Saturday 14/04/12

Spent a couple of hours walking the Patch. I've had to alter my route somewhat since the old orchard in Kirkins was grubbed out in the winter. This is a devastating loss to my patch as it held good numbers of breeding warblers and was the only part of my patch that regularly had breeding Willow Warblers.
However I did find two singing Willow Warblers in suitable habitat so I'm hopeful.
The Cuckoo was calling well today, the first time I've heard one since the 7th April.There was little change at the lake but 5 Swallows and 2 Sand martins were zipping around and a Cormorant flew over( the first this month).
A Whitethroat (91) was singing from a territory near the pumping station in Furnace Lane. On Shirrenden side of the lake a Little Owl was sitting in one of the mature oak trees.

Little Owl on guard!

On the way back up Gibbet Lane a Willow warbler was singing from a corner of what is left of Kirkins Orchard.

In the afternoon I popped down to the lake and treated to 4 Buzzards displaying over the orchards.