Holy Moley...

While out and about today, I was surprised to see this little chap trying to cross the road!

I quickly pulled the car over and helped it to the other side. Those front claws are amazingly strong, and he was soon burried under the ground again.

 

 

On the work front, it was nice to find a Peregrine nest (using an old Ravens nest) with 3 eggs in today. I thought they might have hatched by now, but everything is late this year!. Last year we only managed to ring 1 Peregrine chick! Lets hope this year the weather hold out and they do a lot better this year.

 

 

Going a bit Cuckoo...

It's not every day that you see a Cuckoo, even rarer for one to sit on a post for you to take a photo of it. So today I made the most of this opportunity.

 

 

Also managed to find another Tawny Owl this afternoon. I was a bit concerned/surprised that it was another single chick, but I suppose with the weather so far this year they're doing well to raise just the one!

 

 

 

Owls about that...

While out and about today (surveying Kites), I heard a lot of alarm calling from some of the smaller birds. After a look aroud I found out what all the fuss was about.

 

 

Sitting pretty...

After a very slow start to year, the Kites have finally got round to laying their eggs and are now incubating them. Normally around this time of year Red Kite chicks would be starting to hatch!!

This sunset was a very nice end to a very busy!!

 

Butterflies and Bees...

Despite it officially being spring for several weeks, today was the first day that actually felt like it was! Lots of Butterflies and Bees were making the most of the hot sunny weather. I saw at least 6 Small Tortoisehell Butterflies and large numbers of Bees (several different species, but I'm not up to scratch with my Bees).

 

 

I want one of those...

While out and about in mid Wales today, I was very envious of two para gliders hanging in the thermals with at least 6 Red Kites!

 

I wonder if I can convince the Welsh Kite Trust we need one of these to monitor the kites??

Just out of reach...

While carrying out Merlin surveys, Tony spotted a Raven nest up on some craggy rocks. After a quick look from ground level we decided that they were reachable, and we would climb up and ring the chicks. Unfortunately, when we got to the top we realised that they were just out of reach!!

 

 

On the plus side it was good to see that the chicks were healthy, which is pretty amazing considering the weather we've had recently!!

Pullus season begins...

For those who don't know 'pullus' is the term ued for ringing chicks in the nest before they're fully grown. Normally around this time of year several species of birds are well on their way to fledging their their young, but with the awful weather we've been having so many birds have put off nesting for at least another 2 or 3 weeks!! I was a bit conserned that a clutch of Dipper eggs wouldn't hatch, as they had been laid right in the middle of our sub zero spring!! Thankfully when I went and checked them today, there were 4 hungry mouths looking at me. These will hopefully be the first of hundreds of chicks ringed by myself if the weather improves.

 

 

It was also a good chance to check on some of the adults that had been ringed earlier on during the winter months.

 

 

 

Ring(ing) Ouzels...

After a very near miss yesterday, when a Ring Ouzel set off one of the spring traps and managed to get away, myself an Tony decided to have another go this morning. After slow start, we managed to catch a few Wheatears, and then eventually this cracking adult Ring Ouzel!!

 

With Ring Ouzels fast declining as a British breeding species, we are now colouring ringing any we catch in the hope to increase re-sightings of ringed birds, to try and understand more about their movement and why they are declining so much!!

A total of 16 Wheatears, and 1 Ring Ouzel were trapped and ringed.

Urban Foxes...

One of my 'goals' while down in Surrey was to try and get some photos of the Foxes that visit my sisters garden. Despite setting up the trail camera and spending a lot of time sat by the windows, it wasn't until I was about to head home that I finally managed got the chance I was after. Even though the light was fading quickly, I still managed to grab a few reasonable photos!!

 

Surely not...

While out and about in Surrey this morning in sub zero temperatures, I was very surprised to see two very little Egyptian Goslings. They could have only been a couple of days old!!!

 

 

One of the adults taking a wash!

Who's a pretty boy...

While staying at my sisters in Surrey, I saw several of these Ring-necked Parakeets, including at least four coming to the garden feeders.