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First Green-veined White seen this Spring - 7th May Spring's late this year! That seems to be the general consensus after a long cold wet winter, as, indeed, have been the last two. Plenty of evidence here for climate change. We can all observe various manifestations of this phenomena: some plants...

Campfield Marsh - early April. 6th April 2013 Sunny all day with a light SW wind. Early morning there were 14 Shelduck with two Mallard pairs out on the mudflats. A small group of Redshank came in with the tide. On the Meadow Pools, Wigeon and Teal were gathering and seemingly pairing up. The two...

Newly arrived male Siskin - 30 3 13 We have to admit that over the past several weeks we have been near to hibernating. Those awful Siberian winds have been battering across the Pennines, sweeping the snowfields of the western slopes and withering the benign Solway Basin. Even the two tides per day...

Today, I was in pensive mood after yesterday's events. It was a day for garden birds. Yesterday, I'd speculated about the identity of parties of small birds moving along the saltmarsh. But, whilst into my third cup of coffee, I had a minor triumph: a small party came swanning down the saltmarsh...

Snow on the Scottish Hills viewed from Campfield Marsh - 22 1 13 The depth of winter this year at Campfield has been decidedly undramatic, whilst the rest of the country, if TV is to be believed, has suffered under continents of snow and ice, blocked roads, closed schools and more sledging than you...

This Spring and early Summer have been a real mixed bag - especially this last week! One minute, glorious sunshine and the next torrential rain and bitter winds. One hardly knows what to do! Have turned into a softie really - should have taken it easier on the cupcakes, blue icing and party sized Eton...

. Not much fear of that. We’re back into winter gear: Wellington boots; padded jackets … the whole kahuna! A fine warm March: temperatures up in the 20’s; water levels falling by the minute; talk of hosepipe bans and compulsory metering! I remember a severe drought a few years...

Campfield Marsh at high tide. 11 4 12 Spring is a restless time: weather pulling all kinds of tricks; counting the cost of last winter; assessing the possibilities of the coming Summer; old visitors still lingering on; new arrivals coming unexpectedly - and that’s just the birds … you...

Oh dear! it’s got round to August again. The birds down the Lonning have generally fallen silent, busy raising and feeding their young - but if one walks along quickly and quietly, you can run across small parties of young in the hedges waiting to be fed by their industrious parents: Willow Warblers...

A Photo Diary Black Galloways keeping cool on a hot summer's day, in front of Hide . 1st June Two Mute Swans landed briefly on wet meadows but were seen flying off, being chased by Lapwings who were nesting in the vicinity. 3rd June Today was a very warm still cloudless day....

A photo diary - early March 2011 A calm early March day on the estuary 1st March An influx of finches to the area was noted today Female Brambling Lesser Redpoll and Siskin (both males) feeding on nearby garden niger seed 2nd March Goldfinch in splendid Spring plumage...

The Magpie family in the garden have been giving us trouble lately - two parents, two young. They have had the absolute run of the place this last two weeks Always on the birdtable and even on the nut and fat hangers… super acrobats, these, but getting too big for their boots, by far. Magpies...

…sort of a day. It was warm, when the sun came out it was really hot – but across the estuary big black clouds were looming. No wind. So we set out for the Reserve, ready for anything! The Common Hawker was our first encounter as we walked down the track passed the farm. We were buzzed...

In the last week, even with somewhat changeable weather, there has been plenty of activity on the bird front. Waders seem to be assembling on the estuary now, day on day: Black-tailed and Bar-tailed Godwits, Golden Plover and Oystercatchers in ever increasing numbers. Black-tailed Godwits on estuary...

Willow warblers showing nicely on the loaning; Tree Sparrows http://www.flickr.com/photos/46441928@N07/4556272892/ and Goldfinches http://www.flickr.com/photos/46441928@N07/4556231856/ in the first arable field; wild plum in blossom; female orange tips – saw male yesterday. Goldfinch 18 04...

Calm Spring-like day with very little wind. Plenty of feeding activity here in the garden; Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Tree and House Sparrows, Green Finches and Great, Blue and Coal Tits. The Meadow Pippit seems to have taken up residence on the marsh in front of the house. Blackbird heard singing...