Round the dale

Saturday started well with a new species for the garden, Oystercatcher, 2 flew north west. House Martin was heard overhead. Garden Warbler was again singing nearby. 2 pairs of Golden Plover were behaving territorially just to the west of the "home" patch but the one in the area was absent. Lapwing are still present and at least two lots of Curlew appear to have young (they're very stroppy). A Snipe sat very tight and was flushed in suitable habitat. In the afternoon the oncoming rain pushed Swifts before it.

A decent Slow Worm was on show to our guests and a live Hedgehog was seen wandering across the lane in the night, most likely the one found squashed this a.m. in the same area :-{ 2 Hares were across the moor and a male Orangtip was in the garden. A Common Shrew was hopefully already deceased when Mollie put her wellie on with "something squashy in it". And in the rapidly decreasing frog pond a million tadpoles are getting concerned - their world is getting smaller (see top pic).

A Nightjar outing was again unsuccessful - too cold perhaps, or maybe they've yet to get here.