Moorhens up trees and on the water

Last Saturday was a day for moorhens. The first one I found was at Scouts' Pond: nothing very remarkable in that, except I only found it because I heard a lot of crashing around about 10 feet up a spindly alder tree. The crashing was caused by a moorhen climbing where I didn't realise moorhens climb. I got the impression it was feeding, rather than just hiding unsuccessfully. It was hiding enough however to prevent its picture from being taken.

No such shyness on the Pit, where one adult was looking after 5 young chicks. I suppose some at least will be flattened by passing traffic as happens every year, but let's hope some survive.

At last there are some more records coming in of swifts and swallows. No house martins on the common yet, but I did have one fly over my house today. No cuckoo for the common, but one was heard behind Warren Woods the other day. We're getting a smattering of butterfly records, including our first peacock of the year. If only it would warm up, we might get some more!

Reedbed birds at last, and some butterflies

I took advantage of the long weekend to get up early today and take in the dawn chorus. It was not bad (how could it be?), but it was cold, and the sky was overcast so light remained poor for photography. School Common was loud with wren, chiffchaff, blackcap, blackbird and of course, wood pigeons. Nonetheless I confess to feeling a little let down. However, on reaching the reedbed I realised that I could at last hear a reed warbler, and more faintly, a reed bunting.

Carrying on toward the Pit, I discovered a swallow sitting on the cables above Pit Street. In view of the light, this is hardly the best shot ever published of a swallow, but it's just nice to see them back in such a cold, wet spring.

Yesterday I took my usual tour of the common, taking my monthly record shots at 16 locations. It was fund to find the School's deer made from willow. Apparently it's still a work in progress, which the children are loving doing. I was very taken with it, and it made up for a) losing my pencil and b) being menaced by a Weimeraner, who seemed to be all bluster, thankfully.

I wasn't impressed to discover a pile of grass clippings that some kind soul had dumped in School Common. Let's hope it's a one-off.

The other good thing about Saturday was finding my first speckled wood butterfly of the year (one for the survey), and also at least one orange tip. No sign of any peacocks though, and only one report of a brimstone.