June 4th 2008

Monday I rested the knee and Tuesday heavy all day rain forced another day of rest so with clear sky's and bright sunshine it was out on the trusty steed and down the valley with brief view of Turtle Dove as it flew across the road near Railway Cottages while Grandborough Fields Farm had Cuckoo, Whitethroat, Buzzard 5 and recently fledged Skylarks and Hill Rd had Great-spotted Woodpecker and Sedge Warbler. Draycote Water was very pleasant, bringing out the hoards which at the same time this welcome warm spell increased the bird activity with Common Tern 2, Turnstone, Buzzard 8, Gadwall pair, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker 2 and Lesser Black-back Gull 5 while the Mute Swans in toft bay have hatch there eggs with 5 bundles of fluff tucked under mum as she stood away from the nest and there are now two pairs of Great-crested Grebes with two young each. Butterfly's here were Common Blue and Small Heath while the moths on the cafe included Pale Pinion and Coxcombe Prominent. Decided to check out Cawston Spinney on the way home and rewarded with two young Lesser-spotted Woodpecker tho very mobile, Nuthatch, Treecreeper and plenty of warblers.

Richard