15/08/12 - Help from across the sea

Well after a sudden rush of ducklings it all went quiet again towards the end of last week and into the weekend, with just two Mallard ducklings and two pulli Coot caught. However, Tuesday produced a few goods - maybe it was the lucky charm we had with us from across the sea! Our friend Jenny was staying in England for a few days and was keen to come and see the LDV in all its glory. With her she brought the warm sunshine - which is something of a given over there!

Despite the corale not catching for a few days we pushed it anyway to see if today was going to be our lucky day, it was indeed with our 9^th Shoveler duckling for the year caught, plus a new pulli Coot and Moorhen. 

A check of the duck trap also had 2 pulli Coot, a Mallard duckling and the adult female, plus two re-trap males - which was good and allowed us to show Jen the differences in the sexes. It's always nice to catch a few birds, but more so on a day like today - giving someone the opportunity to see these birds up close which otherwise wouldn't happen.

 

After giving Jenny a whistle-stop tour of the valley we called at Elvington to see if the Barn Owl pair had managed to raise a brood after initially failing due to the cold and wet weather earlier in the year. We were most pleased to find that this time they had raised 4 chicks!

The warm temperatures of late have brought all the butterflies out, especially around the base with good numbers counted recently - 14 Peacocks, 10 Small Tortoiseshells, 2 Commas plus a single Painted Lady and Common Blue on Tuesday. Top to bottom - Painted Lady, Peacock (2), Small Tortoiseshell.