Claire Halpin has made a great suggestion that it might be worthwhile having a page where people can report sightings of birds, flowers etc, or just write a short piece about some aspect of wildlife that interests them.  If you don’t know much about birds (like me – Ed) it will make our walks in the Tresham area even more wonderful.  Here is her first piece to get the ball rolling (clicking the links will open a page on the RSPB’s site):

I saw my first Wheatear today. These rather striking little birds are summer visitors and usually arrive here from central Africa from early March to April. They seem to breed around here and can frequently be seen along the Monarch’s Way towards Boxwell. I saw a pair on the corner close to Tresham, feeding on the ground with a small flock of Pied Wagtails.

Also to be seen and heard around now, are Corn Buntings which are nowhere near as easy to identify as the Wheatear. In fact it’s an LBJ (Little Brown Job). However it frequently sits on posts, tops of bushes or somewhere out in the open and sings, which makes it easier to spot. Listen to the song on the website, and you’ll start hearing it all over the place.

Both of these species are declining in Britain; in fact the Corn Bunting is listed as Red status – the highest conservation priority. We are very lucky in that they are both frequently seen around Tresham.

There are also to be seen Skylarks, Yellow Wagtail, Yellowhammer…and if you are really lucky you might see a Hen, Marsh or Montagu’s Harrier.  You will see a pair of Buzzards circling to the south of Tresham and you may have heard the two Ravens that regularly “play” above the village.

Can you report similar sightings?