04-01-2025 · Spot the Treecreeper (Certhia familiaris)—it was extremely hard to see, flitting around the orchard trees on a gloomy January day.

12-01-2025 · For some years field voles (Microtus agrestis) have been living under a large rock a short distance from the house, taking advantage of spillages from the bird-feeders. This vole was waiting until various ground-feeding birds had moved away then hurrying out to snatch a morsel and racing back to safety.

26-01-2025 · A few days after Storm Éowyn passed through we had the tail-end of Storm Herminia, with more very heavy rain and a hailstorm. On its way to the village of Dalwood the brook, swollen to the highest we've ever seen, raced past our meadow, taking-out some livestock fencing on the far side and remodelling the banks. Short video of the brook in spate. (opens in a popup or separate tab/window).

22-03-2025 · Two days ago we heard the first Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) of the year, about a week earlier than last year. Their call is so distinctive but the bird is usually very hard to locate in the foliage, but the trees are still bare and we were lucky to be able to locate this one about two hundred yards up the hill from the meadow.

23-03-2025 · Along the northern edge of the meadow wild daffodils (Narcissus pseudonarcissus) and celandines (Ficaria verna) are flowering nicely amongst the Silver Birch trees (Betula pendula). A few days ago I saw briefly a Small Tortoiseshell butterfly (Aglais urticae) on a celandine flower, taking advantage of a sunny spell.

23-03-2025 · I was crouching down watching a distant bird box when a Treecreeper (Certhia familiaris) flew across in front of me and landed on the far side of a wild cherry tree a few paces away. Then it moved to a birch tree low down and generously posed for long enough for me to take a couple of photos. Its camouflage against the tree bark is almost perfect.

23-03-2025 · In the wettest part of the meadow a male blackbird (Turdus merula) has flown down to forage in the dewy grass.

23-03-2025 · So many rocks have washed down into this part of the brook that a new meander has started to form as the flow is forced over to one side.

23-03-2025 · It was quite a surpise to glance out of the loft roof window and see a Red Kite (Milvus milvus) flying right outside. Half an hour later we watched it hunting over farmland a little way up the hill.

22-04-2025 · We haven't seen many kestrels (Falco tinnunculus) here recently, so it was good to catch a glimpse of this one.

19-04-2025 · A female blackbird (Turdus merula) collecting nesting material from the ground near the house. Her nest is in a thick hedge close by.

24-04-2025 · Marsh marigold (Caltha palustris), Bugle (Ajuga reptans) and Snakes-head Fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris) are spreading around this small pond.

25-04-2025 · A Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus) on guard atop a conifer that lies between two Lombardy Poplar trees (Populus nigra 'Italica'). A pair have been building a nest in one of the poplars, the first time for several years.

30-04-2025 · Two of these delicate anachronous gilled fungi appeared in a small wildflower patch near the house.

03-05-2025 · After several recent sightings of a Red Kite (Milvus milvus) hunting around the area, this is the first time this year we've seen a pair. Landing on this old oak they have upset a Magpie (Pica pica). We are hoping they may nest somewhere nearby.

13-05-2025 · A Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) laying eggs from a Frogbit (Hydrocharis morsus-ranae) leaf on the small pond. The male is in close attendance while she lays. This has been a good year for them so far and we have seen large numbers of them in the land around the ponds.

20-05-2025 · In the late afternoon recently the nesting Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus) has been perching on the overhead cables in an adjacent field, looking around for a few minutes then abruptly dropping down like a stone into the field. Several times after a few minutes it returns and repeats. The next day we saw it repeatedly flying back into its poplar tree with a beakful of morsels, so we concluded its young have hatched.

21-05-2025 · In the last few days a Common Lizard (Zootoca vivipara) has been joining us where we were all enjoying some early evening sunshine. After checking us out for a minute or two it continues with its exploration of the fence.

22-05-2025 · I happened to glance up into a Corkscrew Willow (Salix matsudana 'Tortuosa') to see it full of fledgling Long-tailed Tits (Aegithalos caudatus), all whizzing around in the tree. The next day we saw a flock of them (around 20) going past the house into an oak tree.

24-05-2025 · Numerous small birds have hatched in the last few days. Today the Goldfinches (Carduelis carduelis) were enjoying the seeds in a wildflower patch close to their seed feeders...

25-05-2025 · ...very close by a lone Siskin (Carduelis spinus) was doing the same. They were all eating seeds of Common Sorrel (Rumex acetosa).