Shabbington - 13:45 to 16:00

An interesting 2 hours in the field today on the Thame Valley Walk just south of Shabbington. The path hugs the River Thame throughout the section I walked. The following were of note.

Birds:

• Swallows (Hirundo rustica) hawking over the village.
• Mute Swan (Cygnus olor), 9 at the roosting site in fields just east of village and 3 more seen along the river.
• Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceu), my first of the year. Calling from and seen in the Phragmites australis stands along the river bank.
• Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus) also my first of the year. Calling from and seen in the Phragmites australis stands along the river bank.
• Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), female with recently hatched young.
• Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) c.4 adults protecting c.4 chicks. The latter were feeding in a harrowed field.
• Skylark (Alauda arvensis) my first of the year in song flight.
• Buzzard (Buteo buteo); 1 seen.

Mammals:

• Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus); 1 seen.

Fish:

• A sizable shoal of small fish (fry?) sheltering in a side stream.

Butterflies:

A poor confirmed ID day today!

• Unidentified whites (Pieridae) - 15
• Unidentified Nymphalidae – 5

However, the following were confirmed IDs:
• Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) – 7
• Orange-tip (Anthocharis cardamines) – 1
• Peacock (Inachis io) - 1