At last...

Yesterday in Chichester the Pegs were flying around giving the low 'cuk-cuk' sound typical at this time but the camera was still showing an empty nest and the female departed whilst the male sat on the turret above the box (below, distant and with the macro).

Elsewhere, five Buzzards over the north carpark.

Today the first egg was laid and whilst writing this the female is covering the egg. So, eight days later than last year but still not (obviously) perturbed by the very close building work. It took five days last year to complete the clutch, so Wednesday or Thursdays this week.

And of course David and Janet's photos, blog and other info at www.chichesterperegrines.com

Late afternoon a few hirundines were distant over a choppy PHP, probably Sand Martins.

Yesterday, a run out to Stansted on a fine day, was good for Brimstones and Peacocks and the usual woodland songsters including a Firecrest. A Marsh Tit was singing by the roadside in Forestside plus an Orange-tip.

Back at base a low Buzzard over 'Squirrel Wood' was stirring up the gulls including a couple of Meds;  two male Blackcaps were singing and more of the same butterflies plus a white spp and a Comma. Both here and along the field edge had numerous Bee-flies, one Tree Bumbebee and a few Andrenas plus this Sphaerophoria spp, presumably scripta.

Today, an early morning wake up call from a Green Woodpecker was a surprise in such an urban, brick and concrete area and made a nice change from spugs and gulls.

Tibet Cherry - glorious bark

Catch!!

Despite now been being a bird seen on a good proportion of days out at many sites,  it was very pleasant to sit and watch a pair of Marsh Harriers nest building and performing a food pass on a good sunny day with, again, better-than-forecast weather. A few other people enjoyed the action.

Commas were more noticeable today and Andrenas active around the flower beds. This Bee-fly was quite obliging as was this hover which I didn't immediately recognise, Cheilosia albipila; this is an early spring species and I think one I've not seen before. The root plate of a fallen tree was attracting a H-fFb and the various holes (not sure what's been excavating them) were being inspected by my first Nomada of the year; too far for a useable record shot. And finally this Lassioglossum morio or thereabouts, below.

Apart from a couple of Blackcaps no other sign of migrants but good numbers of Brent lingering on still, providing a rather typical winter scene; but I guess it will only be days 'til they're off.

Still Adderless..

Most reports of adders so far are 'off piste' and, although the weather held up better than expected, today was still short of insect activity. Some of the flowering Prunus held a good number of honeybees and Eristalis but most were too high; a long handled net would be useful. Adjacent to Winpenny is a nice hot south facing area with some brash attracting Brimstone, Peacock, Cheilosia pagana, this Andrena (one of a few); Bee-fly including this one with its chubby shadow!! Plenty of Cuckoo Flower but no Orange-tip yet.

A distant Roebuck was the best mammal.

Five Black-tailed Godwits  were close in to Westmead but no new-in birds as yet.

Earlier, this Common Quaker was, unsurprisingly, only one of two moths in the trap last night.

EDIT The Andrena/s was/were scotica per BWARS, picture below.

Today's Snipe

WWT Snipe

First hirundines...

A gap between dentist and chauffeur duties saw a quick circuit of PHP producing six overflying Sand Martins, a similar number of Buzzards, a returning Great Crested Grebe and both Black Swans, strangely being ignored by the Mutes who are always up for some argy-bargy. Gulls were absent but started to arrive with a guestimate of 50 Med Gulls most of which were soaring noisily overhead.

Bee-flies were the most obvious insects plus a few HfFBs and a single Sphecodes but nothing else of note.

Back home this Andrena nigroeanea and this hover Platycheirus scutatus s.s were the best although a few others got away. Interesting to see if the first moth trap of the year produces anything.

Mixed bag..

Friday saw a non-birding outing to Hinton Ampner with just a single Red Kite nearby plus a surprise in the form of DM and wife, our first non-Birdfair meeting for nearly 40 years!!

A local walk on Saturday  produced usual numbers of Tufted Ducks, just a handful of Shovelers, six Lesser Black Backs and a Chiffchaff.

Yesterday started in the forest where three Goshawks were 'play fighting' on arrival at 09:15 with a fourth circling up with three Buzzards soon after. A Marsh Tit was scolding from the roadside trees but a singing Woodlark kept its distance.

At Blashford four Bramblings were the first this winter for me and, in fact, the first for 51 weeks!! A few moths in the trap thanks to TS were mostly quakers, including Twin-spotted, Hebrew Characters, an Early Thorn, an Oak Beauty and this Brindled Pug below with ID confirmation from SF.

The new viewing point provided some good banter (GBL etc) and the usual fare plus Grey Wagtail, Red Kite(3), Marsh Harrier, Buzzard (10+), Sparrowhawk, Peregrine, heard-only LRP and, on the dot of three, the Ring-billed Gull on the Osprey perch  - a year tick at last and a ropey record shot below.

Insect wise plenty of Brimstones and Peacocks plus two Commas, my first two Bee-flies (FB unsurprisingly showing a mass of new records for today), Tree Bumblebee, gazillions of Andrena vaga plus lots of other Andrena spp, a single Sphecodes on the 'Beewolf Clump' but little on the hover front other than E pertinax, M auricollis and Syrphus spp. The mass of  flowering Sallow was rather disappointing with just Honeybees.

Some violets provided a relief from yellow flowers and finally the sole mammal of the day, a Roe Deer, strolled past the Woodland Hide.

Today was back to Chi for a replacement lens cap with Raven activity again, a single Buzzard but no (obvious) Pegs; plenty of Bee-flies, Bombus terrestris/lucorum/pascuorum, Osmia bicornis, lots of Anthophora, Eristalis pertinax, tenax, Eupeodes spp, Syrphus spp, Syrphus torvus, Episyrphus balteatus but nothing better hoverwise. Back home there was a single female Hairy-foot to keep the multiple males happy and another Bee-fly which was shooed away by the HfFbs. A small Andrena vanished before I could get a photo.

Non-biting Midge, Chioronomid

Tuesday saw a brief trip in to Chi where the big birds were absent but the garden was a nice place to see and hear multiple song-flighting Greenfinches, a singing and 'rattling' Mistle Thrush, Chiffchaff and a male Great Spotted Woodpecker. A Nuthatch was calling away in the distance. Just multiple Anthophora plumipes mostly on the patches of pulmonaria - all males.

Wednesday duty at Pulborough saw another Merlin dip for Pete and I with just Peregrine, Marsh Harrier, Red Kite and a few godwits. Redshanks (ten or so) are now the predominant 'soundtrack' to the south brooks, whilst the two White-fronted Geese linger on. LRP and Sand Martins seen by others.

Highlight by far was two Weasels, a male and female judging by size difference, on Adder Alley. The female dashed off along the path but the male stayed close by checking out my pishing giving great extended views. A visitor had another along Green Lane at about the same time.

Yesterday at Titchfield was the start of 'earplug' season with vast numbers of squawking BHGs drowning out everything else. A few more plants in flower with much more Marsh Marigold, Cowslip and Honesty plus lots of Sallow, ideal for nectar feeding insects - unfortunately it was too cool for anything bar Honeybees and this Galerucella lineola.

This Robin was particularly keen to get up close and personal; maybe it associates cameras with mealworms!! No migrants and just a white darvic'd 2cy Med Gull, the only non-adult I saw, presumably one of CD's French/Belgian birds.

And finally this heron was determined to stand its ground despite being harassed by gulls. Brief catchup with MF prior to leaving, also birdless!

Bargain and a dip..

Yesterday saw both the Peregrines launching off the cathedral and the two Ravens still in the same spot, with one being typically vocal.  And a nice bargain (above) from the new Oxfam Bookshop courtesy of LC's timely tweet.

Today was another Portsdown Hooded Crow dip despite a circuit of the fields. Just a slow but steady influx of M'ipits (maybe 50 ish), single Yellowhammer, a few distant Buzzards and a dozen or so Med Gulls. A single Raven was the best. This Wood Anemone was just one (in flower) amongst roadside Lesser Celandine.

Later at PHP a Firecrest was singing well in the carpark and, further around, the ubiquitous Treecreeper. Mistle Thrushes (at least two) and several Chiffchaffs singing. On the pond ten or so Med Gulls but, with comings and goings, obviously many more individuals. Two each of 'decent' Greylags, Tufted Ducks and Black Swans. This Mute Swan bore a type of ring which I'd not encountered before - a Vintners Company ring from the Swan Upping agency and so presumably from the Thames or there about.

Phoenix

Yesterday was the first time this spring that Med Gulls have been audible over the house.

Phoenix by Wishbone Ash

The new Tern Hide at Blashford is rising, Phoenix-like from the metaphorical ashes of its previous incarnation and this time accompanied by a very smart balustraded platform built onto the mound. And a very nice, level place to watch from today, although the very strong wind made it difficult. Quite a few Meadow Pipits were obvious and this was backed up by others noting an influx along the coast especially at Titchfield where they were trailed by one or two Merlins; sadly, no such luck at Ibsley Water and no (obvious) interesting gulls; had hoped for maybe a Little Gull or a Sand Martin or two.

Elsewhere, the Bittern showed well and three Lesser Redpolls were on the feeders plus a catch up with John, Jim and Jackie before driving back across the top of the forest and seeing only three Mistle Thrushes.

A missed tick..

A short look around QECP after picking up a camera wrist strap in Chichester (no Ravens nor Peregrines today) produced a couple of Siskins, Goldcrests a single heard only Firecrest, a watchful Kestrel on the wires and two very vocal Marsh Tits which came to check out my pishing.

On the insect front a Red Admiral, Meliscaeva auricollis and another hover which I took for male Eupeodes spp. Posting to FB brought suggestions of Melangyna lapsiopthalma and Parasyrphus punctulatus but no final agreement sadly, as I think either would have been new.

Sadly the top area, so good for Vipers Bugloss and its attendant bees, Chalkhill Blues and orchids, is now covered in a 8-10 foot pile of soil/aggregate/spoil!!

Mystery hover

Veronica/Speedwell

I'm just mad about Saffron..

Today a brief post brunch stroll up the boardwalk where Primrose, Lesser Celandine and the first Marsh Marigold provided the only colour and signs of spring; a couple of singing Chiffchaffs also. Nice to watch the female Marsh Harrier hunting up and down flushing 100+ Black'wits.

Useful and interesting talk from RL about the reserve  in Stubbington.

Another (almost birdless) entry...

Arundel

DBA Xmas meal

Blossom and Daffodils

Spinnaker Tower, Nelson and Royal Garrison Church.
Background soundtrack provided by Wightlink Ferries and a singing Rock Pipit, the latter always a joy to hear.

Week summary..

This week saw the end of 'false spring' and return to more typically wet and windy conditions with the Arun looking as if it might overtop midweek( but it didn't thankfully) and then howling gales at the weekend. Luckily the latter did at least come with mostly blue skies.

Pulborough finally produced a couple of Woodlarks over the crop field, the first for me here since the nineteen in December. Adders are being seen but not by me and the flurry of early butterflies hit a brick wall this week.
The two White-fronted Geese were distant and flushed by ground staff midweek but just the odd harrier and a couple of Peregrines at the weekend; the female sat on the ground before deciding to dash out to the riverbank just to flash her talons at a harmless Buzzard on the ground before returning to her mate for some more loafing.

Arundel produced the usual fare although the Kingfishers are getting less reliable. The gull loaf was a similar size to the Goring Gap flock, probably both about 1000 strong with a number of Med Gulls but nothing better. The only ringed Med this week was a green darvic'd (French/Belgian) adult at Titchfield.

The ringtail Hen Harrier was hunting distantly from the pub carpark and a Cattle Egret was in-to-roost early.

A bedding compost  run to Mount Folly produced heard only Firecrest from nearby gardens as it usually does.

Monday (11th) saw a visit to Mill Lane for the Hooded Crow but no sightings by many birders and only Med Gulls as supporting cast in bright but still very windy conditions; typically it was reported mid afternoon.

Later in the day some time along the seafront between shopping, coffee and 'urban' photography produced a strongly singing Rock Pipit on Hot Walls and an adult Shag off Eastney; others saw both Little Owls locally.