On the 2nd the Swallows were on 3 eggs in the Top Field Shelter, the female was incubating. Broad Bodied Chasers (m & f) mating at the Swallow Pond. 20 Swallows were hawking over David’s Oak with 2 House Martins. A male Kestrel was hunting over the crop. 3 Buzzards were thermalling and a family of Ravens were flying and feeding over the LLP and in a neighbouring sheep field. Meadow Pipit were seen in display flight. Meadow Browns were in flight. Six-spot burnet moth pupa showing up on the grasses. Hundreds of Foxgloves in full flower at the south side of the old crop. Roughly 20 almonds on the taller Almond tree.
A Sparrowhawk and a Buzzard were both seen over the Main Field on the 2nd The first Marbled White Butterflies of the year appeared on the 3rd.
A Swallow was seen hunting over the old crop on the 4th, there was still some Forage Rape flowering, but the area was mainly dominated by Foxgloves. In the new crop the Fodder Radish was in flower and the first Corn Marigold had opened. The whole area looked like it was dominated by Fodder Radish and Corn Marigold but looking closely, you could see some Sunflower and Cornflower plants. There are large patches of Birdsfoot Trefoil, Sorrell and Lesser Stitchwort in the rough grass and Edler flowers in full bloom in the orchard. The mown paths have lots of White Clover and Hawkbit flowering. On the 5th Harry continued with the continued with the Yorkshire boarding on the North Park Field Shelter, there was a Male Stonechat on the old crop, on the 7th there was one on the new crop, and we had a great view of a Grey Heron flying low over the orchard towards the ponds.
On the 8th we saw the first Cornflower blooming in the nectar strip on the edge of the new crop. On the 9th David mowed the paths whilst Harry and volunteers Steve and Jane puled Creeping Thistle and had a bonfire in the orchard to burn up accumulating brash. There have been lots of visitors to the new pond by the Top Field Shelter caught by the trail camera.
