Cute!

After a busy day yesterday, I was awake at half past five and decided I might as well get up and head out out to Thorpe Wood to record the first breeding bird transect of the year. It was pretty cold, and although I arrived at the allotted time (6.30am) quite a few of the blue tits and great tits seemed to be busy feeding after the cold night, rather than calling. Despite the cold I recorded quite a good range of species, including stock dove and drumming woodpeckers. After I'd finished the transect I walked round the wood twice more, and saw a goldcrest and a treecreeper, as well as three green woodpeckers chasing each other around and at least eight jackdaws. I think this long-tailed tit was definitely the cutest bird though!

The day continued to be quite bird orientated. After breakfast and a short rest, Pete and I drove to King's Dyke NR, as he'd agreed to help the site manager sort out routes for butterfly and dragonfly transects. We spent a couple of hours walking round and I enjoyed watching the marsh harriers quartering the reed bed, six buzzards spiralling overhead and a kingfisher flying across the lake the lake. Not that I managed to get any decent photos of them!

This afternoon was spent catching up with photographic processing and record entry. Sometimes I wish my time in the field didn't generate so much paperwork!