Spring is nearly, nearly here......

Another week of high expectations...not fulfilled birdwise at Windmill - apart from a good influx of Willow Warblers and 2 Groppers no other migrants have braved the journey to date. I am hoping that the warm weather, forecast for this coming week, will push some birdies my way.

 

There have been some good signs of things starting to happen with a couple of Green Veined Whites and an Oil Beetle out on the Lizard coast path yesterday. I also went down to the Farm early yesterday (it was cold and mizzly) and I found this lil beauty:

 

 

 

 

This is a female Emperor Moth - she was very wet and limp - I came back later in the day and she was much perkier! It won't be long until she attracts a mate. Whilst I was on the way to check on her I nearly stepped on this little bad boy....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also found another new adder on Saturday. That is 9 individuals this year so far.

 



 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 





Spring is coming lol

Well the weather has finely turned a little Spring like and the first migrants are in on the Farm. I normally have had my first Damselfly (Large Red) by now - but it is too cold. No March Willow Warblers or Swallows but both turned up this week. I also had a couple of lingering/passing Raptors this week.

 

 

There were two S E owls hunting over Predannack Airfield and a Merlin roosting nearby,

 



 



There are 3 Roe Deer regulary feeding in the arable fields.

 

 





 

I spent hours over the weekend at the Farm hoping that one of the Alpine Swifts would come my way but in the end I had to go down to the village for them - Alpine is not on the Farm list.

 

There are plenty of Adders about.

 

 

Spring? No way lol

Normally by this time I have had Willow Warblers and Swallows at Windmill Farm and on a couple of occasion Cuckoo....not this year. That said I have still had some good times down there this week.

I was taking a pic of one of my reliable Adders and a mate of his slid past!

 

 

Slow Worms are awake now too - these two seem happy in each others company - I think they are both males (due to the lack of brown side stripes).

 

 



 

 

We also have at least 3 Roe Deer that frequent the Farm - here is one from early this morning.

 

 

I have had a Nijer feeder up for about 5 months - it is now working!

 

 

 

 

Away from the reserve the best of the week was a pair of Peregrine on the Lizard cliffs - here is Mr P.

 

 



 

 

Let's hope for some migrants next week!

 



Latest stuff week ending 25 March

What a strange week weather wise. As I said last week I cancelled the walk at the Farm on the 18th and rescheduled it for today - the 25th (my birthday - 30th lol). 6 people turned up and we had a great morning. We saw 3 Adders, 5 Slow Worms, 2 Common Lizard, 1 Newt and a Stoat. Birdwise the highlight was 4 Pintail.

I was particularly pleased to catch up with this guy today as when I saw him last Sunday he had ice on him! I have known this chap since he was born - he is 3. It was also really good to find a very young newt under one of my sheets (Palmate); this guy was about 2.5cm long.

There were not that many birds around today but I did manage to bag a decent record shot of one of the 4 singing Skylarks,

 

 

 

The rarest find of the day was the 3 Lobed Water Crowfoot that we have on the Farm. It has just started flowering.

 





 



Love this time of year..full of promise and expectation.

Latest Beasties

Well what a week of weather! I had a walk, at Windmill Farm, planned for Sunday the 18th to look for early migrants and Adders. The weather forecast for the walk was heavy snow - courtesy of the Beast from the East mk2! I therefore cancelled the walk the day before. When I awoke on the Sunday the weather was lovely - not a drop of the white stuff to be seen. I therefore headed off to Windmill where I found 3 Adders and a Slow Worm. 2 of the Adders were new ones - ones I had not seen before. Here is one chap:

And another:

Away from the Farm I popped into Feock Churchyard where I found 8 Bramblings - what a lovely little spot that is.

And on Saturday afternoon I found a female Common Scoter which I initially strung as a Ruddy Duck! Hey ho. lol.

Recent Sightings

Right it is about time that I got into a routine of posting on here! So here goes....Windmill Farm is going from strength to strength in my own biased opinion - if you have not been down since the Windmill viewing platform has been open you should pop in. There is unrivalled views across The Lizard peninsula and beyond. Bird wise it is a bit quiet at the moment - although we currently have 12 Pintail on Ruan Pool - the previous best was 5. It has also been a great winter for Firecrests.







Every year I try and find a January Adder - my earliest record is currently the 16 Feb (2017). This year my earliest was on the 17th Feb - I have known this individual for 3 years and he is always one of the first awake and last to go into hibernation.

It has also been a good year for white winged gulls.  Iceland and Med Gull from Coverack, Glaucous from St Gothian Sands.

Wishing you all a fruitful Spring!

I am back!

I thought it was about time that I started my blog up again as I have not posted for four years.  I have just got back from a couple of weeks holiday in Cyprus - my first visit to the island. Fantastic place for birds and dragonflies. I have just started alerting through my pics. I had a few lifers there - best bird being Baillons Crake. I will definitely be going back.

Right off down to Windmill Farm to lead a walk. I am hoping for something good for those that turn up!