MONDAY 31st MARCH 2014

12*C, Wind S 5mp/h, Clear sunny, slight frost, Pressure 1014hPa

Liplje - Circuit 2 06:45 - 08:40

Hoopoe flew in at tree top height landed briefly and flew on in Northerly direction. 
Stonechats in scrub near the main road - E763
Another singing Cirl Bunting near main road in tree nursery plantation which brings local singing  male population to 5.
Interesting to see Starlings still flocking, expected them to be on territory by now.
Goshawks were possibly having territorial dispute, one chasing the other and grappling mid-air, looked big enough to be females.Seen over valley to rear of our house.

Hoopoe                                                                        15:10 -
Chiffchaff singing                                                        2 Northern Goshawk      
9 Blackcap singing males
2 Stonechat pair, male singing
Black Woodpecker drumming
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker female
Middle Spotted Woodpecker male
Green Woodpecker
Nuthatch 
2 Song Thrush singing
2 Blackbird singing

3 Cirl Bunting 3 singing
3 yellowhammer singing
4 Greenfinch
Hawfinch
2 Chaffinch singing
White Wagtail
4 Blue tit 2 pairs
Great Tit 
18 Starling flocks of 10,5,3
Wren
8 Robin
10 Magpie single flock
15 Raven over N
Jay
4 Pheasant
2 Tree Sparrow
14 House Sparrow
13 Heron on Heronry

SUNDAY 30th MARCH 2014

17 C, Wind S 1km/h. Clear sunny, Pressure 1015hPa
 
Liplje

15.25 -
Swallows first of the year flew through North pausing briefly to feed.
Beautifully pristine in blue black dress giving classic cheerful twitter.

2 Swallow over N

FRIDAY 28th MARCH 2014

8°C.Wind E 12km-h,cloudy with sunny intervals,Pressure 1016hPa

6am - 8am
Liplje - Circuit 1 (2.2km)

First Cuckoo singing for over an hour in valley to the east secound "koo" note distinctively quite hoarse.
First Willow Warbler this year moved through quickly north giving 5-6 song phrases.
Black Woodpecker giving good views feeding on ants nest.
Good to see Black Redstart back and singing.
Corn Bunting put in a brief appearance near to where it had been singing previously.

4.15pm -
New male Stonechat located close to main road (E763) at 4.15pm.
Heronry has 14  birds sitting on nests.



Cuckoo singing
Willow Warbler singing
Chiffchaff
4 Blackcap singing
4 Stonechat pair + 2 males
Black Redstart singing 1st Y male
Corn Bunting
3/4 Cirl Bunting singing males
2 Yellowhammer singing
2 Hawfinch
2 Wood Lark singing
Black Woodpecker male
2 Green Woodpecker singing
Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming
2 White Wagtail pair
Wood Pigeon singing

4.15pm -
Stonechat male
16 Grey Heron

WEDNESDAY 26th MARCH 2014

12°C, Wind E/NE 5-10mph, partly cloudy with sunny intervals, pressure 1011

Liplje - 05:30-07:45 - from home down to village shop near main road.

Harrier was fairly low level fly through. Seen in silhouette only. Would have expected Marsh Harrier to look bigger/broader winged. Montagues would definitely have appeared more rakish.
Therefore best guess is Hen Harrier. Definitely in traveling mode with sequence of few wings beats followed by short glides.
Green Sandpiper was a species I wasn't expecting here, classic call alerted me to it.
The Grey Herons were a very pleasant surprise yesterday as they are occupying a heronry close to the main road (E763). Probably 19 or 20 nests with some birds 'sitting'. 2 of the Ravens are also nesting amongst them with one bird 'sitting'.
Serin feeding amongst aspen catkins with Greenfinch.
Black Woodpecker in front garden walnut tree giving excellent views. 

Harrier sp. over NE                                          16:35 - Green Sandpiper over E
20 Grey Heron                                                   15:15 - Black Woodpecker female
7 Blackcap singing males
2 Chiffchaff singing
Buzzard 
Black Woodpecker drumming
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker calling
Middle Spotted Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming
2 Green Woodpecker 'singing'
White Wagtail female 
2 Serin pair 
2 Greenfinch
4 Hawfinch 2 pairs
Cirl Bunting singing
6 Yellowhammer 2 singing
3 Chaffinch singing
6 Tree Sparrow 2 singing
16 House Sparrow 2 Singing
10 Starling 1 singing
3 Nuthatch
2 Blue Tit
4 Great Tit
Wood Pigeon 'singing'
5 Feral Pigeon
Collard Dove singing
Pheasant female
4 Raven
4+ Jay
Magpie
Wren singing
10 Robin singing 
2 Blackbird
2 Song Thrush singing

SUNDAY 23rd MARCH 2014

11- 19 °C, Wind S12 - 20 km/h,,mostly cloudy with bright intervals, Pressure 1006 hPa

Liplje

Fantastic ! Corn Bunting new arrival today on circuit 1 near graveyard. Wheatear has departed.

Corn Bunting Singing
Chiffchaff singing in woods near home for secound day

Butterfly's - 
Swallowtail
Holy Blue ?
 

FRIDAY 21st MARCH 2014

5-18°C Wind E 12km/h, Clear sunny, Pressure 1021 hPa

Liplje - circuit 1 (2.4 km)
Wheater was a pleasant arrival after I had been fantasizing about one turning up in that very field. Seen 08:15 and again this evening at dusk when I took this poor shot.
Silent Chiffchaff seen briefly on windless side of woodland.
Stonechats seem to have reduced in number, may be that they are less apparent in this mornings windy conditions.
First Sky Lark this year.

Northern Wheatear
Chiffchaff
4 Stonechat 2 singing males with females
Sky Lark over calling 
Wood Lark singing
2 White Wagtail pair
Middle Spotted Woodpecker male
G.S.Woodpecker drumming
Green Woodpecker calling/singing
2 Hawfinch pair,male singing
4 Cirl Bunting 2 pairs males singing
Chaffinch singing
Tree Sparrow singing
2 House Sparrow singing
2 Blue Tit pair
Long Tailed Tit                                                           Butterfly's - 
7 Great Tit 3 singing                                                 3 Large Tortoiseshell
13 Starling 2 singing                                                 Red Admiral
4 Song Thrush 2 singing                                           Peacock
Blackbird                                                                     2 Wall
4 Buzzard 2 pairs displaying                                    Green veined White 
2 Raven                                                                       Camberwell Beauty (possible)
2 Hooded Crow                                                          Small Copper                                                     
7 Jay
2 Wood Pigeon
2 Pheasant

THURSDAY 20TH MARCH 2014

15°C Wind W/SW 4-12km/h, mostly sunny some scattered cloud later, Pressure 1026 hPa

First House Martins of the year seen feeding over town centre for 15 + minutes.
Lesser Pecker seen briefly flying past home.
Cirl Bunt again using feeding station and singing in our front garden.

Ljig town centre -

3 House Martin

Liplje - Home - 

Lesser spotted Woodpecker calling
2 Cirl Bunting male singing
2 Tawny Owl heard calling at dusk

THURSDAY 18TH MARCH 2014

20°C, Wind E 7 km/h, Clear sunny, Pressure 1016 hPa

Liplje - short circuit around village

Better views of S.T. Treecreeper showing distinct brownish tinge to lower belly and vent. Both birds came together in possible territory dispute.
Surprised how many Stonechats have turned up possibly over night as I was only aware of one when I did the same circuit last night. Female was very nondescript and paler than western birds and appeared to be paired with a male.
Great to see Black Woodpeckers mating high in a big tree.
Goshawk seen briefly, was harassed by 15 Hooded Crow, appeared slightly bigger than crows and broad wings noted. 
Wood Larks mostly elusive but one seen in sustained aerial song flight.
Cirl Bunting no longer singing near home, this bird some half a kilometer away.

2 Short Toed Treecreeper singing
6 Stonechat ? 5 male & female 2 singing
2 Black woodpecker singing & mating !
G.S.Woodpecker
Green Woodpecker
Goshawk male
2/3 Wood lark singing 
2 Hawfinch male and female
4 Yellowhammer
Cirl Bunting singing
2 Wood Pigeon
15 Hooded Crow
White Wagtail

Queen of Spain Fritillary
Issoria lathonia

10 Starling 2 singing
3 Song Thrush singing
2 Chaffinch
Great Tit singing
Blue Tit singing
2 Marsh Tit pair
Blackbird
3+ Robin singing

Butterfly's - 
Wall Brown
Queen of Spain Fritillary
Holy Blue ?

MONDAY 17TH MARCH 2014

16°C. Wind N 18 km/h, clear sunny, Pressure 1018hPa

Liplje - home
First Stonechat and Siskin of the year.

09.35-
2 Siskin over N

Liplje village

17.30 -
Stonechat male
Wood Lark singing
Black Woodpecker calling


Green Woodpecker
6 Starling 2 singing
6 Yellowhammer 1 singing
2 Chaffinch 
Song Thrush
Robin
5 House Sparrow
Magpie
6 Collard Dove  1'singing'/displaying



Butterfly's - 
2 Comma

SUNDAY 16TH MARCH 2014

6-12°C, Wind W 16-24 mph, mostly cloudy, Pressure 1010 hPa 
 
Liplje near Ljig
First Redwing of the year.

Blackcap singing
4 Redwing over NE
6 Hawfinch over N
House Sparrow singing in our orchard

SUNDAY 16TH MARCH 2014

14°C, Wind W/NW 16-23 k/ph, 70%cloud cover, Pressure 1014 hPa

Liplje near Ljig at home
First House Sparrow and Dunnock for our garden and first Serin for Liplje.

07.30 -
House Sparrow Singing
Dunnock

Yesterday-
2 Serin briefly at nearby cemetatary

THURSDAY 13TH MARCH 2014

Liplje near Ljig

Pleased to see and hear the Blackcap today, more likely to be a wintering bird rather than a migrant I guess.
 

Blackcap male singing
Tree Sparrow at feeding station
Yellowhammer at feeding station
Chaffinch singing

Butterfly's near home -
Orange tip 
2 Large Tortoisehell
Peacock
Red Admiral
Small White
4 Skipper sp.

Moth opposite - 
Green-brindled Dot (Valeria oleagina)

SATURDAY 8TH MARCH 2014

9°C, Wind N/NW 17k/ph, Cloudy and dull with occasional showers,some hail ,
190mm of rain over last 4 days, Pressure 1027 hPa

Tooth Wort

Liplje
2 Fieldfare over N
6 Starling over SW am
5 Starling over E pm
Black Woodpecker calling as usual from west woods
Green Woodpecker
G. S. Woodpecker
Cirl Bunting Singing late pm
2 Long Tailed Tit 

Black thorn

11°C, Wind E 27km/h, mostly cloudy some sun,Pressure 1002 hPa
 

Liplje - woods surrounding home

Saw Treecreeper sp. singing Short-Toed Treecreeper song from top of woodland trees didn't realise that both species can mimic one another hence ? Will have to pay more attention to visual id. next time.
Lesser Peckers drumming in close proximity to one another, very much quieter than Great Spotted.
First Wood Anenome and Greater Stichwort flowering.
Cirl Bunting again singing front of house but still subdued.

Hare seen again, seems larger than UK hares with very distinctive black and white ear markings.Ran off from cover.

Short Toed-Treecreeper singing ?
2 Lesser spotted Woodpecker drumming and calling
Great Spotted Woodpecker Drumming 
Cirl Bunting singing breifly
2 Yellow Hammer singing
4Chaffinch singing
4 Robin singing
3 Song Thrush singing
Wren

MONDAY 3RD MARCH 2014

10°C, Wind E/SE up to 24km/h,sunny am, fair weather cloudy later,35ml rain from yesterday, 
Pressure 999 hPa

Liplje - around home
The Tree Sparrow is a new arrival, singing from a pile of branches in our orchrd.
Black Woody again elusive but heard much more recently.
Cirl Bunting hasnt been heard singing for about a week and only in subdued fashion today.
Blackbird in full voice now.

Tree Sparrow singing 
Black Woodpecker Calling
6 Buzzard soaring
Yellow Hammer singing
Cirl Bunting Singing
Blackbird singing