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?

22nd - 30th April - With Feathers All Stubby and Brown

The dry spell continued along with the cool temperatures.  If you managed to get out of the wind and found a spot in the sun it was quite warm though.  These spots were where the butterflies were.  A trip to the pond on the 23rd found this gorgeous male Orange-Tip nectaring on the cuckoo flower that was around the edge of the water.

Then left the Cuckoo Flower to take advantage of the flowering  periwinkle.

A pair of Chaffinch have been present for a while just by the parking area at the pond, they are probably nest building at the moment.

The sunshine has also moved the Bluebells on in Old Down Wood, although they are still a little way behind where they were this time last year, the cool conditions probably holding them back a little.  Never mind the display is building up quite nicely as you can see from these shots taken on the 23rd and 26th.

Signs keep cropping up around the fields, a new practice and probably a sign of the times, this one at the west end, nice to see a wildlife strip left though.

Despite the plentiful sunshine, butterflies have been hard to find in Old Down, the most numerous have been the Peacock, but they are now coming to the end of their first flying season.

A willow Warbler was singing from the top of the larches in Old Down Wood on the 30th, the first I have ever heard / seen in the wood, probably a migrant moving through.  The Chiffchaff though is present all over the wood, the monotonous song coming from almost every ten metres.  This individual showed really well for me on the 23rd.

The other numerous bird in the Wren, again their explosive song giving away their presence.  This individual, though appeared to be a little agitated and was making itself look big by spreading the wings and tail while calling in alarm.  

It was looking down into the bramble and dead bracken, I wondered if maybe there was an adder that was causing problems, unfortunately I will never know.

The larches in Old Down Wood look spectacular in the midday sunshine against the blue sky.

And the beauty of the pond.

The afternoon on the 23rd I walked down Brislands and then up GIlbert Street and back through Old Down.  Several Orange-Tip flew past us as we walked down Brislands, but at the bottom of the lane one finally stopped and showed well.

There had been several Holly Blue, with five counted, but none of them stopped until finally at the junction of Court Lane with Gilbert Street one did stop and provided me with some of the best Holly Blue photos I have taken.

You could hear the lambs before we could see them, but looking over the gate the field was full of them, some enjoying the sunshine.

While others were just up to no good!

The 26th saw a surprise at the pond, eight Mallard duckling with their mother feeding amongst the Iris bed.  Mallard have only recently become a fixture on the pond, and I have only ever confirmed breeding once before and unfortunately they were not very lucky.  What will happen to these eight ducklings remains to be seen.

The drake takes no part in raising the young ducklings and there were three drakes around the pond.  Disturbingly on drake decided to attack the mother duck, chasing her around the pond and even to the point where she flew off into the adjacent field.  The ducklings stayed in the iris bed and the mother returned only to be attacked again.  This ended though when I threw a stick at the drake!  I know I shouldn't get involved but I couldn't let it continue

On the 30th unfortunately eight had become four.

One piece of good news, the Long-tailed Tit nest that I thought had been attacked and abandoned is very much alive.  I could see movement in the nest and witnessed this adult bring in insects.

Back to the 30th and as well as the ducklings at the pond there was a Firecrest singing by the footpath.  This is the third one I have now found around the patch and of course it performed very well.  Another batch of photographs to the Four Marks Firecrest collection.

Seeing the Tawny Owl has been rather hit or miss lately so I decided on the 30th to check the tree once again.  As I walked up I could see the owl almost immediately, still behind some branches but more visible than usual.

It wasn't though until I got home I realised that there was in fact two Owls in the tree, the other hidden above the prominent one.

I wonder where the owlets are?  Maybe still in the nest hole at the moment but could be about soon.

That was April, a very dry, sunny and cold month, with a record number of frosty days.  May looks like starting with some indifferent weather.  May can also be indifferent with sightings around the patch, we will just have to hope for something special.