Tuesday 22nd May

Plates of cloud slowly broke to allow the sun to shine through...quite a difference to yesterday's deluge. My walk in was filled was alive with birdsong. A male Blackcap showed well, as did a particulary tame Garden Warbler. A male Bullfinch was seen to flight in and out a low Sweet Chesnut hedge by Gallagher's Gallop, probably to a nest. And then a Cuckoo called - my first one in this area (by Gallagher's Farm), music to my ears but probably much to the detriment of some poor Dunnock. A Pied Wagtail called from the barn of Kiln Barn Farm and then to my total surprise a Little Owl on the fence post looking for all the world like a plastic model you might find in a garden centre. Naturally it took flight but disappeared into the barn. A few patient minutes waiting saw it fly up onto one of the suspended lights and try to stare me out with sporadic rocking up and down. I though I'd let it think it had won and moved on. One to watch for tomorrow!

Ditton Quarry was a picture - pre-Raphalite in places even. Usual bid species were present and butterlies were more numerous - 1x Small Copper, 3x Common Blue, 5x Brown Argus. Also the first dragonfly of the year - Hairy Dragonfly, zigzagging erratically through Damselflies - including Common Blue, Azure and Blue-tipped Damselflies.