Emmington - 13:05 to 15:15

This walk took me through and to the north of the hamlet of Emmington in Oxfordshire. The highlights were:

• Birds:

o Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus).
o Whitethroat (Sylvia sp.); though, not sure if Common or Lesser. I need to get common bird songs loaded to my phone to be able to check songs and calls in the field!
o Red Kite (Milvus milvus); at least 20 following a tractor which was harrowing.
o Helmeted Guineafowl (Numida meleagris); 3!
o My first Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica) of the year; 3.
o Plus a dark but large bird of prey soaring high over fields. Think it was an Accipiter species by its general shape but by no means certain.
o Had a suspicion that I had seen a Corn Bunting (Emberiza calandra) and, on checking song/call at home, it may well have been one. However, I am certainly not confident.

• Insects:

o 4 Bombylius major (a bee-fly) seen.

o Butterflies (count of individuals actually identified):

 Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni) 1.
 Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) 11.
 Peacock (Inachis io) 16.
 Orange-tip (Anthocharis cardamines) 4.
 Small White (Pieris rapae) 1.

• Mammals:

o Weasel (Mustela nivalis) 2 seen running in out of a trackside.