2nd May - Month of May, Everybody's in Love

For the first time since I have been writing this blog I have missed a complete month.  During April we were away in Sri Lanka, details of which can be seen here, and that combined with the awful late spring weather we have been having and the fact that I was in Germany for the short heatwave, have not really made it conducive for any wildlife watching.

So far I have Seen only one Swallow around the village, this passed through in the late afternoon of Tuesday the 24th.  never a truer statement than one Swallow doesn't make a summer!  Of the House Martins, that last year arrived ten days earlier than their usual timing, there has not been any sign, and with the current weather and forecast I don't expect to see them before the end of the coming weekend

Butterflies have been far and few between, a single Peacock on the 21st is the sole total so far this year, but I must admit I didn't go looking during the short heatwave as I was away in Munich a the the time.

The resident birds though have started breeding, singing Song and Mistle Thrush and the Blackbirds signal the fact that there must be nests nearby, and in my garden one pair of Blackbirds and both pairs of Robins have been taking mealworms away to presumably feed to nestlings.  Interestingly our tame Blackbird has paired with a female that has a damaged tail, and as yet it doesn't seem that they have bred, they both come to feed, and do not take anything away with them.  The tame male though, will call the female when worms are put out.

Of the regular migrants aside from the House Martins and Swallows, Chiffchaffs have been heard singing along the lanes, and there are also a few Blackcaps in song.  I have also heard in the middle of the night, Tawny Owls calling.

Around the fields there are lambs, but they don't look very happy about it, they need the sun to bring out the best in them.

So with very little seen recently here are some reminders of what should be about, and the hope that soon the weather will behave, and we can enjoy a proper spring before it merges into the summer doldrums.

By now Swallows should be lining up on the overhead wires around the stables....

While not a common summer visitor, by now I would have expected to have heard the lovely trilling and cascading song of the Willow Warbler.

By the way there was an explosion of blossom just after the mini heatwave in the middle of April, but that has now been virtually blown away by the recent high winds and rain.

There are Lambs about but as yet they have not been able to enjoy conditions such as these.

And butterflies such as this Small Tortoiseshell have been as common as rocking horse faeces.....

 There are pockets of Bluebells about along the roadside, and I hoipe that with the forecast dry and bright weather this weekend I can get the chance to enjoy the annual bluebell event in Old Down Wood, along with as well a few Early Purple Orchids.

So it is a case of waiting, today the rain falls and the temperature is struggling to get anywhere near double figures, surely spring has to return soon?