What have you seen

So true, that’s why NMM should be extended where appropriate to a time when most species have set seed. Some years ago there was well known roadside verge near us which was covered every year with several orchid species, some quite rare. Folk from near and far came to see them. The council managed it well until one spring a worker sprayed it with glyco. Despite local protestations the reason why and the culprit never came to light. They never grew back. Today folk are far more aware and NMM has helped this by spreading the word and changing practices and attitudes. It just needs to go on longer where possible.

On the way to the Brenne for a lunch at a local Auberge we like and saw a Male Hen Harrier quartering a local field and the lake opposite the Auberge there were plenty of Swans and cygnets of different ages and plenty of other water birds about.

Saw a couple of stonechats on the cables on the way here.

On our way home tomorrow.

I have been fortunate in seeing and hearing quite a few less common creatures over the last couple of days. A Weasel ran across a path I was walking at Loans, last night a Badger ran down the road in front of Flyte and I during our last walk out here at The Brough and today while we were having lunch a Hare ran out in front of the car. We have also seen another Red Squirrel run across the road as we drove down here. There is a family of GSW feeding on the feeder opposite the van, and while at the reserve, as well as the Osprey and chick, we saw Reed Buntings, and heard both Serve and Willow Warblers, and this afternoon just up the road from the van there was a Greater Whitethroat calling ( so my Merlin app said at least ) as well as a Blackcap and Chiffchats.

As everyone here knows I am not an advocate of the release of predators and a bit of a climate sceptic. Having said that I have noticed quite a few encouraging signs this spring/summer. Here the weather has been cooler and wetter in the main. There are many more martins, swallows and even swifts about.Today there must have been 20 or so over the fields. Cuckoos were however scarce. The fly catcher has successfully reared. The robins and wrens have broods. There has been a blackbird and two thrushes in the hedges again successfully reared. Fly life is noticeably more abundant with splots even on the car. Today fishing a mountain lake the Osprey came over but seemed more interested in my terrier than fish. but they would have been 8oz brownies. Easier feed at Clywedog, not far away. This was probably an unattached lone bird. So all in all the cooler/wetter weather has been beneficial to bird life, but too early to talk of a cycle change.

Good to hear things going well in your part of Wales, Fish. Over here in Flintshire I have noticed a lack of insect life, butterflies and especially Swifts. The Sand Martins returned to their breeding area in the bank wall of the estuary just down from Flint and seem to be doing ok.

We seem to have had a normal "garden" bird breeding program with early broods of all of the usual suspects but no Garden Warbler this year, a sort of regular on/off bird here. Not sure what the situation is at the Black Grouse breeding site on the moors as I haven't been able to get there this year. We do have breeding Great White and Cattle Egrets on the Dee

I tend to take my view of climate change from nature, such as seeing those Egrets mentioned. Plus a now common scarcity of Bramblings in winter. These once were regular visitors to our garden. I've seen 2 in 5 years and none in the garden. I don't tend  to go off 1 or 2 year changes but 10/20 years. Things have certainly changed but the weather seems the same. Of course weather and climate change are 2 different things.

Last evening, when out for our walk with Flyte, I spotted a quite young Magpie chick on the ground, by some trees with an adult Magpie screeching above, and flying around above was a Herring Gull. I guess that the gull had knocked the chick from a nest in trying to take it. The full flew off when we walked by, and there was no sign of the chick this morning, although I doubt that it was old enough to fly.

There is a very interesting nature reserve not far from the Boroughbridge C&CC site, with good paths and numerous bird hides, Staveley Lakes Nature Reserve. Lots of orchids, including Marsh Helliborines and Common Spotted, and many songbird, Reed Buntings, Sedge Warblers, Blackcaps, Greater Whitethroats, and many Chiffchats. Definitely well worth a visit.

cats cats and more bloomin cats, we have blackbirds, robins, hedgesparrow and a wren, all with youngsters, some on the ground so i spend my early morning coffee break helping to shoo the cats away,lovely cats and of course they are only doing what nature intended them to, so far i think i have been successful and the owners are sympathetic to my cause

this font is cracking me up, so unprofessional

We have cats early morning and night time as our cameras show but they are here for mice etc so no problem with birds rufs.

Whilst out on Monday near Villefranche there was a lot of Red Kites about and then on a tree stump and getting ready to fly of was a Honey Buzzard great to see also a few Cattle Egrets and they seem to like this area and when we first came here you would not have seen any of the Egret family now they are everywhere.

Glad I have newish glasses as this font is beyond a joke now.

I tried to post these photos  last night, but without success, flowers from yesterday's walk, Betony, Marsh Woundworth a d Marsh Helliborines. Here goes again