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Mark Ash - 5th April 08
Posted 06-04-2008 at 09:10 PM by Deer Stalker
Up Mark Ash Wood at dawn at 6.30am this morning. It was very dark with thick grey cloud overhead & a cold wind.
The usual Blackbirds, Robins & Song Thrushes were singing along with Chaffinches, Treecreepers, Great Tits, Goldcrest, Hawfinch & my first Redstarts & Blackcap of the year.
I walked through Anderwood Inclosure down towards Blackensford Brook. A roe buck was back in the trees, still in tatters.
Along the stream I was looking at the hazel leaves just coming out & I saw a Cream-spot Ladybird so I got my camera out ready to take a pic & it had already disappeared.
So I took some shots of the leaves instead. The Lesser Spotted Woodpecker that hangs around here was drumming away & the Grey Wagtails were calling from the stream.

The Kingfishers were calling away & going in & out of their nest hole & as I sat & watched for a bit it began to drizzle, but I was sat by a tree out of the wind & watching Kingfishers so I didn't care (or dare move). The drizzle stopped after a while & the sun came out with blue sky. The Lesser Spotted Wodpecker had stopped drumming but was still near in the trees.
I waited until both Kingfishers had flown off downstream to come out of my hiding place & carried on walking through the Inclosure & back through mark Ash Wood.
Along the way were Siskins, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Green Woodpeckers, Jays, Goldfinches, Buzzards, Stock Dove, Coal Tits, Chiff Chaffs, Willow Warbler, Common Dog Violets, Primroses, Wood Spurge, Wood Anemones, Barren Strawberry & Lesser Celandines.
The Blackthorn is at its peak flowering on the Forest now.

The usual Blackbirds, Robins & Song Thrushes were singing along with Chaffinches, Treecreepers, Great Tits, Goldcrest, Hawfinch & my first Redstarts & Blackcap of the year.
I walked through Anderwood Inclosure down towards Blackensford Brook. A roe buck was back in the trees, still in tatters.
Along the stream I was looking at the hazel leaves just coming out & I saw a Cream-spot Ladybird so I got my camera out ready to take a pic & it had already disappeared.
So I took some shots of the leaves instead. The Lesser Spotted Woodpecker that hangs around here was drumming away & the Grey Wagtails were calling from the stream.The Kingfishers were calling away & going in & out of their nest hole & as I sat & watched for a bit it began to drizzle, but I was sat by a tree out of the wind & watching Kingfishers so I didn't care (or dare move). The drizzle stopped after a while & the sun came out with blue sky. The Lesser Spotted Wodpecker had stopped drumming but was still near in the trees.
I waited until both Kingfishers had flown off downstream to come out of my hiding place & carried on walking through the Inclosure & back through mark Ash Wood.
Along the way were Siskins, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Green Woodpeckers, Jays, Goldfinches, Buzzards, Stock Dove, Coal Tits, Chiff Chaffs, Willow Warbler, Common Dog Violets, Primroses, Wood Spurge, Wood Anemones, Barren Strawberry & Lesser Celandines.
The Blackthorn is at its peak flowering on the Forest now.
Total Comments 5
Comments
| | How is it every time I try to write something, the phone rings!! Great list of things as always D.S and good to see you are still going out and about. I love seeing the masses of Blackthorn out in flower this time of year too. Just to say, we actually had Bull Finches back in the village a few weeks back, but I haven't seen them since, which is a shame. Also had a Red kite fly over the house! How cool is that! |
Posted 15-04-2008 at 07:00 PM by Gwenhwyfar |
| | Its because you're female & spend most of your time talking. ![]() Well done on the Bullfinches. Did you recognise the call? Red Kite? I hate you. ![]() ![]() |
Posted 15-04-2008 at 10:26 PM by Deer Stalker |
| | If there was a competition in our household, for who talks the most, some how I don't think I would come out the winner!! at least I don't think so! I saw the Bullfinches before I recognised the call, I'm sure I would have got it wrong anyhow!! I'm afraid I don't have your talent. The Red Kite must have come from the Hawk place on one of there release programes - so it was only a matter of time before they came this way. Still a Kite's a Kite. I didn't realize what is was at first, until I saw the fork tail, then stood in the garden shouting, Red Kite, Red Kite!! |
Posted 16-04-2008 at 07:13 PM by Gwenhwyfar |
| | Come to think of it, your right! Sorry Gruditch. ![]() You mean you wasted valuable time jumping up & down when you should have been getting some shots of it?? ![]() |
Posted 16-04-2008 at 10:48 PM by Deer Stalker |
| | He's Fizban on here - don't ask! He got me to upload a pic once, and that was about it, he never looks in. I never would have got the camera in time, so had to make do with jumping up and down ! Anyway you, i'm out of here, will catch up with your blogs again some time soon. Don't forget to get your jobs done, so you can go out! |
Posted 17-04-2008 at 06:07 PM by Gwenhwyfar |
Recent Blog Entries by Deer Stalker
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