March 2019
20th March 2019 - (Wednesday, Szerda )
As I drove up the road to the site on my first visit of March 2019 I saw three butterflies basking on the airfield road. Each of them flew up from the warm road as I approached, and when I returned on foot a little later, none of them were there. They looked quite light orange, making me think of Comma. I eventually photographed my first butterfly of 2018 - an old Peacock - inside The Bowl, so maybe they were all Peacocks. I also photographed a Jay as it jumped from tree to tree. A few plant species had started to flower: Lesser Celandine,
22nd March 2019 - (Friday, Péntek)
A few more species appearing. Once again, though, it was sunny but with a cool wind. No amphibians seen in RB1, and no lizards had emerged. Birds seen were: male Blackbirds, and a few Great Tits.
27th March 2019 - (Wednesday, Szerda)
29th March 2019 - (Friday, Péntek)
On my afternoon visit I found a few more plant species in flower, and also two Green Lizards: a juvenile on a 'Dogwood rock' inside the site, and an adult female basking on an old asphalt hill in the adjoining area. After taking one photo of the latter, I tried to adjust my position as the reptile was partially obscured by vegetation. However, my sideways movement resulted in the lizard panicking and hurriedly disappearing into a hole at the base of a small tree that was growing out of the asphalt hill. I offered my humble apologies for the disturbance before withdrawing from the scene. The earlier-mentioned juvenile lizard saw me before I saw it, and shot off its basking rock at great speed. A Peacock butterfly flew strongly past me, and a Chiffchaff was heard. I observed the water in Rock Bath 1 for a few minutes, but saw no sign of amphibian life. I wonder if our usual amphibian species have finally got the message that this site is not longer a viable one for breeding, and have gone elsewhere. But if so, where else could they go to? The fairly distant St. Anna Lake also has a much-reduced amount of water, and may dry out this Summer, again. If they cannot find a water area do amphibian species suspend breeding activity completely until the next year? Interesting questions, indeed.