Out Early This Morning (for me)

I went over to the marshes at about 6.45 this morning and it was for the most part fairly predictable, but when I returned south from Coppermill Fields I heard a Grasshopper Warbler-like reel near the railways. Obviously the overhead powerlines, but No, it stopped. I was never able to see the bird of course as I was on the wrong side of the lines/fence, but it seemed to be ensconced in what I call the Low Hall triangle, in between the Low Hall curve and the other railway lines. Lot of Linnets down the east side of the large riding paddock and then a bird I haven't seen around here for ages, a female Yellow Wagtail feeding around the muzzle of a grey horse, out on it's own. No Wheatears but the Wagtail was a far better bird for me.

Also a retraction as I've started off the year with some dodgy botanising. My Early Forget-me-not, a plant which does occur in the valley, is in fact Common Cornsalad, a plant I've never been very familar with and which I didn't realise flowered this early. I still need to double-check the fruits to make sure it's not a much rarer species.

I have seen my first damelfly inthe last few days so keep an eye out for these too.

David Miller