A Moth trap on the 1st caught 32 individuals, 15 species, including a Fox Moth that laid eggs in the trap and a Black Burying Beetle. All the Moths were released after identification; Fox Moth, Great Prominent, Hebrew Character,Brindled Beauty, Muslin, Treble Lines,Common Quaker, Nut-Tree Tussock, Pebble Prominent, Clouded Drab, Chestnut, Lunar Marbled Brown, Peach Blossom, Pale Tussock and Double Striped Pug. A Common lizard was spotted basking on the wood mulch around David’s Oak tree. Possibly another Pearl Bordered Fritillary in the orchard at 0935 roughly. Also 2 Blackcaps, 1 Chiffchaff and a juvenile Dunnock seen (first of the year). Common Lizard was seen on the woodchip around David’s Oak tree.
A wild Barn Owl flew out from the barn on the 2nd, lots of poo on the freezers! A male Sparrowhawk was seen hunting sparrows and robins by solar panels. A Pair of Stonechat were carrying food and alarming in old crop (probable nest) on the 6th. Linnet and Greenfinch were heard, and Meadow Pipit and Skylark were singing, A Pied Flycatcher nest was recorded in a bird box with clutch of 7 eggs. The swarm of bees that arrived on the 28th April have stayed in the Mandarin Duck box on the Tractor Shed.
When the nestboxes on the barn were checked 2 House Sparrow broods were dead, but 2 were still feeding chicks. A Wall butterfly was spotted flying over from Pennsland lane toward the bird crop, stopping to nectar at several points. Harry and volunteer Steve hand pulled all doc from the beetle bank & levelled the area for a new pond near the 1st (Top) Field Shelter; this is to encourage Swallows to nest there.
On the 8th Mateo and Daniel checked some of the nestboxes, the Mandarin in the Tawny Owl Box in Corner Wood had fledged, chicks fledging and there were 3 unhatched eggs. The Pied Flycatcher female was incubating the 7 eggs. Harry strimmed under the electric fence around the winter bird food crop on the 9th.
Harry spent the 12th on the groundworks for the 3rd Field Shelter, shifting loose rocks and smoothing out all the dirt piles. A Painted Lady was seen coming down the Long Path, before flying off towards the airstrip. Mateo and Daniel ringed some of birds in the LLP boxes: 1 Coal Tit, 1 House Sparrow, 1 Blue Tit and 2 Great Tit and in one box, 10 Coal Tit chicks!
There was a recently fledged Woodpigeon outside office window on the 13th. Daniel and Josh finished the Swallow Pond. A Red Kite flew low over top field shelter harassed by crows; 4 Buzzards were seen thermalling and a Kestrel was hunting over crop. There were 6 House Sparrow pairs confirmed nesting on the LLP.
Harry and Steve erected an electric fence around the new Swallow Pond on the 15th; a Swallow was seen skimming the surface for water. A reflection Barn Owl in the Swallow Pond was picked up on trail cam, a Magpie, Carrion Crow and Blackbird were also seen using the pond! Painted Lady Butterfly seen near 1st field shelter and later on a female Broad-bodied Chaser. On the 17th a Stock Dove was ringed in the Wildlife Tower, incubating 2 eggs. A Swallow was seen flying in and out of the part of the barn with the bird room entrance.
A Goshawk was seen flying over office and Orchard on the 19th. The trail cam on the Swallow Pond picked up Goldfinch and Stock Dove amongst others using the pond. Swallows were seen drinking, bathing and collecting wet mud from it. On the 20th the 2nd brood of Mandarin Ducklings fledged from lower box by river, this was caught on camera. Pip found Meadow Pipt nest in the Main Field. 9 House Sparrow pairs nesting now. Adult Lesser Black Backed Gull flying over fields to the east near Rushlade. Josh and Harry worked on the 3rd Field Shelter in North Park on the 21st all four corner posts were put in.
North park field shelter 1
North park field shelter 2
North park field shelter 3
North park field shelter 4
Very excitingly on the 23rd there was evidence of Swallows adding mud to beams on Top Field Shelter and existing artificial cups. Swallows taking lots of mud from pond on trail camera, drinking and flying round. Herring Gull and Stonechat are new species at the pond. Pip saw Dipper fly downstream from the lower bridge on the Apprentice Path. Harry started the side rails on the 3rd Field Shelter in North Park.
On the 27th there were 2 Skylark singing over Main Field, 3 Meadow Pipit flew up and for the first time we have confirmed Swallows nesting in the Top Field Shelter. The nest had been built and half lined; pair of Swallows went in twice to visit. On the 28th 4 Swifts and 6 House Martin were counted flying over Kiln Close Top Hedge. A flock of a dozen were seen in the evening over barn. Daniel and Mateo ringed 7 Pied Flycatcher chicks and male.
Harry continued work on the North Park Field Shelter on the 29th, adding more side rails.
The pale Buzzard that has been around for some weeks above the office, is regularly being mobbed by Crows and Magpies nesting nearby. It has taken a fancy to perching on the weather stations anemometer. The Foxgloves are prolific and magnificent on the edge of last year’s winter bird food crop. An Otter was picked up by the trail cam on the Flo Pond on both the 29th and 31st.
We recorded our highest daily May temperature since 2020 on the 1st May and the mean temperature for the month was 13.6°C (average here 11.99°C). This was the highest mean for May, recorded here in 20-years. We had just 38.6mm of rain over 9-days, 52% of our average which is 73.53mm over 13.8 days.
