more early spring wild flowers

All below growing along the old railway line (now a cycle path) between Alton and Oakamoor.

Greater Stitchwort.

Green Alkanet.

Hedge Mustard.

Lords and Ladies.

Pendulous Sedge. 

Pink Purslane.

Wild Garlic. 

Some early spring flowers seen in the Churnet Valley.

Red Campion Ordley Brook (between Ellastone and Swinscoe)

One of the Forget-me-not species (Ordley Brook)

Greater Stitchwort (Ordley Brook)

Yellow Archangel and Bugle (Ordley Brook)

Water Avens on hedge bank near Stanton.

Cowslip on hedgebank near Stanton.

Wood Sorrel - Rudyard Lake.

Bluebells - Rudyard lake. 

Resident breeder and summer breeders arriving in the Churnet Valley

We have already had reports of baby Tawny Owls and a recently fledged Grey Heron in the Churnet Valley. No doubt there are other young birds about - this week I have seen a parent Mistle Thrush taking a bill full of worms to its nestlings by Rudyard Lake and the Starlings that are nesting in my garden are taking food in to their nests. Though the Jackdaws that are determinedly building a nest in my neighbor's chimney are still taking nesting material down the hole. I say "determinedly" because this pair of birds have managed to pull away some of the wire cover that is meant to stop them building in there. In fact for two days one of the birds seemed to be stuck inside the chimney, unable to squeeze out of the cage that it must have squeezed in to. Meanwhile its mate waited patiently for it to escape.

While nestlings and fledglings of our resident birds are starting to appear, so are our summer migrant breeders. So far Swallows, Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers, Wheatear, Blackcap and Sand Martins have been reported.

Here is a full list of what has been reported to me so far this year. And thanks very much to those who keep on sending in all your records.

And, here are some photos of the determined Jackdaws, and below that some photos of birds that can be seen in the Churnet Valley this month.

Breeding Curlews (by Andy Cope)

Meadow Pipit.

Lapwing (by Terry Eyre)

Pied Flycatchers (by Terry Eyre)

Look at these.

Photos of a Tawny Owl chick with one parent - Kingsley 21.03.15 (by John Coe). This chick has appeared quite early for this species, which lay mainly during March with the eggs hatching 28-39 days. It is also notable for there being an only one as Tawny Owls typically produce 2 -3 eggs though a range of 1 - 5 is recorded http://blx1.bto.org/birdfacts/results/bob7610.htm. So maybe this pair only ever had one egg or other eggs or nestlings failed for some reason. Tawny owls are a single-brooded species, so once these parents have reared this youngster they can have a rest from childcare until next year! 

Preparing for the Breeding Bird Survey

This morning I was out near Oakamoor doing the habitat survey in preparation for carrying out the full bird surveys in April - June.

I took these photos.

Part of my route through Lightoaks. 

A mossy stone wall.

Western Hemlock plantation, Greendale.

Extensive patch of the liverwort Pellia epiphylla.

Two close ups of P. epiphylla showing the dark spherical spore-containing capsules.

A view from Hawksmoor Nature Reserve.

Butterfly sightings

I've seen my first active butterfly of this year - it was a Small Tortoiseshell fluttering around inside a church. This website gives a list of butterflies you may start to see from now on  http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/flighttimes_earliest.php. Please let me know what you see, on what date and where in the Churnet Valley you saw it. Email me on wendy.birks@gmail.com

Small Tortoiseshell in St Luke's Church, Endon 12.03.15

Recent mammal sightings in the Churnet Valley

All these below found by Nott Mott from the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust during a visit to assess potential sites for habitat restoration projects along the River Churnet.

Otter spraint seen 11.03.15

Otter footprints seen Wednesday 11.03.15

Harvest Mouse nest in Reed Sweet Grass near Crumpwood Weir (used for breeding last year) seen 11/03/15

Harvest Mouse nest from near Crumpwood Weir 11/03/15