male broad bodied chaser on the pond all day. No other dragonflies seen.
22:10 hedgehog at station 1 and 4, nothing at 2 or 3 (usually later)

06:30 Early morning walk around the garden
Scarce chaser on the pond, seen several times but not when I had the camera. Was chased away several times by the male broad bodied chaser.

Broad bodied chaser & Large Red damselfly

Female and now male broad bodied chasers on the pond, briefly paired and the female egglaying.
23:00 to 23:15 hide in wild area, hedgehog feeding. 

Still very few dragonflies around the pond, either very late this year or have failed to hatch for some reason?
​Went to Birtsmorton for NGS day.
Only one dragonfly seen there, an Emperor, so not just our garden?

from hide in wild area, three different hedgehogs came to feed in 30 minutes, 21:30 to 22:00

Some flowers in the garden, early morning,

four spot chaser on pond stems. only four dragonflies so far this year. Either very late or a bad year.

​Lots of Goldfinches still in the garden

Four spot chaser in flight and on a stem in the pond

Male blackcap seen and heard, now coming regularly to the pond to catch damselflies then returning to the nest.

Male blackbird in the flower border near the pond.

Four spot chaser by the pond, only one dragonfly flying.
White moth (several) flying close to the surface of the pond, regularly seen.

16/5/23
07:55 Tawny owl seen in Willow tree and then back to the Yew tree, assume out hunting in Chapel Lane direction.
Still no sign of any Spotted flycatchers. Our two Tawny owls seen & heard regularly now so assume they have nested in the Yew tree. Calling and hunting through the daytime and attracting a lot of attention from other birds - not ideal for the flycatchers. A lot more insects about now and plenty of damselflies around on the pond so hopeful the flycatchers may visit for a feed if not to nest

7/5/23
First dragonfly of the year, seen briefly, no photo.
Not sure if a broad bodied or four spot; brown and got the impression it was slimmer bodied so think a four spot?

5/5/23
20:30 Both Tawny owls seen flying from Yew tree to Beech tree
20:40 Several bats flying around the edge of the Yew tree, Pipistrelles (42-44)

3/5/23
First damselflies of the year, by the pond
Large red male & female, photos

1/5/23
Tawny owl in beech tree, being mobbed by blackbirds, early evening photo.
Think we have a pair nesting in the Yew tree nearby

blossom on the pear tree on the east corner of our house

Virginia Creeper on the front of the house has suddenly turned colour ​in the past few days.

Mystery holes have appeared in the grassy ares in various parts of the garden over the last few weeks. Most very round, go straight down, I think too small and neat (around 3cm/ 1 1/2") for rat holes?
Will set the trail cam.
​
Bird kill,  feather remains of a female pheasant.
​Tawny owls calling around 17:00, still light.

I realised I had quite a few images taken on my iphone, some going back to May 2021 so went back and inserted them into the blog. Image quality not so good, a few below.