First Post from our New Home

 Well, we've moved house. Instead of packing and organising the move we are now unpacking and sorting the fall-out from a change of address. Don't get me started about the poor quality of company's web sites regarding changing your address. I spent one and a hlaf hours with our energy supplier trying to resolve issues.

Anyway, what about the more important topic of what has been going on with our wildlife.

The damselflies are out and about now and I've seen a multitude of Common Blues and just one Blue-tailed. Also another Holly Blue butterfly flew across my path and I got photos this time.

female Common Blue damselfly caught in a web

Yes. I did rescue it!

female Common Blue damselfly

Holly Blue upper side

Holly Blue underside

An insect that I'm rather taken by is the Red Headed Cardinal Beetle. Seeing one in the undergrowth as you walk along is, to me, a real treat.

Red Headed Cardinal Beetle

Comfrey is blooming and the pollinators are loving it, like this Common Carder Bumblebee.

Carder bee on Comfrey

Our early breeding birds have young joining them on feeding forays. Many juvenile Long-tailed Tits were in the hawthorns.

Young Long-tailed Tit

Lapwings have bred near the Mere again this year and have made their way to the temporary large puddle on the south side. It won't last for long but they can enjoy it while it lasts.

Lapwing chick

Whitethroats continue to join other warblers in singing every morning at the Mere, making the days brighter and more enjoyable. There aren't as many as last year unfortunately, but that goes for most birds ☹️😢

Singing Whitethroat

Not many have good things to say about crows but I like them. Smart and glossy they are important links in the food chain. Yes they prey on small birds but that's only natural, and around here there aren't many species that are truly endangered apart from Lapwing of course. The Lapwings seem to do very well keeping predators away though.

Carrion Crow - great looking bird

Mute Swans are still here in good numbers, although they are reducing now. It's a wondferful sight and sound to behold as they leave or arrive at the Mere.

Mute Swans leaving the Mere