slow worm in the bracken

peacock butterfly

first tiger beetle of the year

Hares and Owls

stonechats

barn owl taking home a bank vole

I hardly ever see hares, and when I do they're just brown blobs in the distance. So this young hare coming close to me was a real treat.

So What About the Voles?

The Staggsbrook at Edgeley Road has only recently subsided to its usual course. Up till now, it's been flooded. However, below are the water vole field signs that are beginning to appear.

prints

feeding station

Below, two photos of droppings.

Below, a single dropping at the Wood Yard behind Tesco, plus a print.

Orange Tip butterfly

Meadow Pipit above, and below, a male Stonechat.

Male reed bunting above and fledgeling thrush below.

Male linnet

A combination of building work at White Lion Meadow (Tesco car park), and horrendous rainfall, seems to have impacted on water vole appearances. But there are now the beginnings of signs on three sites, and I will continue to monitor those places and report any sightings.

Garden Sparrowhawk

No Voles Yet, but Lots of Birds

Willow Warbler

Male Redstart

Wheatears

 

Grey Wagtail

Siskin

Pied Flycatcher

male greenfinches

Mr and Ms stonechat.

Sneaky snipe.

red kite

egret

chiffchaff