The end of the mystery about the swans -- no wonder Camilla's number did not match, and Oscar wouldn't eat out of one's hand -- they weren't Oscar and Camilla! Lis Dorer brought the real Oscar and Camilla back during the week, but took them away to another release point when she saw four quarrelsome swans there already. Oscar wouldn't be able to cope. Now the false Oscar and Camilla are gone too, leaving the young pair, Arthur and Guinevere, in charge. Next instalment soon.... Snowdrops are out, Primroses, Violets and Daffs showing early blooms. Site will be a picture soon. Dunnock, Blue and Great tits, Robin and Blackbird all milling round peanut feeder. We have a new character, Baldy the Bluetit. He hasn't a feather on his head, and looks like an old man who has forgotten his cap and is trying to snuggle his head down in his muffler. Kingfisher working the tunnel end of the site. No gulls recently, so maybe the poor thing will find Something to eat.
Site looking good. Some daffs well out and the rest ready to pop. Snowdrops are a picture, violets (purple and white) are out and primroses showing lots of young flowers. These have beaten the Celandines this year, which are just starting to show. Everything will all be out at once again, like last year. Stranger swans gone, and the real Oscar and Camilla are in charge of the Mere. Dave and Pauline, our birdwatching friends, report nothing of interest down the Ver, but as soon as they came on site they saw Siskins, a Greater Spotted Woodpecker, and a raptor. Howard and Sheila have spotted another first, a female Red Crested Pochard AND managed to photograph it. Wonderful.
Swans away down the Ver by Mahmee Jones's. Gull back, still finding some tiddlers to scoff. Kingfisher at tunnel end of Mere. Site itself is looking glorious. Daffs are now out, violets (creeping, sweet and white) all out, as are snowdrops, primroses and celandines. Some clumps of Ramsons are heavily in bud. Sheltered Periwinkle at gate also starting to bloom. Hazel catkins are a mass of yellow lamb-tails. Gorgeous.