THE NATURE REPORT
April 2002
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Last month we showed frog spawn well it has now hatched and here are some of the Tadpoles to show.

The Mistle thrush hatched 4 of her 5 eggs pictured last month and here are the chicks pictured on the 3rd of April and here is one pictured the day they fledged on the 29th.

Birds are very busy nesting this is a wren's nest in the garden we also have one in our loader tractor which doesn't seem to bother them even though we use the tractor twice a day.

This Chaffinch hen was caught while surveying our porch and found in the window and was released safely after the photo.

This ball of feathers shows that our sparrow hawk is also feeding chicks.

Paul took these photo's of fungi, bluebells and this ladybird down at the riverbank and also this swan which we suspect may be nesting on an island in the river.

This picture here shows Paul's two biggest problems against him getting closer to some of our wildlife. This is a burrow down which they chased the rabbit.

You can tell it is a rabbit burrow by the droppings indicated by the arrow.

As I said last month we have been visited by the Barn Owl trust and here they are fixing a nestbox to the ash tree near the pond. Fingers crossed we get an occupant

Many animals will moult (grow a new coat) during the spring shedding their winter coat for a thinner summer one. Polo the pony is no exception and here are Becky and Sarah grooming him.

The birds think this is marvellous and will collect all this hair they have brushed off him. Last year I even saw one cheeky Jackdaw stood on his back plucking hair off him.

The swallows returned on the 10th

More next month PHIL

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