Nest Box Update

Six chicks still feeding well. Feathers developing.

Nest box update

Six chicks being fed regularly and seem to be thriving. The dead chick has been removed from the nest by the parents.
The chicks are starting to develop wing feathers and have been seen trying to preen.

Great Tit nestbox update

Seven chicks have hatched and one egg which didn't hatch removed by the parents.
Unfortunately one chick has died and has been pushed to one side by the parents. The others seem to be thriving so far with the parents feeding them regularly.

Chicks hatching

The Great Tit chicks have started to hatch in the garden nest box today. Three were out of the eggs by 08.00.
Still waiting for the other five.
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Six hatched by evening. I don't think the other two will make it now.
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Wild Garlic in Hawthorn Dene

The wild garlic is superb in Hawthorn Dene at the moment, covering most of the dene sides.

Great Tits building in nest box

A pair of Great Tits are building in our garden nest box. At present they have eight eggs which the female is incubating.

Sunbathing Nuthatch

I came across this sunbathing nuthatch when walking in Hawthorn Dene today. It preened occasionally and extended its wings, only flying off when I approached closely.

First Frog of 2008

We were gardening this morning on the first really warm day of the year and what should pop up in an apparently lifeless pond but this specimen. It must have been keeping its head down in the cold weather.

Coastal walk and stonechat

Joined a guided walk along the coastal path between Easington Colliery and Hawthorn today looking at local geology. We were intrigued to find that half way up the cliff at Shippersea bay is a raised beach - 100ft above the present sea level.

On the way along the coastal path we saw a fine male Stonechat on the fence. Too far for a really good photo but a great sighting.

Spring flowers, tracks, trails and signs

Had a very pleasant circular walk through Hawthorn Dene yesterday morning. The plan was to photograph woodland flowers before the tree canopy grew over and the light levels became too low. I managed to see primrose, wild garlic, wood anemone, wild violet, celandine, early purple orchid (didn't have spotted leaves but I believe this is variable), dandelion(or at least a member of the Compositae), bluebell, wild arum, cowslip and stitchwort.

I also found roe deer tracks and some clawed tracks on a steep bank which I think are badger.

A fallen log had a large bracket fungus, Dryad's Saddle (Polyporous squamosus).

Birds included great tit, blue tit, marsh tit, nuthatch, robin and a magnificent pair of jays (which again flew off before I could get the camera on them but I'll keep trying!)

Grey squirrels get a bad press but one which I saw feeding in an open glade was very handsome with beautiful fur and a very bushy tail.