APRIL
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A month of "firsts" and welcoming sounds
So much activity in the natural world and April is always packed with interest ... particularly with the garden birds and emerging butterflies. On the 2nd of the month a returning Grey Wagtail was an uplifting sight ... a pair have bred in my neighbour's garden for the past 4 years and often spend time on our own land searching for food. On the 7th a male Blackcap singing close to the house and then early on the 13th the first Cuckoo of the year calling strongly from the adjacent field tree line ... the males arrive from Central Africa some 10 - 12 days before the females and are expected to search out likely nest targets ... usually the unfortunate Reed Warblers that breed along the margins of the Blackbourne River. The arrival was some 4 days later than the first record in 2024 but always a welcome sound. The Grey Lag Geese and locally nesting Oystercatchers are particularly vociferous at this time of the year ... with regular noisy flights over the house. |
Butterflies were represented by a male Orange Tip on the 11th and a diminutive Holly Blue on the 17th followed by some Red Admirals, Large Whites and a single Peacock. However, figures from last year came through the Butterfly Conservation website alerts and they paint a very worrying picture nationally. This is the first time in the last 15 years that I have not seen a single Comma butterfly by the start of April and that is still the case at the time of writing. A stunningly beautiful butterfly and very sad to note its apparent absence so far this year.
The garden bird breeding is moving on at pace and I can already pick up the faint sounds of chicks emanating from the Blue Tit box families and our faithful Robin in an ivy covered sycamore tree only 20 feet from the back terrace. The tiny Wren is also nesting around the back of that same tree and at least 2 pairs of Greenfinches in the top of a tall hedge line together with Collared Doves and the ever present Wood Pigeons.
Incidentally please remember to take down and clean your hanging feeders before storing away for next year.
They offer obviously easy pickings and thus there is the temptation to the hard working parents to feed the youngsters with nuts and sharp edged seeds that can be fatal to the very tiny fledglings. They need to work to find sufficient natural food even if they need to fly further from the box .. sounds harsh but it is for their best interests !
The garden bird breeding is moving on at pace and I can already pick up the faint sounds of chicks emanating from the Blue Tit box families and our faithful Robin in an ivy covered sycamore tree only 20 feet from the back terrace. The tiny Wren is also nesting around the back of that same tree and at least 2 pairs of Greenfinches in the top of a tall hedge line together with Collared Doves and the ever present Wood Pigeons.
Incidentally please remember to take down and clean your hanging feeders before storing away for next year.
They offer obviously easy pickings and thus there is the temptation to the hard working parents to feed the youngsters with nuts and sharp edged seeds that can be fatal to the very tiny fledglings. They need to work to find sufficient natural food even if they need to fly further from the box .. sounds harsh but it is for their best interests !
click on picture to enlarge
Some shots attached of Greenfinches and the Blackcap (only the male has the black cap .. the female has a brown cap). Also a shot of the regular visiting male Kestrel .. our front field . .originally grazed by livestock .. is peppered with Field Vole holes and the Kestrel with their amazing eyesight is always alert to an easy breakfast snack.
Lastly keep looking out for that first Barn Swallow .. they are in the country together with Sand Martins.
Brian Taylor
Lastly keep looking out for that first Barn Swallow .. they are in the country together with Sand Martins.
Brian Taylor