Last week's bits and bobs

Lots of Bee Orchid rosettes well and truly up

We have 2 banks of these insect huts in the garden. These are a mass of bees, non-stop coming and going on a sunny day. I have a video that you can watch below

Black Tern last week at Far Ings, Barton

Coot and her cootlings xx

Our local forest with masses of tree felling.......in MAY !!

A garden frog that hopped out of a winter planter

There is actually no hope for the natural world when garden centres are now selling plants that deter insects

Great Northern Diver still at Covenham Reservoir

Grey Wagtail

She is giving him a right telling off here !!

Marsh Harrier that walked out of the reeds at Far Ings, followed by his female. He wanted a bath which he thoroughly enjoyed but it looks like she chowed at him the whole time ! 

The first garden spinach of the year wrapped up with a sprinkling of cheese in a breakfast omelette, served with sourdough toast and flipping delicious !

If I say so myself, I am without doubt, the sausage roll queen !!

Skylark

A beautiful sunset

Twayblade, flower spikes up and budding

Yellow wagtails

Yellowhammer on the reservoir wall

 

Lesser Whitethroat, Far Ings, Barton

 

We went to Far Ings hoping to see hobbies, we were not disappointed with 4 flying, albeit high up in the sky feeding. A stroll along the river bank and we were greeted by this lesser whitethroat singing it's heart out, oblivious to all the dog walkers and cyclists. What a cracking bird ! Then onto the hide for an hour and there was a black tern. A fantastic morning x

Bitterns, Far Ings, Barton

 

An hour in Ness Hide and a bittern walked out twice, excellent views x

1000 Swifts, Covenham Reservoir

Headed to Covenham yesterday hoping to see Arctic Tern, which was a huge success. We got there around 11am and were soon into birds as we started to walk around the reservoir. Common sandpipers, yellow wagtails, a white wagtail and a huge number of sand martins and swallows overhead.  We could see arctic terns flying in the middle of the reservoir. The great northern diver was still there and gave us good views. We were only half round the first stretch and Simon shouted SWIFT.....a new bird for the year and one that we had been hoping to see today. Then there was another.....and another. We looked up and the sky was literally covered in a huge ball of swifts. One of life's moments that we will always remember.....a massive fall of swifts that we estimated at 1000. For 15 minutes they never stopped coming and then they were gone as quick as they arrived. All these birds and there was just us two there.