What have you seen

A few years ago we noticed the fledglings in our lean to garage hung around for sometime even whilst the parents raised a second brood. I can’t swear to it but watching them it seem more than two birds were feeding the new youngsters. When it came to leaving for warmer climes the telegraph wires outside had ten or more on them. Then they were gone. I’d like to think that the proud parents migrated together with their ‘babies’.

The CL we're on has a field in front of us with sheep in. The breed is a new one to me - Border Leicester, sheep with big ears and quite long legs.

Lots of Swallows quartering the field, always late afternoon/early evening. There's a Hobby knocking about so they will have to take care.

Watching the "humble bumble" enjoying late alliums in our garden. 

Managed to get a photo, not great, of the sheep when they visited this part of the field 15 minutes ago. They're off as soon as they see you.

Just had a covey of 6 Red Legged Partridge run past the caravan. Looks like a family with a few youngsters in there.

Just got back home after a few days away and found this trying to get in or out of our pond. Think it is a grass snake about 2ft long which had just eaten (hopefully not one of our fish) and so its stomach got stuck in the pond netting. it did eventually wriggle free when I produced some scissors to cut the netting. It is now in the pond somewhere.

peedee

Have seen a lot of Swallows about today some on wires whilst out at local market and also at home on the wires very early compared to other years, also got a few butterflies about must 2nd or even 3rd broods.

I have seen snakes before but even out in the countryside it is rare to spot them. I am rather shocked to think I have at least one in my garden which is in an urban environment. Over the years  I have lived here, as more and more land has been developed and with it the increase in traffic, the birds have declined and I cannot remember when we last had a hedgehog in the garden. There are foxes and the occasional badger but I find it very surprising that snakes are living locally in urban gardens.

peedee

We found a Grass Snake slough in the garden a few years back and I know they are living in the wood behind the house.

One of the villagers saw one whilst walking his dog in the wood and promptly informed the local primary school that it was an Adder so the school stopped taking the children in there for nature lessons. We were away at the time but after looking at his photo we corrected him and the school informed it was a harmless Grass Snake.

On the way back from Villefranche after shopping I briefly saw two birds of prey so a quick check and they were  Honey Buzzards flying around near a large wood good to see and then back home looked down the field and in our large Hawthorn bush was a Melodious Warbler and great to see once I checked my bird book no singing though possibly it is on the way south but not seen one before.