Old Rachel's - Simms - Hempshaws circuit.

Pheasant, Curlew, Snipe 2 Inc drumming at Hempshaws,
Skylark, Mipit, 5 Stonechat (3m 1f 1j). 4+ Reed Bunting,
2 Cuckoo (1m 1f yarrow valley and brown hill). 2 Wheatear. 2 Gropper reeling ( Hempshaws, Stoops). 2 unidentified brown raptors together.

Driving round Reading at the weekend, the verges have signs "Experimental verge left uncut for wildlife" or words to that effect. Helps to educate, I guess.

Good spot Gareth, haven't seen them there but do need to brush up my ID on them.

It's a sorry state of affairs on the rivers, with the Chor silting and full of pollution, the Lostock / Withnell Fold LNR reed bed degradation, and the failure of the rewetting of the moors that feed the Yarrow...

Superb shots Len

An excellent evening. Just Woody Nightshade (Bittersweet) to add to the plants. Thanks.

Blackbird 2 + 4 juv Coal Tit 1 Dunnock 3 Goldcrest heard Goldfinch4 Great Tit 1 Greenfinch 1 House Sparrow 10 some of which were juv Magpie 1 Robin 1 Wood Pigeon 4 + 2 juv BH Gull over Gull over at distance either Herring or LBB 1 Carrion Crow 1 Cleavers, Dandelion, Dog Violet, Herb Bennett, Meadow ...

Some interesting insects there Gareth, just red-tailed bumble bee and marmalade hoverfly for me this year.

Good here, family of 6 blackbirds doing well, the parents chose a different bush this year and the young are doing great. 2 young wood pigeon amongst flock of 6 doing well too. Sparrows bred successfully and gathering more nest material. Blue tits also.

I think the sparrows on my feeders must have a pact with the pigeons, they must throw at least 3/4 of it onto the ground for them.

Parked near Encon and walked round the back up on the tops. Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Swallow, Wren, Crow, BH Gull, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Long Tailed Tit, Jay, Goldfinch, Dunnock, Mallard, Robin, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Pied Wagtail Good numbers of Jackdaw, Reed Bunting, House Martin and W...

Thanks Peter

Thanks Len. I can't claim credit though - Gareth Wilson took it!

Signed and shared.

The Management Guidelines are very good https://plantlife.love-wildflowers.org. ... uidelines/

There was a Twitter report on May 15 of Ramsons Hoverfly (Portevinia maculata) at Yarrow Valley Park. I've never heard of this species before, I don't know how common (or not) it is here. Here's their photograph, and the original tweet https://twitter.com/GreenLifeLancs/stat ... 8244334592