April 2020 - part 2
20th April 2020 - (Monday, Hétfő)
Sunny, but very windy. Butterflies recorded: Eastern Pale Clouded Yellow, Wood White, Small Copper, Green-veined White, Grizzled Skipper, Southern Festoon, and Short-tailed Blue (male) = 7 species. Two baby Grass Snakes were seen in RB1. I disturbed my usual female Pheasant, and she flew angrily across the site from near the houses to the top rim (airfield side).
22nd April 2020 - (Wednesday, Szerda)
Butterflies: Brimstone (male), Wood White, Lesser Fiery Copper, Small Copper, Sooty Copper, Eastern Pale Clouded Yellow, Green-veined White, Peacock, Small Heath, and Grizzled Skipper = 10 species. A Nightingale was calling from scrub inside the main gates. A Long-tailed Tit arrived on a bush above my head and proceeded to beat a large caterpillar prior to eating it. Less windy today, and the water in the Coffee Pool has almost gone.
24th April 2020 - (Friday, Péntek)
Butterflies recorded: Small Copper, Eastern Pale Clouded Yellow, Peacock, Dingy Skipper, Grizzled Skipper, Small Heath, Swallowtail, Scarce Swallowtail, Wood White, Green-veined White = 10 species. Two baby Grass Snakes were found hunting and exploring the damp connecting area that now separates the (dry) Coffee Pool from the reedbed area. Several Green Lizards of various sizes were seen, but the male emerging from a Coffee Pool rock was the star!
27th April 2020 - (Monday, Hétfő)
A sunny afternoon, and the wind was more gentle than of late. Butterflies recorded: Grizzled Skipper (4 seen), Small Heath, Wood White, Small Copper (including a courting pair), Southern Festoon, Eastern Pale Clouded Yellow, Wall Brown = 7 species. No Nightingale singing today, but as I started to drive up to the airfield I saw a magnificent male Yellowhammer on the road. I stopped the car, but due to his position I could only photograph him through the windscreen. He soon joined his mate in the Dog Rose bushes. A great pity about the photo quality, but you can see his wonderful colouration. A group of Starlings flew over the site. No snakes seen today, but a few Green Lizards, of all sizes, were observed.