LAST DAY OF LOCAL EXERCISE?

For the past couple of years I have belonged to a local U3A birders group ( for the less informed,  it is one of many groups designed to combat loneliness in the over 50s!) 

As we cannot go on regular walks together, it was suggested that members of the group did their own birding each week and submitted their sightings which would then be published in one document to the rest of the group. To date we have clocked up 60+ sightings during recent weeks, plus records of mammals, butterflies and other insects. 

Always one for a challenge, I try and achieve the maximum sightings I can each week, which obviously means revisiting sites to see the same bird species. So this morning I   went for a walk at Pentylands in a quest for whitethroats and willow warblers in particular. On entering the site, I immediately noticed  slight change in that there were less  whitethroats singing from the tops of shrubs and those that did, were frequently diving into the bramble bushes, where presumably they are nest building.  I did, however, locate at least 4 willow warblers, a few chiffchaffs and a couple of blackcaps. 

Whilst enjoying the surroundings, I got into conversations with a dog walker, who obviously was interested in wildlife himself, as he told me ( and showed me) a long tailed tit nest beautifuly made and concealed in some bushes. There appeared little activity so i am unsure if the parents are sitting on eggs or if they have already fledged.  I was also told about a bullfinch nest and a tawny owl nest but didn't find those. 

As it was still sunny, and somehwat warmer than expected, I took a different route back to my house, following the path of an old railway line, down to the village of Hampton. I took a footpath back across a field then followed the  hedgeline, where there were some hawthorn and bramble bushes, and here I saw a few more whitethroats. I found some thistles already in flower, and felt sure that butterflies wouldn't be far away, and indeed, soon spotted a female orange tip, and then my first large white of the year, the latter identified by its large size and definite black tip to the forewings. 

With some of the lockdown restricitions lifted, I am hoping I may be able to catch up on some of my buttefly spotting, although that may depend on the availability of parking  as many reserves have closed their carparks.

blackcap

willow warbler

well hidden long tailed tit nest

large white