June 11th 2010

Hi all
Sorry for absence but my own computer is sick due to lightening strike so just borrowing Daves to bring blog up to speed.

8th June 2010
It rained most of the morning so Bob and I went to the pond early afternoon on the off chance of something being brought down by the weather and rewarded with a female Common Scoter seen distantly from farborough bank.
Hoping to get closer views we moved towards hensborough bank and while giving it another look I spotted a Red Kite soaring in the distance over draycote hill which eventually came closer towards the inlet before drifting off over the leam valley.
Other birds of note included 14 Lesser Black-backed Gull, Common Gull, 2 Yellow Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, 9 Buzzard, male Pochard, Raven and House Sparrow plus many young Pied Wagtails.
There were 2 Bee Orchids on hensborough bank and 20 on saddle bank making this one of the best years for this species here although none have appeared in there three normal spots. Unfortunately not many were in decent condition with most showing sign of supporting the Rabbit population. There were a few Common Blues out along with single Straw Dot.
If you are from twister country then you will have to excuse my excitement but they are rare events around here so pretty chuffed that John rang to say there was one forming over Barby village which could be seen from the pond and we soon had it scoped where it could be seen twisting before it broke up.



Back home I was going through the photos that Bob took yesterday and realised that what I thought was a pale Willow Beauty when I potted it up was in fact a Pale Oak Beauty a first for my garden and one I haven’t seen in the county either so I’m a happy bunny.
Unfortunately a lightening storm wiped out my landline early evening so no blogging tonight.

9th June 2010
Another damp night and humid overcast morning with the only birds of note on a short walk at Draycote Water were Yellow Wagtail, 14 Lesser Black-backed Gull, Common Gull, 10 Buzzard and the Egyptian Goose proved how plastic it is by wandering around the shoreline of fishing lodge and sailing club.

10th June 2010
Day spent trying to get the internet to work. Male Bullfinch in the garden.

11th June 2010
Another frustrating day. Still off line.
16 Canada Geese flew over garden

Richard