A wonderful early morning with lots of wildlife to be seen and enjoyed, the first thing was the sound of a Green Woodpecker loudly ‘yaffling’ as it flew across to land on the trunk of a Poplar. This was quickly followed by the incessant calling of 3 Kestrels from the Pines in the Copse, it looked as if they were trying to encourage a youngster to fly.
However migrant birds were the main feature, mostly small brownish bird popping up from the Hawthorn, Blackthorn or Bramble scrub. With a little persistence it was possible it identify Common Whitethroats, Lesser Whitethroats, Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps.
More unusual was a superb view of a Grasshopper Warbler as it first acted just like it should by emerging at speed from the grass tufts allowing good views of its rounded tail, then for once it perched in the Hawthorn allowing good views of its paler chest.
A flash of red drew my attention to a male Redstart, the colours more muted than in the spring but still unmistakable at a glance. Another couple see n soon after in an Elder tree.
Rising from the ground were black clouds of flying Ants, this bounty being taken advantage of by a Spotted Flycatcher, it is always a joy for me to watch the antics of this bird as it rises up, flits and flaps catching the insects before alighting often on the same branch to remove the wings and enjoy the morsel.
Overhead a few Swallows and Martins as well as a late Swift to be seen, while the call of a Grey Wagtail and later a Yellow Wagtail made me look up to see this long tailed bird.
Perched on the top of an Apple tree was a Tree Pipit, the dark flecks on a buff yellow chest making me look twice and then more closely. Another couple flew overhead later their call fairly distinctive.
A few butterflies to be found with Small Blue fluttering brown, blue and silver, Meadow Brown, Small Heath and Gatekeeper and still lots of Painted Ladies. Scanning through the grass where Black Knapweed and Field Scabious were to be seen, a brilliant blue indicated an Adonis Blue, this spectacular jewel of a butterfly basking, but no sign (yet) of the Long-tailed Blue that was reported on Friday.