Nature Catch Up Stuff

(above: Rue Leaved Saxifrage found on Hutton Roof, this one was actually behind Crag House on Dalton Crags)
I must have lots of diary entries now things have started to get going again.

Some of my notes include:

Fri Dec 30th 2011 – First Snowdrops – Dalton.

Jan 10th 2012 – 11 Fieldfare in Fields near Dalton.
Tues 10th Jan 2012 – Hedgehog dead in road Nr. Morewood School, Burton. (I have never ever recorded Hedgehogs before about April previously. Also had to move one out of the road on Fri 7th January 2012 at St. James Road, Burton. (So I suppose it presented the question of whether these were actually over wintering or had they just arose from hibernation far too early!!
26th Jan 2012 – Flushed 2 Common Snipe near Dalton Crags. Also flushed 3 C. Snipe on Burton Fell 1st March 2012.

Fri 27th Jan 2012 – Good to see the “White Crow” is still surviving (somewhere on way to Kendal).

3rd February 2012 – At least 30 Redwings at Curwen Wood Nr. Burton.
3rd February 2012 – Tawny Owl flew towards me and just veered off perhaps some 20 ft away, and at the same time a Woodcock was disturbed – In Lancelot Storth – Hutton Roof.
Also did notice a Tawny Owl dead in side of road about 100 yards to the Burton side of Curwen Wood. (about mid February).

First Goldcrest of the year was seen in our garden at Burton on Thr February 9th 2012,

First returning Skylarks and Meadow Pipits for me to record was on 16th February 2012 when I had 2 Skylarks and the odd Mipit coming back over the Trig Point. I have been up on Hutton Roof on most days since and had good numbers of Skylarks going through and also quite a few Mipits, but don’t think the Mipits will start proper until about the 10th March 2012.

From Friday the 24th February 2012 and still going on (4th March 2012). The Frogs have been moving back to their breeding ponds and marshes, and I have recorded them from several areas in and around Burton In Kendal.
About the 25th February 2012 saw the first “primula” for me with a primrose specimen on Hutton Roof, Park Wood side, also seen them in the following days, yet more at Park Wood, and some in full bloom within Holme Park Nature Reserve, Clawthorpe.

Also on the 27th February 2012 recorded the first “Lesser Celandine” at Park Wood, Hutton Roof.
I had 3 Yellowhammers back on territory and singing on Hutton Roof side on 29th February 2012.
2nd March 2012 Had first flowering “Rue Leaved Saxifrage (saxifraga tridactylite) from near to Dalton Crags.
Been out to several areas in Lancashire and Cumbria in search of “Daphne Mezereon” with reasonable success.

Spent quite a lot of time over the last month or two doing footpath maps of the area to include the gps co-ordinances. Coming along but will need lots more time spending on this project.

3rd March 2012. Saw my first sighting of returning Stonechat on Dalton Crags.

Goldcrest now in full song at Clawthorpe on 3rd March and also one this morning (5th March at Vicarage Lane in Burton. During the last couple of days there have also been lots of reports at Heysham and Walney of large falls of returning continental Goldcrest. So I suppose these dates tie in….

5th March 2012 – Don’t really expect the Great Grey Shrike before the 7th March (that was the return date in 2011) and it was the 10th March (return date in 2010). But you never know! So as I bring pen to close, that’s where I am off……..

(And here are a couple of photos: the top one is what I have called the "Frog Stone" again near to Crag House, Dalton. And below is a photo of the "Daphne Mezereone"