakfast, Robins were everywhere, so nice to see the Swallows down Stanklyn Lane, also pair of Skylarks active over the corn fields.
2 Moorhen fights going on but too far away for decent photos.
Kingfisher flew past, just love seeing that flash of blue.
Put out 3 painted rocks this morning, got quite a few more to put out over the Easter period, keeps the local children happy looking for them.

Wren in full voice.

Robin giving me a curious look

Spennells Fields

Spennells Fields

Friday April 12th

Early walkabout and again very quiet, nuthatches, treecreepers, GS Woodpecker and the other usuals about, three GC Grebes on the pool along with couple of Mandarin Ducks.
Took a visit to Upton Warren which is the property of the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, was quite fresh walking around there, eventually settled in the water rail hide, but couldn't stay too long.
Popped back to Captain's late afternoon and was still very quiet.

Canada Goose (Captain's)

Shovellers (Upton Warren)

Dunnock (Upton Warren)

Reed Bunting (Upton Warren)

Swallows are back

Thursday April 11th

Same as usual around the reserves, just after lunch there were quite a few butterflies about, male and female orange tips, holy blue, small tortoiseshell, red admiral and my first speckled wood of the year.
Couple of Tufted Ducks showed for a short while on Captains.
Only saw the 2 GC Grebes today which were busy collecting nesting material.
Terrapin out again.

Popped up to Captain's after tea, what a pleasant 90 minutes I spent there, saw a little gosling, was amazed as it was completely on it's own, also a pair of Mandarins were in residence.
Tufted Ducks

Canadian Goose

Speckled Wood

Gosling (Ithink)

Mandarins

Mandarins

Wednesday April 10th

Slight frost today and very cold when I walked up by the pool, mainly due to the breeze which did die down later on and warmed up nicely, still light way after 8 tonight.
Covered a lot of ground today, but still very quiet, towards the end of my walkabout I managed to get a distant record shot of a couple of swallows.
Saw a few Orange tip butterflies about along with couple of small tortoiseshells down by the 3 pools.
Lots of bees and other tiny insects flying around in the sunshine.
Still 3 GC Grebes on the pool, the pair were covering a lot of ground trying to get to the single one, but with no luck.

Distant record shot of 2 Swallows.

The lone GC Grebe.

Hoverfly

Small Bumblebee?

Honeybee ?

Tuesday April 9th

Was a very chilly walkabout this morning, missed out the reserves today and concentrated on the fields and Stanklyn Lane, hardly saw a thing to be honest, strolled up Heath Lane but again very quiet up there, most exciting thing was the pair of womens panties hanging on a branch, weird!

Over the fields to the Railway field was just the same, nothing about at all, apart from crows, magpies and the other usuals, didn't even see a buzzard which is most unusual.
Popped up to Captain's later on and very happy to see 3 or 4 swallows flying over the pool, hope this means some nice weather is on it's way.
Just 3 GC Grebes today, the single one looks so lonely, just wondering what it's next move will be, it seemed to be getting on so well yesterday with the new arrival.
Looks like I may have found another nuthatch nest.