28th November - All the Leaves are Brown

Temperatures have plummeted over the last few days, we were away Saturday and overnight in the Cotswolds, the journey there went through a blizzard from Newbury and coming back Sunday morning the fields were Christmas card perfect with blue skies and a very low sun. It stayed cold and bright so I decided to take a walk locally, it has been a long while since I have walked the local patch.

Heading along Brislands towards Old Down Wood the impact of the recent road works on the A31 could be seen.  Brislands was a convenient detour to escape the traffic lights that caused many long queues during the say, however it is a single track road and the verge was cut up badly where vehicles had to pull over to let others pass.

The other difference was the use of the field south of the road.  The field was divided into two areas with sheep being grazed on what looked like beets and turnips.

I can't recall ever seeing this field being used for Sheep, and it was proving an attraction for the birds with Pied Wagtails and Skylarks being seen, while a good number of Common Gulls could be seen in amongst the Sheep.

It wasn't a surprise to walk into a silent wood.  As soon as the temperature drops the birds concentrate on survival and that means searching for food.  Several Chaffinch flew up from the leaf litter on the main path, I stopped and watched them in hope of finding the white rump of a Brambling but there was nothing.

Turning towards Gradwell at the cross roads a Jay flew up to the tree in front of me, an acorn in its beak that looked like it had been retrieved.

I checked to see if maybe the tawny Owl had taken up residence early in the season but there was no sign of it in the tree.  Making my way to the main path that leads to the Old Down entrance there were lots of calls coming from the tops of the larch trees and there were about fifty plus Goldfinch feeding on the cones.  As I watched the Goldfinches and searched for something maybe a little more interesting I could hear a Raven Calling from somewhere in the wood.

Coming out of the wood I headed for the pond where there were twenty four pairs of Mallard, one drake was snoozing in the sunshine, the sunlight catching the bottle green head and the whole bird reflected in the still dark water.

I walked around the back of the pond and then took the footpath that leads to Lye Way.  More Common Gull could be seen in the fields on both sides of the road. They would fly across between the two sides.

Scanning the fields I found a single Lapwing, not an easy bird to find around here, although this time of year sees one or two arrive, typically they need bad weather.

Just before the lane turns right to pass through the farm I noticed a flock of what I first thought were Woodpigeon, but as they flew above the horizon I could see that they were a flock of Golden Plover.

They settled initially out of view from me as the field dips away.  I was able to get to an opening in the hedge and I could now see them feeding in the field.  I counted 22 birds in the flock.

Walking through the farm and around to the pasture on the other side there were good numbers of thrushes feeding on the closely cropped grass.  The cold snap having made the need to forage more important.  There were the resident Blackbirds and Song Thrushes, but also good numbers of Redwing and Fieldfare.  Both these birds though were difficult to get close to, both choosing to fly off at the slightest movement.  This was the only acceptable shot of a Redwing I could get.

Most of the Fieldfare were feeding on the far side of the pasture, closer to the road.  I was able to use the hedge as a form of cover which meant I didn't spook the birds too much.

By standing still and waiting, gradually the Fieldfare would come closer.

A really impressive thrush, that may be overlooked.

Scanning around the pasture I counted 135 Fieldfare and 57 Redwing, but all were continually moving from the pasture to the surrounding hedgerow.

Leaving the thrushes I walked a little way along the road and almost immediately found what I hoped I could, a Brown Hare sitting in the field.

Once it realised I was there it turned away and headed for the security of the hedge and revealed another by the side of the field.

I turned to come back and in the next field I watched another flock (this time with far more birds) of Golden Plover.  They settled in the field and I was able to count 52 birds, making a total of 74 birds

They quickly spread out and I was able to get a little closer to some of them.

With the sun sinking low in the sky I decided to head back, taking the footpath that runs all the way down to Old Down Cottage.  The footpath itself has always been overgrown and the edge of the field was a better walk, but a sign now directs you to the footpath which has been cleared and is in fact a much better walk with views across the fields away to the west.

As I walked I flushed both Redwing and Fieldfare from the tress and Long-tailed Tits flew in front of me in between inspecting the fence posts for any small insects and spiders.  As the path opened up into the field behind the large house a Siskin appeared briefly on the bramble above my head.

I crossed into Old Down Wood where it was even quieter, the main paths are all covered with fallen Sweet Chestnut leaves and the cover they provided stopped the water puddles from freezing so you had to be careful where you stepped.

Looking east towards the Gradwell entrance

Looking back at the cross roads towards the Old Down Cottage entrance.

Coming out on to Brislands Lane there was a large area of frozen water, around it a Pied Wagtail, one of many was feeding in the leaf litter.

Then for some reason it turned and walked out onto the ice.  Mud had stuck to its feet and it looked like it had snow shoes on as it made its way across the ice

As well as the wagtails there were Chaffinches, Robins and Blackbirds all feeding on the edge of the field.

I walked home with the temperature falling and cloud developing to the north, it looked as if we were going to be getting some snow later on.

It was nice to get out and although not the quantity of birds, the quality today was there.

12th November - A Pretty Painted Palette of Perfection

 After an early morning of continual drizzle that turned to quite heavy rain Inever expected to meet up with today's garden visitor.  As the clouds parted and we were treated to some autumnal sunshine and out in my garden in Four Marks I noticed movement on the remaining Buddleia flowers.  What I had seen was a very large dopey Bumblebee, but then from behind the bee a butterfly took off and circled with that powerful but controlled flight and almost immediately returned to another flower head.  A Red Admiral.

Wings open and flat at first but then closed as it moved around nectaring the small flowers on the bush.

Then the wings opened up once again to take advantage of what warmth there was in the sunshine.

There has been a Red Admiral, maybe this one around the garden since the start of the month, the sunshine and mild weather helping to support the insect.

Despite the fact that Red Admiral is seen late in the year and then again one of the first butterflies to emerge in the spring, the Red Admiral does not hibernate in the way taht Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell do.

Although a few Red Admirals may seem to hibernate in the British Isles during mild winters, these generally settle in exposed places, such as on tree trunks or under branches and usually perish. It is likely that these are late emerging adults that become trapped after the onset of conditions too cold for flight. The few adults that are seen on sunny days from December to February are believed to result from late caterpillars that were able to develop in warm spots.  Those seen from around March onwards are pupae that have survived over the winter.

It will be interesting to see how late this butterfly can go this year.

18th October - Red Sky by Morning, Shepherd's Warning

 Summer has passed us by and once again the days are shorter and the sky takes on some incredible colours as a low sun rises with a background of cloud.

There have been some wonderful sun rises around Four Marks over the last week, but this morning with still twenty minutes to go before the official sun rise beat them all.  The sky turned a vivid red as the clouds produced a break around the horizon.  

Here looking to the north east

But the light was changing the sky all over, here the view to the west, not as vivid, more of a pastel shade

Then almost as quickly as it arrived the cloud closed the gaps in the sky and the colour immediately washed out and around the time the sun should have been rising the sky was a monochromatic grey.

16th - 28th May - Butterflies and Owls

The cold wet spring continued into the second half of May, when we were treated to the sunshine it was brief but warm, but only served as a reminder of what we should be experiencing.

The weather was having an influence on the wildlife around Four Marks, comparisons with previous years showing how much the weather directs what goes on.  As I write this it is nearing the end of May and there has still not been any sign of the House Martins that usually nest around the housing estate, I do not recall a year when I haven't seen them in place by at least the middle of May.  Butterflies too have been in short supply and on the odd occasion I deem to put the moth trap out the return is measly to non existent.

However what the weather has done is to extend the flowering time of the bluebells in Old Down Wood, with them still being in a good condition well into the tird week of the month.

The wood though is benefiting, the dry April had it looking a little tired for spring but now after the rain of May it has taken on a lush green appearance.

By the end of May the Tawny Owl seems to leave the usual tree so I took the opportunity to visit him on the 18th of the month.  Fortunately it was showing well with not too many branches in the way.

I have yet, in all the 10 years, not managed to find the nest hole or to see any youngsters, the closest I have come to this is hearing their calls

I edged a little too close and it turned away from me, it didn't fly off as I expected it to, but just turned its head to reveal the large dark, inky black eyes.

As I walked away not wanting to disturb the owl more I wondered  to myself if this would be the last time I see it this year and would I see it again next year.

Walking the path that leads to Old Down Cottage I noticed a single Red Campion flower the first I had seen in the wood this year.  The change over from Blue to red as late as the flowers this year.

As I left the wood that day a Blackcap was still singing from the branches of the tree near to what was a very wet and muddy entrance path.

At Swellinghill Pond the number of Mallard was rising once again.  I counted nine drake Mallard and a couple of females.  I liked the reflection of this drake in the still and high water of the pond.

Back home there is was lull in the breeding activity of the Robins for the early part of the reporting period.  My tame bird would come towards the end of the afternoon, early evening and I can only assume she was sitting on eggs.  The Wren would appear at the same time to take advantage of the meal worms.

At the end of the month I was proved right as the frantic begging for meal worms has begun, we have to run the gauntlet of the Robins as we walk through the kitchen.  They know we are there and as they perch on the patio table they make you feel guilty and you just have to feed them.

A welcome visitor on the 20th during a spell of sunshine was a female Orange-tip butterfly.  Found it nectaring on the aubretia in the garden.

As I mentioned earlier butterflies have been conspicuous by their absence in the dreadful weather we have been having, and none more so than the Orange-tip, so I took the opportunity to get some photographs.

It seems incredible that we are now almost into June, it is as if the year has never really started, a combination of Lockdown since the start of the year and the cold weather through April and May has combined to make the time fly by without really doing anything.  But here we are 4 weeks away from the longest day.  What will June bring?