The longest day is almost with us and our summer birds have settled in. A spotted flycatcher near Saint Angeau yesterday was my only new species of recent weeks unless I include a family of resident goldcrests in Le Forêt de Belaire . These birds are as tiny as the much commoner firecrests in Charente.
A little owl was calling in my garden at midnight last night, the only owl species that I have seen or heard for quite a while.
Two male hen harriers were hunting close together on the plains last week but I have seen only female montague's harrier this year and on only two occasions.
It appears to be a good year for red backed shrikes as I found my fourth breeding pair a couple of days back.
Hay harvesting has already taken place and, apart from skylarks, the ground nesting birds are not much in evidence on the plains, I assume the pair of stone curlew are still thereabouts but I have heard only a few quail this year and harriers are not particularly common.
A few nightingales are still singing but the orioles seem now mainly quiet although I did see a singing male last week; family groups of black redstarts are everywhere and serins are particularly noisy at the moment.
The weather has been rather variable for a couple of weeks with a strong northerly breeze most days but the coolish temperatures have still allowed plenty of butterfly activity. I saw my first comma of the year yesterday and marbled whites, red admirals, white admirals, peacocks and clouded yellows are all about, along with the occasional purple emperor and some different types of fritillary which I always have trouble separating.
No comments:
Post a Comment