Belper

At the house and through the Scotches, Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Crow, Magpie, Chiffchaff, Blackbird, GS Woodpecker, Blue Tit, Robin, wood pigeon, feral pigeon

At Wyver Lane BH Gulls, Gadwall, Shelduck, Coot, Oystercatcher, Canada & Greylag geese, Buzzard, Mallard, Moorhen, House Martin, Great Tit, Tuftie

We identified Hedge Woundwort by the lane

Down at the Valley Gardens, all 5 Peregrines on the Mill, Grey Wagtail, Jay, Swift, Mute Swan (30)

SW London Seasonal Highlights

We finally had our second sighting of the Richmond Park Little Owl, and are now trying to take our dog walks there later in the afternoon to try to see the young too. We also saw a splendid Whitethroat there.

Also through dog walking, Leo chanced across birders on Putney Common looking at an Iberian Chiffchaff. 

When we heard about the Little Bittern at WWT Barnes, Leo headed down and got some great views of it in a willow. I got there the next day and had one good view as it flew across the reed bed, landed towards the top of a bunch of reeds and rapidly shimmied down and out of sight. Birders there told us about the optimal spot for viewing the kingfisher nest so we saw them too. Reed Warblers and Buntings were also much in evidence.

In our garden, it has been great to have regular goldfinches and dunnocks this year as well as the Robin, blackbird, jay, titmice and magpie families. Herons have made off with lots of frogs and an unexpected sudden splashy visit from a pair of mallards to the pond seemed to clear out lots of the frogspawn.

By early June, the stag beetles start taking to the air and we have to keep Spencer out of the garden at dusk to protect them.