Garden wildlife

The warm weather has meant I've spent lots of time in the garden trying to maintain some semblance of control over the areas that aren't left to go wild! The wildflower patch in the back garden is attracting a few butterflies in and we've had Orange Tip, Small Tortosieshell, Peackock, Large White, Speckled Wood & Holly Blue regularly but no Red Admirals yet. A new butterfly for the garden was Common Blue that I spotted whilst leaving for work Friday morning and stopped to get photos. Well worth being 15 minutes late for work!

Common Blue above and Speckled Wood below.

The ponds in the fields around us are full of Great-crested Newts but although we've regularly found Smooth Newts in the garden in the garden we'd never had Great -crested - until now! I found these two whilst cutting the grass and moved them to our rockery where they'd be safer. I also found a very skinny looking Smooth Newt in the wood pile as I was moving some logs.

As well as the butterflies theres bee na few other insects around. A Grey Dagger roosting on the garage wall and a Red - headed Cardinal Beetle soaking up the warmth.

Mammals have also been well represented with Short-tailed Field Vole & Wood Mouse being seen in the garden whilst in the field opposite we've seen Brown Hare (3) and Fox.

It appears that the nesting Blue Tits and Great Tits are finally catching up with their breeding season after a poor start to the year. Four broods were ringed last week totalling 28 chicks with the Blue Tits having broods of 10 & 8 whilst the Great Tits only had broods of 4 & 6. I've seen the Hobby again so I'm assuming they've gone quiet as the females on eggs somewhere nearby. We can't see the Little Owls at the moment as their nest hole is obscured by leaves but I heard the male calling during the day yesterday. Our local Ravens have fledged 2 young and all 4 birds are happily feeding o na dead sheep in the field opposite the house.