Work in the Sunshine

The bird ringers divided into two teams, one checking nest boxes on the training area, whilst the other group checked Foxglove.  Although busy both groups managed a little time to stop and stare.  This is a view across the training area.

This beautiful wood has many old trees and there are several boxes of chicks.

Colours on the far side of the lake have changed from black and brown to greens, with the white of Hawthorn showing through.

Back to the chicks.  Some were too tiny to ring and these will be visited again at a later date.

These Coal Tits identified by the white mark on the back of their heads will not be long before they fledge.

Some of the broods are large with eleven chicks.  One set of Great Tits were reported to be, for want of a better word, fat! 

Kestrels were also ringed and this group shows the different sizes of young, as the female starts to incubate as soon as she lays her first egg.

All the bird ringers had a long day carrying out this essential work.  Some of the birds ringed today will soon make their appearance in the ringing room.  A huge thank you to all involved and for the photographs.

At Foxglove everthing seems to flowering, flying and growing!  Being in the right place at the right time can sometimes give you a moment to remember.  Plovers Pool was a watering hole for a flock of House Martins.  Never easy to photograph, honestly the splodges are House Martins!  Once they had had their drink they disappeared!

Whilst watching their aerial acrobatics I noticed something else.  Dragging my eyes away from the birds I realised that I was watching a Broad Bodied Chaser, hunting across the water.  A perch by the side of the pool gave me great views and the opportunity to take a photograph that was in focus.  Usually they move far too quickly for any sort of image to be taken.  This species enjoys more open ponds with little vegetation, Plovers Pool is ideal for them.

There are still Early Purple Orchids in flower and the Northern Marsh are joining them.

And finally - how may insects can you get on a single buttercup flower?