I've got my eye on you...

Not sure whether this red kite was eyeing me up as a potential piece of carrion, or viewing me as a potential threat to its territory!

The weaather was so lovely that we took the dogs up to Bedford Purlieus, where once again, a pair of kites wheeled overhead giving some good photo-opportunities. One of the pair was calling - a rather haunting ee-ooo ee-ooo ee-oooo, which suggests to me that they might be setting up home in the area.

There were plenty of signs of spring in the wood - primroses and violets along the rides, brimstone butterflies patrolling up and down and plenty of comma and peacock butterflies, some of which were sparring over territory, spiralling up into the tops of the trees in a whirlwind of butterfly anger. We also saw the first common lizard of the season scuttle off quickly into some dried grass, and two slow-worms, who were rather quicker than their name would suggest.

Though it was lovely to feel the warmth, the lack of breeze and very sheltered conditions meant that at times I actually felt too hot. I obviously haven't acclimatised yet!