Normanby’s Spring so far..

So it’s the 20th June so the longest day tomorrow and then back to dark nights!  How has Normanby performed this spring I hear you all ask, well breeding birds in Normanby Park have had a mixed season with Jackdaws and Carrion Crows fairing well along with good broods of Great Tits and Long-Tailed Tits but few Blue and Coal Tits to be seen.  I have only managed to trace one Treecreepers nest and only one brood of Nuthatch which is a disaster as Normanby was a North Lincolnshire stronghold and usually manage at least three pairs.  Also a disaster are the Woodpecker family with no nests from any of the usual three species of Great Spotted, Lesser Spotted and Green but I suspect one Green Woodpecker nest in an area out of bounds to the public.  Thankfully I did find a family of Great Spots up at Little Normanby yesterday.

The biggest disappointment has to be Spotted Flycatchers - last year I suspect Squirrels got the nest and this year although I have seen a pair at the usual nest box it has not been used and I am unable to trace any birds.  However other migrants such as Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs have done well in the Park with at least three pairs of each.  Another surprising success are Goldcrests - at least 4 males are still singing so I assume these have been successful in breeding.

Siskins have been ever present throughout the spring in Normanby so I can also only assume that they have bred and frustratingly 14 Crossbills have been flying over the garden for the past week and despite chasing after them into the Park this morning I could not trace them.

Last night we also had a male March Harrier hunting in the field at the end of our garden and 5 Buzzards circling high over the garden on Sunday - they have surely bred in the area I just haven’t managed to track the nest down however Peregrine and Kestrel have! We also have a pair of Bullfinches visiting the garden from the Park and although again I haven’t found a nest I am fairly certain they bred but as no young seen they may have failed.  In the garden we have had a successful brood of Robins and currently Wrens are sitting on eggs which reminds me why are all the local roadside hedges currently being butchered when it is still the nesting season - countless numbers of nests must surely have been destroyed but as past experience as shown it is futile contacting the Council.

For the most part it has been a cold wet spring which surely has had a detrimental affect on all wildlife - Butterflies especially are near non-existent and we have only seen 1 Hornet this spring - the only real success story seems to be the Newts in our Pond - it is teaming with Newtlets!

To finish Tawny Owls - ever present in Normanby Park however this one was taken at Messingham Sand Quarry - sometimes you just can’t get far enough away when digiscoping - the second shot is just the camera, the first is the camera attached to the telescope and finally last shot is of a Hairy Dragonfly again at Messingham taken in May - the only Dragons seen in profusion this spring.

Double click on the photos to see just how beautiful these creatures are.