Opportunistic Magpie

Our local magpies are no less opportunistic in their behaviour than any others. A family of them appears every time I go to feed the chickens, knowing that I am likely to spill some grain. But I was surprised to see a bird pulling a thistle head apart. Standing on a fence post to reach the seeding plants, this bird was busily engaged in extracting something from the seed heads. I can only surmise that this bird was not feeding on the seeds on offer but that it was searching for the insects hiding within, most likely earwigs.

The wild flowers are currently in profuse array. The road verges have pyramidal orchids whilst the Downs are ablaze with bird's foot trefoil. Although each flower is quite small the collective spread of yellow is overpowering. The viper's bugloss provides a stark contrast with their spikes of vivid blue flowers. Then there's the pink of the mallow and valerian.
There are several other flowers that I am finding hard to identify, some are very small but when seen close up are very intricate of flowers, their diminutive nature hiding rare beauty.

Skylark exception

As the weather becomes warmer, the fruit swells and I am now harvesting raspberries by the pound. The landscape changes colour as the wheat begins to ripen and the late to be cut meadows lose their intense green, AND the birds tend to stop singing. The robins in my garden have lost their colour as the moult begins to take effect; blackbirds and thrushes skulk amongst the dense hedgerows hiding from predators as their flying powers are diminished. The only real exception is the skylark, many of which are continuing to soar high above the fields filling the air with their song.

2 Bats

I suspect either a Natterer or a Noctule flew overhead on the Downs last evening. This large bat was in sharp contrast to the Pipistrelle that then buzzed my head as I walked home along the lane.

North Downs Hobby

A warm evening (the first for some time) brought out the May Bugs and with them came a hobby. I was treated to a magnificent aerial display from this single bird as it swooped and glided in pursuit of these large flying insects.
A kestrel attempted to join the feasting, but this, usually graceful flier, looked to be positively clumsy in comparison to the swift-like performance of the hobby.