A Trip Down South April 2010

A family party so off down to Wiltshire/Hampshire for a few days.
Our first stop was Stafford, an overnight stop to break up the long journey.

Despite being on the edge of a retail park the Travelodge had plenty of wildlife out the back including G S Woodpecker, grey squirrels and this female blackcap.
An early start the next day, skirted around Birmingham and then through some of our old haunts in the Cotswolds, stopping at Broadway Hill for a break.

Managed to arrive at my sister Gill's new house in Wilcot, Wiltshire by coffee time. No this isnt it but they look out on these lovely cottages!

Wait for me!!

A look around and a bite of lunch, then a lovely walk along the adjoining Kennet and Avon Canal.

Male Mallard preening

Wind in the Willows Canal Boat

A lovely day for a trip

The Blackthorn is out down here!

Thats a good pic Gill!

Now which way do we go Richard?

Which number bridge is this Pete?

Water reflections under bridge

The Waterside Inn, Pewsey Wharf

Gill and Pete

Reflections

Starting to look very green here

Lovely thatch near the canal

Back for an evening meal and then decided to walk in the other direction along the canal, light now fading a bit

The ornate Lady Bridge. On our way back Pete spotted a fox stalking a couple of Canada Geese, sadly light too low for any pics.

Next morning we were awoken, in our attic room by a Wood Pigeon...

...and a Collared Dove. Great views out of the skylights.

Down to Southampton for the party but on the way back to Wilcot in the evening we spotted these Lapwings in a field near Romsey.

Next morning and the ducks were waiting to be fed on the patio!

The village green

A morning walk to see what else Wilcot has to offer.

Wilcot church

Tower with clock

Lovely little cottage by the church

Georgian manor house

Inside the church

We then took the Byway behind the church, lots of Speckled Wood butterflies about.

We also watched Canada Geese and...

... a Little Egret nesting in a heronry.
Unfortunately I was the only one that managed to spot a Grass Snake, but too quick for a photo!

Postbox and aubretia

Neat thatch

The Golden Swan thatched pub

Best kept small village

Another neat thatch

Lots of lovely daffodils

Time to say goodbye to Wilcot, we'll be back!

Another Travelodge, this time near Knutsford, rabbits just outside the window!

Back in Scotland and stopped for a break at Knowetop Lochs. Willow and Sedge Warblers about and Willow and Long Tailed Tits.

Ewe and lamb

Had to stop the car to get a quick shot of the white deer near Newton Stewart.

Home and shattered, a great trip but great to be back!

Mid April in the Garden

Warbler singing high in the trees

Great tit about to go to his nest box

Female Chaffinch

Daffodil

Warbler

Wren

Tubbs is finally out of hibernation.
He was found in December very small walking the streets in Stranraer. He was brought to us early in the year and was very fat by then, hence the name! In our quiet garden and during the snow, he finally hibernated for a couple of months. He is now awake and checked over ready for release, we will leave his box out and food each night still.

A vole outside the window in one of our pots.

Around Glenluce with the West Galloway SOC

A lovely morning and with an afternoon planned in the company of the SOC we decided to make a day of it and explore Glenluce Woods in the morning.

Down the old railway line through the woods

Out at the other side of the woods we took in the views...Glenluce Abbey..

Up the valley towards the hills..

..and towards Luce bay.

After our picnic lunch, we met on the old stone road bridge below the viaduct at Glenluce. The early arrivals were greeted with good views of a Dipper and 2 Grey Wagtails below the bridge.

One day I will get a decent dipper photo!!!

Once all had arrived we set off towards the St Helena footpath.
A Grey Heron was fishing on the weir near the cottage in his usual place.


The path follows the River Luce under the A75 road bridge, where we stopped to watch Sticklebacks in the river under the shade of the bridge.

We were soon past the traffic noise of the road and could clearly hear the songs of Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers.

Spring had truly arrived and the willow trees were buzzing with the sound of bumblebees.

Wood Sorrel

Plenty of spring flowers were showing including celandines, wood sorrel and wood anemones, along with daffodils although most were cultivated and not wild.

Wood Anemone

Butterflies were also about including Red Admiral and Peacock.

A young rabbit on the path

Plenty of other common species of birds were spotted along the path but unfortunately when we arrived at the shore the tide was a long way out, so were the birds. Rock & Meadow Pipits were seen though and Mallards flying over and a distant Linnet.

On our return we spotted 2 Buzzards being mobbed by corvids. A lovely walk in the sunshine with good company and lovely to see a couple of new faces.

Early April Garden Birds