HARRIERS OUT HUNTING

 This male marsh harrier was one of two males and a female seen hunting over the fields between Meeting Lane and Shop Lane on Monday 9th. The harriers were seen at different times during the afternoon, as they flew slowly over the wheat and pea fields.

A sparrowhawk flew low over the fields towards the Shop Lane conifer wood while a common buzzard was seen perched on a fencepost on Reeveshall.

Other birds noted during the warm walk were two singing yellowhammers, cuckoo calling, two lesser whitethroats and a pair of stock doves.

 

Despite the warmth there were few butterflies on the wing today. However the first large skippers for the season were flying beside a grassy track, one pictured above. In total about six individuals were seen.

 Eight small heaths were keeping low down either in a couple of areas, one sheltered amongst some buttercups and the other in a grass pasture. Other butterflies seen were a speckled wood and a meadow brown.

Steve Entwistle reported turtle dove still calling in Willoughby car park on Saturday evening, while at the country park a broad bodied chaser, painted lady, four meadow browns while four avocets were seen on the park pools before being flushed off by a marsh harrier.