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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Coney Meadow and Adjoining Areas (7 Viewers)

We risked taking the car along the fisherman's track to Gwen Finch last week (won't do it again!), and heard both male & female cuckoos there, where they are usually reliable. Some of the land is up for sale, though.
 
A single Lapwing flew over Chawson Lane towards Salwarpe this morning. Lesser Whitethroat singing by the allotments.

Male and female Cuckoos at Coney Meadow plus the normal warblers.

House Martins and Swifts
 
Spotted Flycatcher along the canal between Mildenham and Hawford.

Male and female Cuckoos, 2 Gadwall and Yellowhammer in the general area.
 
A Barn Owl performing brilliantly in Coney Meadow this evening - flying around and perching on posts and on the viewing screen at one point. I saw a Barn Owl at Trench Wood last Wednesday evening - so it's good to know this species seems to be doing ok locally.

A male Tawny Owl called several times at Salwarpe this evening.

Female Cuckoos at Salwape and Hawford today with males recorded at Coney, Tapenhall and Hawford.
Very happy to report Cuckoos seen and heard in and around Trench Wood and Lower Saleway Meadows over the past couple of days.

A Tern sp. flew over Ladywood towards Salwarpe around mid-day carrying a fish - probably a Common Tern - seen from a distance.

No further sign of Gropper this evening - this species seems extremely erratic this year.

A few Swallows and a couple of Sand Martins over Coney this evening. Around a dozen House Martins over earlier in the day.

All the usual Warblers including Lesser Whitethroats in various places.

Gadwall at Tapenhall. Yellowhammers in various places, Coot near Hawford, Kestrel, Coal Tit and Buzzards among the bird species seen.

Insects included Broad-bodied Chaser and Holly Blue on Friday. Banded and Beautiful Demoiselles in various places.
 
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A Little Owl at Ladywood this evening perched on 'Walnut Tree House' roof.

Juv and female Tawny Owls at Salwarpe.

Cuckoos at Ladywood and Porter's Mill.
 
From 5 am this morning, 1st June:

3 Greylags and 2 Canada Geese over Salwarpe. Sedge, Reed, Common Whitethroat and Chiffchaff Coney Meadow plus Reed Bunting, Swallow and Swifts.

Coot and well grown chick plus pair of Canadas with goslings between Chatley and Hawford.

2 male Yellowhammers around Chatley.

Male and female Cuckoos at Tapenhall plus Kingfisher and 2 broods of Mallards.

Pair of Gadwall over Porter's Mill plus Lesser Whitethroat, Reed Warblers and 10+ Swallows.

Lesser Whitethroat Copcut Lane and 8+ House Martins.

Plus several Buzzards, Goldfinches, Pied Wagtail, House Sparrows, Collared Dove, Stock Dove, Rooks, Blackcaps, Herring Gulls, BH Gulls, LLB Gulls, etc.
 
I added 3 species to my patch year list in May (Tree pipit, Spotted Flycatcher and Common Tern), which now stands at 97 species for the year so far.
 
A decent morning for raptors:

A Peregrine perched on pylons near Middleton Grange.

A Hobby circling high around Salwarpe for about 10 minutes.

A Sparrowhawk over Chatley and several Buzzards in various places.

Cuckoo at Tapenhall plus 20+ House Martins and a few Swallows.. Lesser Whitethroat singing.
 
Further species recorded over the weekend:

Cuckoos at Coney/Salwarpe, Ladywood and Tapenhall. Yellowhammers fairly widespread, Kestrel, Skylarks, Kingfishers, Grey Wagtail, Swifts, Swallows (including 10+ roosting in Coney reedbed), LWT, CWT, BC, CC, RW, SW, Reed Buntings, Coot + chick, House Martins, Pied wagtails, Linnets, Nuthatch, Goldcrests, Moorhens, Grey Herons, Buzzards.

Several Noctules flying around Coney Meadow yesterday evening.

Yesterday morning I went on a very pleasant circular drive around Lower Saleway - Trench Wood - Sale Green - Crowle - Oddingley. Some nice bits of habitat - interesting fields, flower filled meadows and woodlands. My bird highlights included 4 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Cuckoos, 2 Curlews, 2 Willow Warblers, Garden Warbler, 28 Lapwings, 1 Marsh Tit, Yellowhammers and Skylarks. I might have to start a separate thread if this becomes a regular patch :)
 
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A Little Grebe and a pair of Tufted ducks on the small pool between Hawford and Chatley this morning.

Male Cuckoos at Salwarpe, Hawford and Tapenhall. Female Cuckoo at Tapenhall.

Little Owl in tree in paddocks between Egg Lane and Jacob's Ladder.

My first Swallow fledgelings of the year near Mildenham.

Insects this weekend include Large Skippers and a 'rufescens' Blue-tailed Damselfly (at Mildenham)
 
A male Cuckoo at Coney this evening and 34 Swallows roosted. Pipistrelles and Noctule bats.

Sad to report that vandals have knocked the Barn Owl box down and burned it at the base of the tree where it was placed. This is in addition to the substantial damage that was done to the viewing screen over the weekend. It's really depressing to think there are sad morons around who do this kind of thing. :-(
 
A male Cuckoo at Coney this evening and 34 Swallows roosted. Pipistrelles and Noctule bats.

Sad to report that vandals have knocked the Barn Owl box down and burned it at the base of the tree where it was placed. This is in addition to the substantial damage that was done to the viewing screen over the weekend. It's really depressing to think there are sad morons around who do this kind of thing. :-(

Shocking news, they must have such sad lives with nothing better to live for. Can't imagine why they go so far out of the town. Maybe the same ones who started the fire previously. Had there been signs of the box being in use?
 
Shocking news, they must have such sad lives with nothing better to live for. Can't imagine why they go so far out of the town. Maybe the same ones who started the fire previously. Had there been signs of the box being in use?

The Barn Owls had used the box for roosting - I saw them coming in and out in March / April. Last autumn, Hornets took it over and built a large nest in it.


This morning - Cuckoos at Ladywood and Tapenhall. Family (5 juvs) party of Swallows at Tapenhall. Lesser Whitethroats at Tapenhall and Porter's Mill, Yellowhammers near Knight's Grove and Chatley, plenty of Common whitethroats, Reed Warblers, Sedge Warblers, Linnets, House Martins, Swifts, Nuthatch and Coal Tit.
 
Two Common Terns fishing on the pools around Hawford this morning.
Little Grebe on the small pool between Hawford and Chatley.
An adult Little Owl perched on telegraph wire along Egg Lane was an unusual sight
Another adult Little Owl and 2 juveniles perched in their more normal spot in a tree in the nearby paddock.
Cuckoos at Ladywood, Tapenhall and Hawford
Kingfisher, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Skylarks, Lesser Whitethroats and all the usual warblers.

A Stoat was seen at Hawford and a Wood Mouse.

Marbled White, Ringlets, Meadow Browns, Comma, Speckled Woodsand Small Tortoiseshells.

Scarlet Tiger Moth and Burnet Moth.
 
A Hobby over Coney Meadow this evening hawking insects.

Two male Cuckoos around Coney and a female at Tapenhall earlier.

A Little Grebe still between Hawford and Chatley.

About 40 Swallows roosted at Coney this evening and 3 Sand Martins.

Juvenile Tawny Owl calling in Salwarpe churchyard at dusk.
 
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