Just one addition to my #LMGP patch list this week - male Mandarin. A fly through Dunlin and 2 Common Sands best of a quiet week. A Cormorant with bright red skin around the eye stood out and Hairy Dragonflies are on the wing. A fungus caught my eye - chicken of the woods?

Not mowing the grass really paid off today when a Dingy Skipper came and nectared on the Bugle - 27th butterfly sp for the garden. The tiny longhorn moth, Cauchus fibulella, also active around the Speedwell. Yesterday, a male Stag Beetle appeared - usually think of these as June.

Unbelievable #aurora over Marlow. How it started and how much better it got.

My first dragonfly of 2024 was this Broad-bodied Chaser that had just emerged from the garden pond British Dragonfly Society

An afternoon in the garden was brought abruptly to a halt when Jamie warren discovered an incredible Alpine Accentor in the alpine habitat of Pitstone in sleepy inland Bucks. Amazing bird, superb record. Bucks Bird Alert RareBirdAlertUK BirdGuides

A lunchtime visit to #LMGP for a lovely Wood Sandpiper. Also there a 2cy Caspian Gull - pretty worn with quite an abraded tail tip. As usual, both fairly distant, so record crops only.

Whimbrel was the highlight of this morning's pre-work visit to #LMGP - massive crop as always distant. Garden Warblers are now picking up with 4 birds heard singing yesterday. First Canada goslings and a wading roebuck also seen just post dawn.

Some ropey hand held video of the Osprey that flew over #LMGP on 7 April. Warning: might make you sea sick.

Some of yesterday's Arctic Terns at #LMGP posted again without the video, hopefully less compressed...plus the Common Terns that also arrived and were the last to leave.

Might have to repost these pics. Twitter/X has trashed them. Look like blurry blobs which is not what the originals look like.

An exceptional passage of Arctic Terns through #LMGP this morning (plus a few Common). Video shows 105 birds, but there could have been many more as a large flock in the air didn't appear to come to the water while these were here. Didn't stay long, c30 Commons last to leave.

So far failed to find a patch Ring Ouzel in 2024, so went to see a lovely male found by Paul Watts at @bbowt Grangelands last weekend. Seems to like this juniper bush and and looks like it's still there today.

A great morning on patch at #LMGP . 4 year ticks - fem Bar-tailed Godwit when I arrived but off at 6am; Greenshank calling; 2 Lesser Whitethroat; 1st Garden Warbler. 9 warbler sp, 2 swifts, 120+ mixed flock of swallow, house and sand martins, 7 Common Terns…plenty to come today..

Nice Streamer on the front door this morning

A Tawny Owl is nesting in a box in the garden. Hopefully there will be signs of young soon. Just found where the male is roosting, c20yards away in a holly, keeping an eye on his mate.

A Sandwich Tern did a few circuits of #LMGP at 6:30am before flying back to the river (poor record shot in low light etc.) - my first since 2022. Also 200+ Sand Martins first thing which probably roosted nearby (130+ in pic) and my 1st Reed Warbler of the year.

A few more migrants added to the #LMGP year list over the past few days:
11th - Wheatear
12th - Sedge Warbler and Whitethroat
13th - Common Sandpiper

Another great morning on patch at #LMGP . Highlights were a pair of Cattle Egrets and the second Osprey of the week over west. Supported by a fly over Raven and couple of Redpoll; 30+ hirundine flock of both House and Sand Martins and Swallows, 2 Common Tern and 3 Willow Warblers.

A Whimbrel circled the lake at #LMGP this morning, called a few times and then flew back to the river. High water levels have covered the spit it might have landed on 😞 Also 2 Common Tern, 2 Swallow, Sand Martin, Willow Warbler and double figures of singing Blackcaps

April 1st saw a couple of new additions to my 2024 #LMGP patch list - a Common Tern arrived at the lake early morning and an Osprey flew low north over Emmett's fields early evening - on direction, this would have flown right over the lake before I saw it.