Birds, Bees, Butterflies and photographers.
The very hot weather has had an impact on insects for small bird food, plus the hard cracked ground made it difficult for birds like Blackbirds, Thrushes etc. to dig for worms who have gone deeper.
The Crow family, Crows, Rooks, Jackdaws, Magpies have all done well.
Lower rainfall has affected the inlet stream which feeds the lake and there seem to be less small birdlife at the inlet.
Bees and Butterfly have been significantly down in numbers but hopefully as the Buddleia starts to blossom they will both increase. The plants around the lake (Angelica?) have seen plentiful Bees.
Speckled Wood and Comma Butterflies have been the most noticeable plus Brimstone and occasional Peacock and Red Admiral.
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The 6 Swan Cygnets have done well as have the 5 Egyptian Geese Goslings.
Male Swan who has been limping with a worn knee for some years has got significantly worse this year and that could be why he has not chased the Geese.
Little Egrets are very visible this month – looks as though the colony size has stabilized at about 5 nests and the same for the Herons with 10 nests.everal times Mallard Ducklings appeared – sadly Crows and Herring Gulls are the main predators but a few make it through and the autumn clutches seem to do better.
May is when so many of the birds are singing either to find a mate or like the Robin and Blackbird claiming a territory at the end of the breeding season. The loudest of the songsters is the tiny Wren 😊 plenty in the woods and also plenty of Speckled Wood Butterfly whose spots are golden in full sun. Woodpeckers still drumming.
The Goslings are getting very big and strong but still being guarded by both parents especially first time dad Ernie who decided to sit in a high heron nest.
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Over the years the number of people taking images in the park has really expanded – many with Smartphones as well as traditional cameras and that is excellent as it will make it easier to monitor changes.
3 “regular camera” photographers that I’m pleased to call friends are Margaret Morrison – who has an extensive knowledge of wildlife and is able to track down most of the woodland birds. Her photos of Green Woodpecker are first class. They do not drum on the trees unlike the Great Spotted Woodpecker so are more difficult to find. The Reed Warblers are also difficult to find – but not for Margaret 😊.
Richard Croft supplies us with many close photos taken in the park as well as from further afield. The colourful Jay and wonderful Song Thrush are just 2 examples of his craft.
Clare Duncan has her own style of dreamy photos like Swallow feeding Juvenile - but although the one of a large Carp jumping through the Swan family is a lucky image, as always its totally in focus. I wish she would share more of her first class photos on Facebook.
All 7 photos above are copyright of their owners and used with their permission.