Newts and all and first Skylark (17th Feb 2014)

A newt out early doors yesterday - size 4 1/2".  That sunshine makes all the difference!

This morning (Monday 17^th February 2014) was really good, simply because I had my first singing “Skylark”, which turned out to be “Sky” which resides up in Dalton Crags (deforested).  You had to listen hard to hear him because of the accompanying  cold wind background noise.  I do wonder now if today is actually his first day back on territory or whether he did get back for Valentines Day.  He certainly sounded well happy and made someone else well happy to.

A pair of Mistle Thrushes have also been hanging about in Dalton Crags, and are obviously paired up and holding the same territories as last year and the year before.

Not many Meadow Pipits seen, but I can hear them with their faint contact calls here and there up in Dalton (deforested) but with a stronghold at the moment on The Common.

Caper Spurge found in old Sand and gravel pit

Last week I saw a party of four grouped male Blackbirds on the Common and from the size of them and their respective behaviour can only think that they are continental birds foraging whilst probably heading off back to the Scandinavia’s.

Yesterday (Sunday 16^th February 2014) whilst checking out a lovely “dyke” in a disused sand and gravel pit near Borwick saw a large “newt” not sure which category it falls into but did manage a poor quality photo shown here.  It was about 4 ½” long. I was surprised to see it! and what a difference it makes when some sunshine is offered up.

I also found this small tree/shrub – photo shown here.  Can’t recall having seen this one before, probably some sort of introduced specimen, but seemed to be thriving. Its been confirmed to me since by my friend Brian that it is Caper Spurge.

A nice party of Goldfinches flying around and wondering if it was the spent teasels which held there attraction.