Friday 8 April 2011

Mister chiffy, or should that be missed a chiffy?

The Safari counted the Wrens on Patch 1 this morning and got 11. Half way round we met up with a member of the Fylde Naturalists who told us that yesterday another member of that group had two Chiffchaffs - AAAAAAArrrrrgggggggggggggghhhhhhhh!!!

Also noted this morning were a pair of displaying Sparrowhawks and four Song Thrushes, three in park and one in the Golden Triangle. A single Meadow Pipit overhead was the only hint of any vis mig, but whilst putting the recycling out for collection at Base Camp three went over the garden. The garden goes to 26 and Patch 1 now stands at 45, two behind Patch 2.

This arvo after school we visited a former Grass Snake site, former? - Could they still be there. This area has had trees planted on it so open ground on the banking is now very much at a premium but its only 25 years or so since Grass Snakes were seen there in numbers large enough for a pet shop owner to catch and sell...all illegal now.

No snakes seen but on a warm and windless afternoon there were a lot of butterflies out, mainly Small Tortoiseshells and Peacocks with a pair of Commas laying eggs on freshly sprouting Nettles and a few unidentified whites, Green Veined? thrown in for good measure. If we'd have started off with the camera in hand rather than in rucksack we probably would have got you some nice pics.

Chiffchaff and Blackcap were singing from the dense shrubby woodland that is where the snake habbo used to be.

Where to next? Survey work on the North Blackpool Pond Trail tomorrow morning.

In the meantime let us know if anything still slithers around in your outback.


LOCAL NOTE - The official launch of the North Blackpool Pond Trail will be on Sunday from 10am - 3pm at Kincraig Lake (aka Bispham Marsh) - see you there! Free parking and refreshments in Kincraig school

1 comment:

Warren Baker said...

Don't you just hate it when someone else gets there first :-)