Durlston Country Park

A morning return in warmer, milder conditions produced the following species;
Gannet (13), Shag (14), Pheasant (1), Peregrine (2), Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull(1), Great Black-backed Gull (2), Feral Rock Dove (3), Woodpigeon, Collared Dove (1 Townsend N.R), Sand Martin (3 briefly over gully), Swallow (4), Rock Pipit (4), Pied Wagtail (1), Wren, Dunnock (juv), Robin (juv), Stonechat (pair with fledged young), Blackbird (carrying food), Grasshopper Warbler (1 Jack Baiss Meadow), Common Whitethroat (12), Chiffchaff (pair with fledged young), Willow Warbler (9), Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Magpie, Jackdaw (15), Rook (5), Carrion Crow, Raven (2), House Sparrow (c30 Bayview Caravan Park), Greenfinch (pair), Bullfinch (fledged young), Yellowhammer (male carrying food).

Butterflies;
Gatekeeper, Wall Brown, Marbled White, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood, Peacock, Red Admiral.

                                         
                                           Willow Warbler

                                           Peregrine over Durlston Cliffs.

                                          Marbled White

Durlston Country Park, Dorset

An early morning walk from Bayview Caravan Park via Townsend Nature Reserve and Jack Baiss Meadow produced the following species;
Manx Shearwater (7 viewed from Durlston Cliffs), Gannet (c50), Shag (3), Common Scoter (2 female attacked by Peregrine), Peregrine (2), Oystercatcher (9), Black-headed Gull (7), Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull (2), Sandwich Tern (1), Guillemot (1), Feral Rock Dove (8), Woodpigeon, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Stonechat (pair with fledged young in gully), Black Redstart (male), Blackbird, Common Whitethroat (pair with fledged young), Blackcap, Chiffchaff (pair with fledged young), Willow Warbler (8), Blue Tit, Great Tit, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Raven (2), House Sparrow, Greenfinch, Bullfinch (10 Inc fledged young), Yellowhammer (pair with fledged young).

Birding the local patch

An afternoon walk around my local patch produced the following species of note;

Woodoaks Farm
Kestrel (pair at Ladywalk Wood), Red Kite (3), Woodpigeon (c150), Little Owl (2 in old orchard), Green Woodpecker (1), Great-spotted Woodpecker (1), Chiffchaff (2).

Springwell Gravel Pit
Great-crested Grebe (2 pairs with recently fledged young and pair at nest), Mallard (duck with new brood of ducklings), Chiffchaff (juvenile).

Stockers Lake
Little Egret (7 in heronry at roost), Nuthatch (1), Common Whitethroat (pair with recently fledged young).  

Red-legged Partridge

This afternoon while on a bike ride taking in the countryside in Herts and Bucks I passed a female Red-legged Partridge with several young at Shire Lane. Present in long grasses on the roadside verge and just inside the Herts border. A good breeding record.

Maple Lodge Nature Reserve

An afternoon visit to the reserve in mild conditions produced the following species of note;
Little Grebe (pair with 2 young from Shell Hide), Little Egret (1), Cormorant (2), Shoveler Duck (3), Teal (4), Common Buzzard (1), Common Tern (2), Kingfisher (1), Reed Warbler (singing male from Shell Hide), Reed Bunting (male from Shell Hide).

                                          
                                                        Little Grebe with juvenile.

                                           Rabbit.

                                           Gatekeeper on Ragwort.

                                           Comma

Butterflies at Bayhurst Wood Country Park, Ruislip

An afternoon visit to Bayhurst Wood Country Park with Steve Carter in search of the elusive Purple Hairstreak Butterfly produced the following species;
Comma, Peacock, Red Admiral, Large White, Small White, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood,
White Admiral (1),Purple Hairstreak (5).
After walking the entire circumference of the wood we discovered the Purple Hairstreak Butterflies back at the car park on several large Oaks.
On the birding front all was quiet but an immature Nuthatch observed feeding high up in an oak was a welcome sight.

                                         
                                          Purple Hairstreak.

                                           Gatekeeper.

                                          Large White.

                                          Meadow Brown.

                                          Small White.

                                          Peacock.

                                          Speckled Wood.

Woodoaks Farm

A brief afternoon visit in mild but breezy conditions produced the following species of interest;
Common Buzzard (1), Kestrel (female at Ladywalk Wood), Little Owl (1 in old orchard), Green Woodpecker (1 in old orchard), Pied Wagtail (3 juvs), Swallow (10), Skylark (pair), Common Whitethroat (1), Linnet (2), House Sparrow (c40), Yellowhammer (singing male).

                                          Pied Wagtail (juvenile).

                                          Little Owl.

Yesterday at Maple Lodge Nature Reserve

An early afternoon visit to the reserve produced the following species;
Little Grebe (6 including pair at nest), Cormorant (5), Grey Heron (2), Mute Swan (pair), Gadwall (42),  Mallard (12), Shoveler Duck (female with 2 ducklings), Pochard (3 plus female with young), Tufted Duck (9 plus female with young), Moorhen (6), Coot (48), Black-headed Gull (1), Common Tern (3 pairs including 2 with broods of young), Woodpigeon, Swift, Kingfisher (1), Green Woodpecker (juvenile at Long Hedge), Wren, Dunncok, Robin, Blackbird, Reed Warbler (singing male), Blackcap (3 singing male), Chiffchaff (singing male), Common Whitethroat (singing male on perimeter of cricket pitch), Great Tit, Jay (1), Magpie, Carrion Crow (pair with fledged young), Chaffinch, Reed Bunting (singing male).
Butterflies;
Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood, Comma, Small White, Red Admiral, Marbled White.

                                          Kingfisher at the Clubhouse Lake.

                                         Rabbit in the Alder Plantation.

                                           Roesel's Bush-cricket at the flower meadow.