It’s land that’s becoming heathland after the gravel was removed over the past twenty years.

The estate has sown heather and so on so it’s re-making a habitat for these and other ground-nesting birds. There are Dartford Warblers, which I’ve seen around the fishing lakes (fenced and dog free). Grass snakes are becoming common and I expect in due course adders will arrive. Which the dog owners will not like.

Unfortunately, the SANG (Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace) is now a free-run dog romping area and the signs the estate placed, which mentioned ‘ground nesting birds have been seen in this area’ have been quietly removed by the estate this year. Dogs now come first perhaps to keep the local dog owners tamed  and the birds (woodlarks et al) will have to find another place for their nests. However, the local wildlife trust have the same issue with dogs on their nearby reserves but are more robust when it comes to keeping dogs on leads and owners educated. I heard rumours that the estate would like the Trust to take over the management of this SANG and presumably pay for the honour. That’s going to cause issues with the dog owners if the Trust then try and control the dogs. At the moment, it's a bit of a free-for-all flapper track.

How nice to hear a Cockoo from the comfort of your garden! Its a little too wooded in my immediate vacinity but we do have them over the road on the farmland, and plenty up on Ashdown Forest a few km's away.

Its been a good year for the Sparrows. We're overrun here with 'flight school', as we call it, well and truly underway with the fledglings lining the guttering and calling to their parents. When we moved in we noticed our soffits were open and nearly had them meshed over were it not for the fact the sparrows seem to enjoy nesting all along the side of the house. Live and let live, i suppose. 

I had to bring out the cat watering device the other day to prevent the feline mendicant from pooing in my garden. Seems to have worked for now.

Several daddy-longlegs made their way into my house yesterday, the windows being open. Perhaps the larva are particularly juicy just before hatching?

Reminds me of witchetty grubs. 

https://www.bats.org.uk/about-bats/what-are-bats/uk-bats/soprano-pipistrelle 

A burglar alarm?

Thanks DEW. We could use one of those on the Russian Invasion thread! 🙄

Brighton racecourse had to close due to damage by leatherjackets and has just re-opened.

https://www.brightonandhovenews.org/2026/05/27/racecourse-reopens-after-bug-infestations-damage-grass 

The news report says 'bugs' but an interview on Radio Sussex this morning was specific on leatherjackets

A few of the birds I saw and heard - 

Lots and lots of sparrows and swallows!

song thrush, redpoll, sedge warbler, willow warbler, whitethroat, siskin, greenfinch, chaffinch, wren, coal tit, blue tit, blackbird, blackcap, pied flycatcher, spotted flycatcher, chiffchaf, cuckoo, buzzard, hooded crow and one or two others I couldn't identify, including some bird of prey that chased a buzzard that I had just watched catch something in the field - presumably trying to make it drop its catch? Not sure what the other bird was but it was smaller than the buzzard and had definite glimpses of white on it. 

Insects were absolutely everywhere and the air in the Summer (officially Spring!) light was thick with them. The swallows were certainly enjoying themselves and I even saw sparrows plucking huge flies out of the air. 

https://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/things-to-do/watch-wildlife-online/loch-of-the-lowes-webcam/ 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g48jy4j1yo 

A relative of the fungus causing ash die-back doing a useful job on an invasive species

Native species that may be mistaken for oak processionary moth

https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/research/native-species-that-may-be-mistaken-for-oak-processionary-moth/ 

We came home to see turmoil in the garden, 20+ jackdaws and a couple of other corvids going berserk, whirling about and making a racket. I watched from an upstairs window but my other half was outside and found a young jackdaw on it's back lying on the doorstep! Thinking it dead she picked it up carefully and discovered it was still alive. She put it in a quiet corner of the garden and it eventually disappeared and a;; was peaceful once more. Regular raptors here include Sparrowhawk, Red Kite and Buzzard, and there are local Peregrines too. Who knows?

[Sorry about the earlier typos - had to take bread out of the oven! ]

None today, it's feeding time in the lawn, though I think the leatherjackets are becoming hard to find. The turf is full of holes.

Starlings work.

1. Fly low as a compact flock keeping your distance as we go.

2. Land neatly, well spaced-out.

3. Find something to eat in the soil.

4. Repeat!

Spindle tree (Euonymus europaeus) and ermine moth would be my guess, if it's a shrub. I've seen them covered in a complete tent.

https://www.lenpicktrust.org.uk/owl-project/ 

Loch of Lowes Osprey eggs not yet hatched. Also on 1st Jen female looked as if she had a face wound right top of beak - camera zooming suggests she is being watched closely.

https://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/things-to-do/watch-wildlife-online/loch-of-the-lowes-webcam/ 

Spindle Ermine was my guess too but I have no evidence yet!

https://butterfly-conservation.org/moths/spindle-ermine 

https://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/things-to-do/watch-wildlife-online/loch-of-the-lowes-webcam/ 

2 Chicks hatched now!