Walking with(out) Butterflies

Spring was in the air today so we took time out to walk the route we take when doing the Butterfly Survey. It was soggy underfoot but nothing that a stout pair of walking boots or wellies couldn't cope with, and the sun had some degree of warmth in it too.

Part of the poplar plantation at the start of our survey area had been felled twelve months ago. Today it was already planted up with saplings, inter-spaced with the old tree stumps.

A clearing in the wood housed several bee-hives....

and there was a fair bit of activity from the inhabitants....

Perhaps this isn't surprising considering the tree pollen and the spring flowers already in bloom...

Poplars, snapped in two like match-sticks, and other trees at precarious angles served as a reminder of the recent strong winds

This strange 'hanging basket' caught our eye...

 Our best guess is that it is formed from an accumulation of debris from the tree, which has become lodged in the branches and subsequently self-sown seedlings have taken root there.... but that's just a guess!

The sight of a Brimstone Butterfly (apologies for the inflight picture!) made us look forward to starting the butterfly surveys once again in March/April time.

We only hope the tree (two above) decides what it's going to do before we visit again...... and that the butterflies keep still for us to photograph next time!

Winter flocks of Lapwings...

seen over the Chinon vineyards at the beginning of the month.

We also noticed a flock adjacent to Tim and Pauline's in mid January (Can't find the picy though)

I have some childhood memories of these birds, as with my late father (an ex gamekeeper) we would look for nests. I interestingly remember that the slightly pointed eggs were arranged in the nest with the points to the middle...

There does appear to be larger numbers around this year... Or are we just noticing them more. Interestingly the RSPB website lists one of the highest known winter concentration areas in the UK as the Somerset Levels...

It would be fascinating to know, when the levels flooded, the birds would obviously have to move, BUT how far would they move?

Answers on a postcard...

Snowdrops...

These photographs were taken on the 6th February just outside our village, in an area that always has a reasonable showing of snowdrops.

What we found interesting was the bee activity...

As regular readers will know, Elizabeth likes to paint Snowdrops...

Now here is a challenge for you Elizabeth how about a Snowdrop with Bee...

Perhaps someone can give us an insight into the type of Bee that is around this early in the season...

Niger (Nyjer) Seeds

As regular readers will know, this year we have a great number of Goldfinches visiting the feeders and their favourite food is Niger Seeds.

Last weekend I realised we were down to the last kilogram bag. Ahhhh... We normally buy several bags of them back from the UK! Wilkinsons is our main source of supply and we pay between £2:00 and £2:50 per Kilo bag.

We have looked before here in France but they have tended to be more expensive... On Monday I found some on Amazon.fr. Here The price appeared reasonable at just over €2 per kilo with free delivery...

The big surprise is they came from a UK company based in Trafford Park, Manchester... I ordered a bag...

They appeared this morning by courier...

The only damage was a small tear in the top of the sack.

They look good and the Goldfinches are enjoying them as I write.

If they store OK, the seeds should last us the rest of this year and well into next...

My hat is raised to the excellent service by Capital Stores UK, a 20kg sack delivered from Manchester to Braye in four days. I would not hesitate to use them again.

Many thanks Capital Stores UK from Us and the Goldfinches...

Stating the obvious...

You see stacks of wood everywhere in the forests of rural France and the forest of Chinon is no exception.

We took a photograph of this one on a recent walk along this track, which incidentally runs dead straight for over two kilometres.

If you were not sure of what it was, the men who stacked it, had clearly marked it...

For those not familiar with the French language BOIS is WOOD...

It made us smile!

"I will crack this..."

I have noticed a small female Chaffinch eyeing up the peanut feeder on several occasions and even seen its failed attempts to get onto it.

BUT two days ago, when the feeder was quiet, she managed it...

Today she is just one of "the bunch"

Fantastic! Four different species on the feeder at the same time...

Another first...

Goldfinch battles...

and don't mess with the Greenfinch... unless you are a female Greenfinch.

Our three seed feeders, filled with a mixture of mixed bird, Niger and sunflower seeds are a daily hive of activity and I thought I would share a short story and a seven minute video with you.

Dominated by Goldfinches battling it out, a male Greenfinch knocks his way onto the feeder. After several attempts by the Goldfinches to remove him, they recruit the help of a feisty female Greenfinch. She does her very best to remove him.

I don't think that's a kiss

When she fails she must be extremely annoyed and takes it out on another male who is just sat there minding his own business...

In the end the Goldfinch's make him leave...

The action with the Greenfinch happens about half way through. It is worth watching just for the insight into the birds behaviour...

The pictures above were taken from the video hence the limited quality.

I have just seen our first Brambling of the year, a fine male.