Our Garden - 22nd May 2016

Today, whilst working in the garden a 2-spot ladybird was seen by the garden pond. There were at least three adult frogs and numerous tadpoles in the pond too.

Weekend in Cumbria - 14th - 15th May 2016

I spent the weekend in Cumbria and this short video was taken at Arnside on the banks of the River Kent Estuary. It is a wonderful estuary feeding the vast Morecambe bay. The rising tide was slowly covering the mudflats and sand banks.

There were eight Shelduck were feeding in the shallows, along with two Little Egrets. Three Redshank and a Curlew were also spotted with the large body of waders out of sight until they took to the air heading into the bay.

 

 

 

 

Earlier in the day, we visited Muncaster Castle to see the Rhododendrons in the gardens. Whilst walking round we spotted a Speckled Wood butterfly that unfortunately was too quick for a photograph. I recorded the sighting using iRecord and it turns out that the record was 10 km outside previous recording range. It was my first Speckled Wood of the year.

 



Dawn Chorus - 5th May 2016

Whilst recording the birdsong at 4:30 am I noticed a fox visiting each garden in the road.

Click below for the Dawn Chorus of the Blue Tit and Blackbird

https://soundcloud.com/julie-mason-12/zoom0103wav

Wildlife Camera Update - 3rd May 2016

On Tuesday 3rd May, I expected to record the visit of our Hedgehog to his food dish. He came early in the evening, but then the camera recorded several visits from another unknown visitor.

Wildlife Camera Trap Update - 17th April 2016

The Hedgehog lives in the garden and the camera recorded his first visit to his dish at 9 pm, but I didn't put the Peanuts our until 10 pm.

Coltsfoot at the end of Zinc Works Road

After completing my WeBS count, I noticed several clumps of Coltsfoot in the grass.

10th April WeBS Count for Seaton Sands - start 16:30 to 17:15

8 Great Black-backed Gull
4 Herring Gull
1 Eider
1 Cormorant

10th April WeBS Count for North Gare Sands - start 17:00 to 18:20

172 Oystercatcher
1 Redshank
1 Eider
50 Knot
1 Curlew
2 Ringed Plover
2 Dunlin
2 Brent Goose
2 Shelduck

Garden Moth Update

We have just last Friday completed Week 8 of the Garden Moth Scheme for 2016. The maximum count so far in 2016 is 3 moths which is probably due to the cool overnight temperatures.

28th March
2 Hebrew Character
1 Light Brown Apple Moth

1st April
No moths

8th April  - overnight temperature 7.6C
2 Early Grey
1 Clouded Drab

16th April - overnight temperature 0.4C
No moths

23rd April - overnight temperature 2.5C
1 Hebrew Character
 

Clouded Drab

Early Grey

2 Early Grey & 1 Clouded Drab