Tuesday 26 April 2011
26th April
Threave Castle and Gardens with Glenys. Head of female osprey was sighted poking out of nest. I thought I saw the female chasing off a rogue male but everyone else was too busy chatting to notice. Orange tip butterflies. Some sedge/grasshopper warbler reports from hides on river. Actually sighted some swallows, and a good vioew of a chiffchaff in the Garden.
Tuesday 19 April 2011
19th April
Last minute fishing trip with Alex to celebrate my birthday. Contrary to my belief that last minute trips are a bad idea, this was best visit to Brooms yet. Fished SE corner of Bruce's acre. Warm day, very slight westerly wind. Catching a chub first cast, I feared we'd be plagued by smaller fish but after that the carp were virtually climbing up the pole.
Must have had nearly 30 (lost count) plus four chub and a decent skimmer. Most were small commons but also had three decent mirrors and one common that were over 5lb and some tremendous fights. All fish on double sweetcorn glugged in honey fished just on bottom, which must be the first time at Brooms I've caught all fish on the same bait.
Only one carp seemed to be a definite F1, strengthening our belief that John (owner) moves fish round a lot. He probably sells the really large ones.
Must have had nearly 30 (lost count) plus four chub and a decent skimmer. Most were small commons but also had three decent mirrors and one common that were over 5lb and some tremendous fights. All fish on double sweetcorn glugged in honey fished just on bottom, which must be the first time at Brooms I've caught all fish on the same bait.
Only one carp seemed to be a definite F1, strengthening our belief that John (owner) moves fish round a lot. He probably sells the really large ones.
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Friday 15 April 2011
15th April
Bike ride the day before yesterday to Gallaberry Plantation and Applegarthtown Nature Reserve.
Very overcast. Many sand martins dogfighting above the water and some willow warblers (both locations) - first seen this year. Only one chiffchaff heard but almost impossible not to hear them around Dumfries. Have heard a swallow at home around 4th April, but didn't see it.
Bike ride to and into Ae Forest. Black rabbit by roadside, quite a way from nearest farm so presumably an escapee. Good to see kestrel hunting, showing some have obviously survived, also buzzards in mating flight (or two males having a fly-off)? Wheatear on moor, the earliest I've seen them and passing pipits. Siskins drinking from a puddle in the forest track - could almost have run them over. Again heard but did not see skylarks.
Very overcast. Many sand martins dogfighting above the water and some willow warblers (both locations) - first seen this year. Only one chiffchaff heard but almost impossible not to hear them around Dumfries. Have heard a swallow at home around 4th April, but didn't see it.
Bike ride to and into Ae Forest. Black rabbit by roadside, quite a way from nearest farm so presumably an escapee. Good to see kestrel hunting, showing some have obviously survived, also buzzards in mating flight (or two males having a fly-off)? Wheatear on moor, the earliest I've seen them and passing pipits. Siskins drinking from a puddle in the forest track - could almost have run them over. Again heard but did not see skylarks.
Saturday 2 April 2011
2nd April
Up Criffel with cricket juniors. Several pipits, buzzards on way back. One bird I'm not seeing is kestrel, in line with observations at SOC that they are struggling vis a vis buzzards. Lack of voles during last two hard winters may well explain.
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