What have you seen

Well thankfully several orchids found on that walk today, one regular visitor questioned why I was peering into the grass. He later told me that several plants had disappeared and that perfectly square holds around where they had been suggested spades had been used.☹️

Saw lots of sand martins, sky larks,  buntings and warblers which I’m trying to now identify from my photos which are not brilliant. There had been a visiting eastern subalpine warbler reported close by which kept our eyes peeled. Not this time unfortunately! 

We found this youngster in our garden today, OH was just about to mow the lawn when he spotted it in the grass. Although we have a lot of visits from G Spotted woodpeckers there isn't a nearby nest and we think this fledgling may have been lifted from a nest. He had some food and water and we hope he can survive. Typical red cap on his/ her juvenile head.

A lovely walk through a local nature reserve today to a Reservoir.

Lots of birdsong from the expected songsters but the sight that caught our eye was a huge and I mean huge, swathe of purple Foxgloves, hundreds of them on the far bank looking like Heather. There were plenty around where we were stood as well. Quite a sight.

Walking today, which took in a stretch of coastal path. Quite a few cliffs for birds such as Fulmars to be seen on nests and an island not far offshore that was home to Gannets and Kittiwakes.

Sandwich Terns were patrolling the coves near the beaches and there was a pair of visiting Choughs presumably from those at South Stacks, not far away as the Corvid flies. Stonechats and Whitethroats on the Heath and scrub areas.

We were on Clent Hills the other day, and while sitting having our lunch, around noon,  there was lots of birdsong but it was very difficult to spot any. So I reverted to the Cornell Lab's Merlin app, and it indicated that there was a Redstart and a Nuthatch around, and also a Nightingale!! Is it possible that there were Nightingales in the area, or could it just be an error with the app?

It’s very possible Nellie particularly if the calls were fairly short, territorial rather than mating.  Looking at reports there have been a number of Golden Oriole's in various parts of the country, we heard one at Minsmere but didn’t see it 

Thanks, OP. I think that I will drop Worcestershire Wildlife Trust an email to see if they have any confirmed sightings in the area.

On a lovely barmy evening sitting on our pitch drinking it all in (red wine in hand). A chiffchaff calling, blackbird singing, linnet on the bollard, sparrow hawk patrolling, swallows soaring, pigeons cooing, chaffinches shouting and a neighbour’s TV blurting out! Such bliss!😉

"On a lovely barmy evening"……… "red wine in hand"

Does the latter explain the former? 😂😂😂

Most definitely Tinny, would one want it any other way?🤣