Clevedon Wildlife

 The first Wheatear of Spring is an important moment for me and usually comes around the 23rd. This year though it was early and involved a Westerly Gale and cold conditions so its no surprise that I did not see another one in the following week. The real highlight of the week, though was finally catching up with the Penduline Tits at Weston airfield. It was my forth time of trying that really paid off with just distant views or no views each time before that. This time though they flew into the reed mace nearest the footpath and stayed for at least an hour. They are one of the smartest birds to visit the UK and may yet become a breeding species. Currently, though these appear to be the only 3 in the country. Some fantastic pictures by "real photographers" show that they are actually eating micromoth larvae from inside the seedheads. I was pleased with the results I obtained but when I heard the Siberian Chiffchaff again, that I had found and identified from here on an earlie

 In fits and starts spring is trying to break through. Its limited yet and the storm forecast for tonight won't help. The first few Blackthorn flowers have not been joined by any others as yet and there is very little display of note among the Lapwings and Shelduck at Dowlais. Winter visitors such as Goosander are still around but ranging more widely from the Blind Yeo and sometimes in better light these mornings warm light if not warm air as yet A Blackcap has appeared by the Strode Road bridge and for once allowed a picture, though whether its a very early migrant, or more likely a local winter visitor is hard to say This bridge is also a good place to watch both Dunnocks  and occasionally, Grey Wagtails More and more often the sound of Skylarks singing greets me as I get to the corner of Strode Road and start down the track to the seawall but any videos I've tried so far are too full of wind noise. So here is another still pic One lunchtime I arrived at Blackstone Rocks, by