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Log for 2007
- Introduction:-
- The section Image of the Day
is just that, and contains a daily updated (web
connection etc.
permitting) image normally taken in the previous few
days, plus some explanatory text.
- Hence this section is now primarily maintained for
non-visual items with references to the daily
images.
- The images are linked directly as 'pop-up images' -
they should appear in a separate window when
you click them without losing your place on this page.
Alternatively you can visit
Image of the Day Archive
and text search it for title words of interest.
- 21 Feb 2007
- We have always considered mice as pre-packed snacks for
Raptors, but were amazed to see this
proved by an automated photo of a Kestrel with a
fieldmouse in it's claw.. See Kestrel with
Fieldmouse
- 3 Mar 2007
- Suddenly the cherry trees have started blossoming and
there are even a few bees about to take
advantage. See Cherry Blossom with Bee
- Violets are flowering and few ladybirds have been
spotted. Ladybird on Violet
- Robins, Yellowhammers, Collared Doves, Long Tail tits,
Carrion Crows, Jackdaws and Blackbirds
have all been seen courting and/or nesting. Bluetits and
Great Tits are exploring the boxes. A Pair of
Great spotted Woodpeckers have been seen and they
regularly come for peanuts separately.
- A Male and female Muntjac deer have been spotted in
the dusk so we hope for the patter of tiny
hooves again this year.
4 Mar 2007
- Still waiting to see any frogs, but about 20 clumps
of spawn have appeared in sheltered edge of the
'round' pond.
6 Mar 2007
- 6 Mar 2007 Duck nest on Duck pond island first
spotted a couple of days ago (complete with duck)
island now deserted and broken eggs seen.
20 Mar 2007
- Woodpecker momentarily hammering on nestbox for first
time in months. Heard subsequently (about
07:30 BST). Picture and recording can be found from the
top page.
26 Mar 2007
- Skylark heard (not but seen in mist) over fields to
East.
28 Mar 2007
- Moorhen chicks! 6 with one parent and 1 with the
other seen on the main pond. They must have
hatched about 25 Mar 2007 on the round pond. This is
about 3 weeks earlier than our previously
recorded hatching of chicks on 13 Apr 1999.
6 Apr 2007
- We haven't seen a single moorhen chick for a few
days. No idea what happened - the parents seemed
to be finding food OK then suddenly only 4, and now
none. The pair were seen in preliminary mating
chases last night so they will be trying again.
13 Apr 2007
- A long unused Bat box has been 'modified' by something
and now appears to be attractive to Bluetits -
the widened slot is a nice tight squeeze for a bluetit.
We were lucky to see nesting material being
taken in & will be watching events.
See a photo at Unusual Nests.
- Brimstone butterfly seen in flight.
- Kestrel seen hunting in dusk from treetops in still
air with short hovers
- Blue butterfly seen on holly tree (very appropriate!)
- Orange tip butterfly (male) seen in its erratic flight.
18 Apr 2007
- 2 swallows seen over the meadow (two identifications).
2 May 2007
- Wild Rose flowers open (West side of East Hedge in a
particular suntrap)
11 May 2007
- 8 or 9 baby moorhen on the main pond with both
parents. A couple noticeably more grown than the
rest.
12 May 2007
- An amazing battle between a Magpie and a parent
Moorhen with the moorhen leaping between the
branches after the Magpie with an agility we have never
seen before. (No time to grab the camera.)
13 May 2007
- Muntjac Fawn seen curled up at tree base in infrared
photo.
14 May 2007
- 4 or more moorhen chicks being fed by both parents on
the main pond and the magpie not seen
menacing them. There may be more but they are staying
among the iris fronds.
15 May 2007
- Swift positively identified including call (more seen and
photographed on subsequent days).
21 May 2007
- 3 moorhen chicks have now been around for several days
being mostly fed on the main pond. The
parents have build brood platforms in the Irises and the
willow on the island.
28 May 2007
- 3 moorhen chicks still thriving & starting to pick at pond
weed themselves.
5 Jun 2007
- Still 3 moorhen chicks in good health.
- Young GS woodpecker for a few days joined by a 2nd both being
fed by adult male.
-
6 Jun 2007
- Moorhen parents mating & building a new nest or platform.
- At least 2 long-tailed tit fledglings being fed on wires.
-
8 Jun 2007
Three moorhen
chicks mostly feeding themselves. Parents have
built a second nest/platform a few metres from the first but better
hidden.
- Added a 16Yr sequence to the Origins & the 'Through the
Seasons' Animations section. If you have broadband
click the thumbnail.
- 21 June 2007
- 3 juvenile moorhen still together on Main Pond.
- 23 June 2007
- 3 juvenile moorhen still together.
- First dragonfly seen - unidentified blue hawker over E field.
- 27 June 2007
- Juvenile Green woodpecker on gravel by study doors - a first
for the site. Don't know whether they are breeding on-site.
- 4 July 2007 12:30
- 7 baby moorhen + both parents + 2 of the juveniles on main
pond as one group. Juveniles helping feeding but offering
unsuitable items the chicks refused (much better next day).
Parents frantically refurbishing the old brood platforms.
- 20 July 2007
- Followed squirrel and found a drey in top of sycamore tree.
- 22 July 2007
- Still all 7 moorhen chicks remain, mostly feeding themselves. The
juvenile helpers have been absent for a day or two. The parents look
like they are getting ready to try for another brood.
- Hope you like the new animated image at the top of the home page.
- 31 July 2007
- About 15 mixed young & adult swallows spent day on wires
& house ridge feeding, being fed on perch and occasionally
mid-air.
- Moorhen family dispersing with no sight of juveniles for some
days.
- Newt found underground while digging potatoes.
- 1 Aug 2007
- 38 mixed young & adult swallows on wires
- 24 Aug 2007 13:30
- Moorhen nest empty (no shell or remains) with both adults & 5
juveniles (back for the last few days) agitatedly calling &
swimming about near it. Magpies loitering in tree above &
Brown predator (weasel?) spotted momentarily. By 19:30: parents
already back to courtship chasing.
- 27 Aug 2007
- Another new family of Swallows on the wires today.
- 28 Aug 2007
- A few bats seen at dusk round the house - the first
we have spotted this year. Species unknown.
- 24 Sep 2007
- A few Swallows spotted
Moorhen seem to have given up on ideas of breeding again this year.
Stoat seen tearing about on the grass by the main pond.
Many beech trees turning gold
- 25 Sep 2007
- Female pheasant seen at camera site 'fb1'
- 26 Sep 2007 08:30
- First appearance of Mallards since Spring - Duck and Drake on
main pond
- 21 Oct 2007
- 07:35 Pair of Muntjac deer seen by main pond (female seen since
in IR camera)
08:00 Fieldfares seen bathing (with all the apples and windfall already
gone they soon departed)
- 26 Oct 2007
- 19:56 Bat(s) flying in loft space seen on Infra-red Camera.
- 3 Nov 2007
- First Harlequin Ladybirds discovered - presumably the beginning
of the invasion here.
1 Male and 2 female (Brown & 'Blondie') pheasants seen looking for
morsels on the shingle at front of house.
3 Ring Ouzels photographed as they flashed by (identified later) -
first time recorded here