Return of the Rouzel

While the winds weren't particularly favourable for migrants over the weekend (01/04 & 02/04), the weather was pretty nice, allowing for further butterfly sightings and the odd good bird thrown in too!

I started off very early on Saturday morning with Gareth, for a good blast of patching at Grimsbury Res and the Upper Cherwell Valley. The initial promise of forecast rain never really materialised. Highlights were thin on the ground, however we did get our first House Martin of the year, together with a couple of Swallows, around 15 Sand Martin and at least 4 singing Blackcaps.

Later on in the day, Em and I took a walk in Bucknell Wood, near SIlverstone. This ended up producing a pretty decent selection of butterflies. The definite highlight was my earliest yet Orange Tip with a male gliding around and even during a spell of cloud, happy to wander onto my hand. So cool, surely one of the best UK butterflies.

Also around were at least three each of Comma & Peacock, as well as a lone Brimstone nectaring on a Cuckoo flower. Several Lesser Redpoll and Siskin were still about too.

The next day, Sunday 02/04, I was again out early doors, to have a look around Borough Hill, Daventry for passerines. The winds were far from ideal for migration but anytime in early April is worth a go here to be honest. As it turned out, it was pretty dead with not a single Wheatear, just a flyover Redpoll and a couple of Redwings, as well as the lovely cacophony of the local Skylarks. Furthermore, a male Ring Ouzel was then found on the adjacent Newnham Hill, which I had planned to have a look at next anyways. Beaten to it!

A short while later, I drove to where I assumed the bird was found, an area of steep grassy slopes that held up to 7 Ring Ouzel a couple of years ago. There was no one else about but I decided to have a bit of a scan anyway. There was initially no sign, however suddenly a male Ring Ouzel flew from over my left shoulder and landed a little way down the slope joining a male Blackbird. Excellent! It fed there for a bit before unfortunately it was flushed by the farmer walking his dog. The bird was rather elusive thereafter and so I left a little while later having enjoyed some good views.

I had another look at Bucknell Wood again on my way home, with the hope of more butterflies, however it was largely cloudy while I was there. I did though come across a nice surprise in the shape of a pair of vocal Crossbill, feeding in the pines

It's great to see the forest slowly coming to life again.There was also an increasingly impressive array of colour beginning to appear, with blossom everywhere and a decent array of spring flowers on show.