Spring is sprung..... ish!

Probably the best day of the year so far with wall to wall blue skies and little or no breeze which was enough to bring out my first insects of the year; a male Brimstone blundered between the trees, a dopey looking Honeybee landed on the kerb and at least two female Hairy-footed Flowerbees, one on Gorse and another trying to sunbathe on Ivy. 

A Cetti's was very strident in the dry scrubby area adjacent to the last house. The refuge field was pretty much empty.

Sat quietly on a park bench with the sun on my face the alarm calling Herring Gulls indicated a Buzzard, my first raptor of the year(!), which drifted westwards before deciding to power off to the north. At the same time an invisible Grey Wagtail slipped behind me. A Heron was perched on the fence posts and another cruised in from the east and sat up in the tallest tree on the island. The last of the 'Baffins Gang' Barnacle Geese returned today with is dodgy white domestic goose chum having spent most of the winter (I assume) at Farlington.

Finally, two Great Black-backed Gulls circled  time and time again before slowly losing height and landing; in contrast an inbound Cormorant 100-150 ft up whiffled in and dropped like a stone landing within a few seconds of its approach.

 

Saturday  update

Again very blue but with more high, fluffy clouds and a cooler breeze.

A calling Great Spotted Woodpecker was very vocal between the refuge and the houses in one of the taller trees. More Honeybees active on the lone Gorse bush.

32/22,000

They're coming..

A pretty much painful and quiet few weeks since last post with little wildlife watching opportunities. A group of 40 or so Lapwings over the golf course on the way to first Covid jab on Hayling a fortnight ago were presumably local birds looking for a marginally warmer, drier and sheltered daytime roost.

Locally, still two drake Pochards  and little reduction in Tufted Ducks but Shovelers are down to single figures. Two Cetti's with one near the swan's nest site on two days. A Common Gull perched up was the first this year. Today the refuge was empty and had been mowed so no cover for last week's Meadow Pipits but still 22 Pied Wagtails and three more on the walk. Despite the sunshine the cool wind kept insects hidden so no hovers, Buff-tails nor Hairy-foots.

Back on the pond the swan's were displaying and mating so I guess nest building will start soon.

Elsewhere in the country Sand Martins, the odd Swallow and Wheatear, Garganey and Ring Ouzel plus a local Stone-Curlew - all signs of things to come. Chiffchaff have been absent this winter but must surely be the first migrant species to pop up around here.

 

31/21,500, well bracketed old stump and snowdrops

Still one male Pochard amongst the Tufties and the Cetti's (very vocal today) was 'encouraged' to show itself  quite nicely. No sign of any Mallard ducklings so presumably all perished. The refuge held 650 or so Brent, some Common Gulls, a single Curlew, fifteen Pied Wagtails and ten Meadow Pipits which were flushed up from the longer grass nearer the west fenceline. The year is still totally raptorless and the list a paltry 51 species.

Aside from wildlife, first Covid jab in 7 days time. Woo-hoo!!