Cleeve Hill (31 March 2004, contributed by Robert Homan)
Warm sunshine brought out the butterflies this afternoon with male Brimstone, Comma, Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell flying in Padcombe Bottom, the valley on the east side of the common. 2 Roe Deer were grazing in the pasture near Wontley Farm, while back on the common there was a pair of Stonechats in the tall gorse and a single Gorse Shieldbug.
Gorse Shieldbug – not the best of photos, but gorse isn’t the easiest plant into which to push a camera!
Coombe Hill (30 March 2004, contributed by Robert Homan)
A typical late March changing of the seasons morning with vestiges of winter in the form of 8 Teal on the scrapes and 20 Fieldfares flying NE. Signs of spring included 4 Chiffchaffs singing between the Wharf and the Meadows Reserve, 4 Redshanks, 2 Shelduck and 10 Lapwings displaying and harassing any passing crows.
Several spikes of Reedmace growing in the canal show signs of feeding activity of the larvae of the micro-moth Limnaecia Phragmitella, with large quantities of fluffy seeds hanging down from the spike. On close inspection one of the spikes revealed the distinctive caterpillar shown below.
Larva of Limnaecia Phragmitella
Cleeve Hill (29 March 2004, contributed by Robert Homan)
A total of 6 Wheatears on the golf course and adjoining common. At least 100 Fieldfares on Postlip Warren, but this is a very mobile flock; some Starlings also present and a very good chance of Ring Ouzels especially with the forecast wind direction over the next few days.
Cleeve Hill (26 March 2004, contributed by Neil Pryce-Jones)
5 Wheatears around the hillfort this afternoon plus a male Brambling in among a flock of Yellowhammers below the masts.
Witcombe Res. (22 March 2004, contributed by Gordon Avery)
12 Sand Martins this morning.
Awre (21 March 2004, contributed by Andy Jayne)
Pale phase Arctic Skua flew upriver at Awre at 1650. Also one adult Kittiwake lingering around The Noose. No sign of the Razorbill earlier seen from WWT.
Cleeve Hill (21 March 2004, contributed by Robert Homan)
2 Wheatears on the golf course early this afternoon. (Also a single female Ring Ouzel reported from Postlip Warren area.)
Staverton Airport (18 March 2004, contributed by Gordon Avery)
4 Sand Martins in flight over the airport.
Cheltenham (17 March 2004, contributed by Robert Homan)
A Chiffchaff singing early this morning from garden in Swindon Lane – the first spring migrant here this year.
Awre (14 March 2004, contributed by Gordon Avery)
An oiled Kittiwake at Awre and 30 Oystercatchers on the mudflats by the Noose.
Newnham (7 March 2004, contributed by Andy Jayne)
There were two adult Ring-billed Gulls at Newnham this afternoon as well as adult and first-winter Mediterranean Gulls.
Sudmeadow area (4 March 2004, contributed by Gordon Avery)
First Green Sandpiper this year in the GLS area also adult Mediterranean Gull. 35 Teal on Sudmeadow floods and 2 Great Crested Grebes on the river at Sudmeadow, the first since March 1999! At least one Stonechat (a female) still on Port Ham.