More Firsts for Mid May

Rosa canina , Red clovers, Vetch and Bird's Foot Trefoil were flowering well before mid-May with weather still variable. 14th May 2020 was a special day, with a cold start, windy with contrasting bright sun and cloud. In a sheltered spot - the first Common Blue butterfly here was seen perching on a dandelion in flower then moving to another ranging here and there, always alighting on a dandelion flower or seed head as below:

Dandelions are a sign of life - a sign that wildlife will survive in the area where they flourish.

Common Blue Butterfly on another Dandelion seed head -

this time all the seeds had 'flown' or perhaps been plucked by Goldfinches or Bullfinches which frequent this diverse area.

Black Medick    Medicago lupulina (Fabaceae - pea family)

these plants are increasingly found here and are a good sign as they are one of the food plants of the Common Blue butterfly caterpillar. The plant has black seed pods, hence the name.

On the same day, 14th, at the same time, swifts flew directly overhead, the wind no deterrent, nor the dark clouds.

May 16th was another cool partly overcast day with yet again numerous singing birds - blackcaps, garden warbler, robins, wrens dunnock, and two singing songthrushes. Another song thrush was seen on  a path, hammering a snail which it carried away for its young. In another area, under the old oaks on the river bank, a Yellow-necked mouse was escaping from a very bored feline and a magpie. It succeeded. These mice are not common, being quite localised - and climb trees.

Out on the grass nearby - fortunately Dandelions were surviving. This time birds, not butterflies were feeding - a very smart male bullfinch, accompanied by a more nervous female bullfinch not far away.

I was able to watch for some time as they chose Dandelions that had gone to seed, carefully plucking the seeds either in bunches or singly. The male held down the long stems with one foot to bend them to bring the seed-head down to beak level. They remained busy until a blackbird gave an alarm call and the female bullfinch flew off, followed by the male. 

A grey wagtail flew low through trees to a rocky part of the river bank upstream where the water flows quite swiftly.

May 18th was a fine bright warm day - and another first - several Banded Demoiselle Damselflies were seen jousting low over the river surface from a bridge. The water was clear and quite low, with the river bed visible and the electric-blue male damselflies glistened in the sun.