I'm late!

For an April round up that is.
As you may have read here before, Northumberland doesnt do spring like the southern counties. We often just slip from winter into summer...Still this April has been quite good on the patch with some decent birds...
Shelduck came first on 1st April and was species 103. A common and almost daily sighting here in spring with most bird being seen in flight.
104 was the Blackcap bang on cue on 5th...
105 on the same date Wheatear was early here, I dont usually get one til mid month.
Swallow was 106 on 10th...
and Sand Martin nearby was 107...
Willow warbler at 108 are getting later year on year, on 12th...
A nice Yellow Wagtail 109 on the muck heap was on 20th...
Whitethroat 110 was early on 24th often not arriving until May...
Lesser Whitethroat came the next day...111.
Sandwich Tern was added on 27th 112,
While a good day on 28th added Red legged Partridge, Grasshopper Warbler, Ring Ouzel and a full patch tick - Hooded Crow all at Craster taking the total up to 116.

The scores on the doors are.... 116 species = 56.58% of the total patch score.

Yellow Wagtail with a Pied on the muck heap.

Spring.

Recently we have a had a few spring like days with nice sunny weather, though temperatures still seem a bit below average. the moth trap is not doing well, with some blatant misses up to now including the usually common Red Chestnut and Early Grey. I hope they get a move on....

Over the past week a few birds are on the move with groups of Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Pink footed Geese and Whooper Swans all going north over the garden. A party of 10+ Blackbirds towered high to the east at dusk one evening, only to drop back down into cover, as if testing the weather to see if it was good enough to head home to Scandinavia.

The first Chiffchaffs are finally singing in our village now , but only two birds. After this next cool spell numbers should increase.

One morning 4 Buzzards soared together high over the garden, calling steadily until one pair escorted the others off their territory.

Barn Owls have been very much in evidence with almost daily sightings all over the place as have Brown Hares, doing their mad march boxing.

Last Sunday our first Hedgehog of 2018 was out in the garden. Unfortunately it needed assistance from Northumbria Hedgehog Rescue due to 3 large ticks on its head. Other than that, a few days in rehab should see it ok and back into the wild. We asked them to let us know when it is ready and we will collect it to return back home.

A few willows now ready to feed Bumblers and early Butterflies.

Common Quaker

Satellites.

   

Oak Beauty 

This young male Sparrowhawk spent some time below our feeders yesterday in the rain.

Coltsfoot

Common or Field Speedwell?

Toad.