Butterflies at last

Up until the last few days the only butterflies seen this year have been a few bedraggled looking Tortoiseshells and Peacocks. The warmer weather has brought them out and there seem to be a large number on the wing. The most numerous have been Speckled Woods and Orange Tips but Brimstone and some yet-to-be- identified blues (I haven't got close enough so far) have also been seen.

Moorhen chicks

The first moorhen chicks of the season were out and about today. There is a brood of five which I think is the biggest I have seen here on the moat. Unlike the mallards where the most the drake gets involved in parenting seems to be an occasional bit of guard duty, both moorhen parents are assiduous in their feeding and looking after duties.

Squirrel carrying squirrel

I saw a squirrel yesterday moving slowly away from the house carrying something large in its mouth. I followed it and when I got close it dumped its load which was......another squirrel. The squirrel being carried was slightly smaller and so I am guessing this is its young which was being moved. I left the dumpee alone and when I looked back later it had gone. This activity may be related to the fact that I heard some squirrel type noises from the attic the previous night and we had guests which in turn may have disturbed the squirrel. We had also some attic lights fitted a few days previously so again the combined disturbance may have been too great - I'm pleased to say. It's obviously time to put more peppermint essence in the attic and to try and block the entrance again.

First ducklings of the season

Woke up to find ten mallard ducklings had been born. Just after we spotted them there was a problem with a couple of drakes seemingly harassing the mother who flew off with her partner and then just circled back to the spot where the ducklings were. They meanwhile had instantly disappeared into the reeds to reappear as a fluffy mass as soon as the parents were back.

New species - Blackcap

Not an unusual species but seen for the first time yesterday in the grounds after living here for almost four years. I had seen one in the village before - about nine years ago so the blackcap is like another recent new species, the bullfinch, in being not often seen in the village.

Mallard disturbed

I inadvertently scuttled a mallard duck sitting on a nest of eggs on Sunday. I was about to finish off some ivy clearance where previously I had pulled some thick ivy away from the wall of an outbuilding. The nest was built resting on the ivy ledge I had created. She flew away at the point where I was just a couple of feet away. I have no idea whether one disturbance will lead to an abandonment but I am staying away from the area in the hope that she has returned.

The pipistrelles are out and about

For the last three nights there have been pips hawking in the garden. Tonight I dragged myself away from the Champions league to see if they were also in residence. I saw no bats exiting the normal roost entrance but there was at one point five separate pipistrelles hawking in the garden. I can only assume at this point they are roosting somewhere else