This female pheasant was spotted on the reserve on the 31 May, its a white bird – not albino ( as can be seen but its normal coloured iris). These birds are believed to be “genetic throwbacks” – although some folk believe they are “marker” birds used by gamekeepers to locate flocks. The bird was covering 2 chicks before I inadvertently disturbed  it.  My initial view was that it had done well to survive to breed, but then again given its size  its only likely to be predated by a fox!

Steve

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A brief afternoon visit produced a good variety of birds including 3 goosander and a pair of oystercatcher on the fence posts on the opposite bank. With a singing chiffchaff and the lambs bleeting  in the field opposite it definitely felt like spring. On the reserve the primroses on the bank were coming into flower and kingcup  in the ditch were just coming into bud.

Sand martins now number over 50, the best we have had for many years.  The blackcaps and chiff chaffs have now been joined by willow warblers. With the river being so low the gravels and muddy banks have attracted a pair of redshank and a pair of common sandpiper. A female sparrowhawk was around I assume targeting the blue, great and long tailed tits and dunnocks ,, since we don’t have any sparrows!  A young duckling was calling from the top of the bank between  the river and pond, hopefully it was located by its mother before being spotted by the sparrowhawk.   Steve