Butterfly

Perhaps I should not have been surprised to see a butterfly today. I was driving and only got a brief glimpse and spo could not identify the species but it was dark coloured. I have also seen a number of bees flying around over the last few days. With primroses, daffodils and even cow parsley in flower, there is certainly plenty of food available for these unseasonably active insects.

Bird feeders

One of the knock on effects of the exceptionally mild weather has been the absence of birds from the bird feeders. I do get the occasional visits from various tits and robins see each feed station as their own territory, but finches, woodpeckers, nuthatches and the like, see no need to visit as there is such availability of food. The ground is soft so that invertebrates are still accessible to thrushes and the like and there is a great deal of insect life around.
In some ways this is disappointing as it means that the garden is bereft of interesting birdlife but then it can only be good for the overall population levels and so presumably, there will be more birds around to start the breeding season come the spring.

Kestrel aerobatics

We tend to think of the Kestrel as the traditional 'hover bird', but recently I have noticed the individuals in my area are loving the windy conditions and displaying their aerobatic skills to the fullest extent. With only a slight change to their tail or wing positions they can adjust their height and sweep across the sky with apparent ease. A joy to watch.

Out of season wild Flowers

It is said that summer has arrived when you are able to cover twelve daisy flowers with your foot. Yesterday, I was able to cover four such flowers, so, does that mean that summer is on its way? There are many other instances of unseasonal flowers but perhaps the most surprising one I have seen recently was a wild canterbury bell. These usually flower in the late summer along the Pilgrims Way near where I live, (which also explains the origins of their name). The exceptionally mild autumn has been the cause of this. To date, we have had just two nights with frost and even that was not severe. It does leave you wondering what this will hold for the prospects of these plants flowering normally come the spring and summer.

Reappearing Birds

Following five days when hardly a bird was to be seen, it was with some relief that the last two days have seen their return. The reason for their apparent absence was the prevalence of high winds. The only birds to be seen were to the usual magpies, carrion crows, jackdaws and gulls. Presumably, these birds are better able to deal with high winds whilst the small birds seek the shelter of cover and perhaps lower ground.

Close up sparrow hawk

I frequently see sparrow hawks flying low along the lanes and skimming hedgerows or flighting across gardens. Today whilst on the lane, a male sparrowhawk flew down towards me and then landed on a branch just about eight meters from where I was. I couldn't believe that the bird had not seen me or my dog. It sat there staring at me probably as bemused by the experience as I was before it turned its head and was gone. They do not happen that frequently but such unexpected close up encounters with wild creatures never fail to delight me.