April 17th 2011

Definitely ate and drank too much yesterday so woke feeling fragile but more good moths overnight and a cold shower put me in to some sort of normality by the time Dave arrived.
Unfortunately the pond did not have a lot to offer with a walk out to farborough spit with Steve V and meeting up with the Bumbling Bears for a chat producing only Common Tern, 8 Yellow Wagtail, male Wheatear, male and female Shoveler and 2 Curlew.
Napton on the Hill was just as quiet though there were plenty of butterflies around. Birds seen were 2 Swallow, Yellow Wagtail, 2 Sparrowhawk, 10 Buzzard, 2 Coal Tit, Green Woodpecker and a probable Garden Warbler. Butterflies were 2 Large White, 25 Orange-tip, 3 Speckled Wood, 7 Holly Blue, 2 Peacock, 2 Small Tortoiseshell and 8 Brimstone.
Napton Reservoir had a Raven and Grass Snake plus Cetties, Reed and Sedge Warblers and this evening a Green Woodpecker flew over my estate.

Bee Fly by Francoise Farrington
One seen on the hill today but this one was taken last week at the pond where they have been showing well recently.

Richard