August 11th 2009

What a lovely day it turned out to be on Planet Richard.
Started off dull and overcast as I entered the valley and by early afternoon I was basking in lovely sunshine and snoozing away behind a hedge at Broadwell. After yesterday’s rain the birds were keen to play catch up and there was plenty of activity with the highlights being:-
Spotted Flycatcher: single bird seen at Sawbridge and a family party of 4 at Flecknoe
Raven: one over Wolfhamcote
Tree Sparrow: at least 5 at Nethercote
Buzzard: a lot of activity for a change with at least 8 seen including a young bird with a damaged wing feathers – probably collided with something.
Hobby: two adult birds seen with one over Flecknoe and one along the Flecknoe Rd.
Sedge Warbler; a surprise appearance of one near the bridge over the River Leam between Sawbridge and Willoughby and two at Napton Reservoir
Red-legged Partridge: party of nine
Lapwing: at least 15 over Nethercote and 40+ in fields near Flecknoe
Kingfisher: one Grandborough fields and one at Napton Reservoir.
Snipe: one at Napton reservoir
Common Tern: one at Napton Reservoir
Also seen were Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Reed Bunting, Green Woodpecker, Great-spotted Woodpecker and many Skylarks and Yellowhammers feeding in some of the recently harvested fields and one lone Swift in the morning over Willoughby.
Butterflies in the valley were:
Large, Small and Green-veined White, Red Admiral, Peacock, Painted Lady, Speckled Wood, Comma, Common Blue, Brown Argus, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown and Small Copper

Returned via the pond with 3 adult and a first year Yellow-legged Gull in the roost, Common Tern, 2 Grey Wagtail, 2 Common Sandpiper, Spotted Flycatcher in biggen bay, Garden Warbler, juv Coal Tit in grays barn, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, 3 Yellowhammer, 2 Sparrowhawk and 2 Buzzard.
Back home and once my traps had been set up then the clear night sky was just begging to be explored especially as it’s the best night to view the annual appearance of the Perseids meteor shower. This shower owes its appearance to the yearly passage of the Earth through the debris left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle though unfortunately the presence of the Moon meant only the brightest of the meteors could be spotted. The Moon was well worth scoping – fantastic and Jupiter was showing with its four moons.

Richard