I just thought you might be interested in a report of Marsh Stitchwort (Stellaria palustris) growing at Highnam, specifically in a field adjacent to Lassington Wood.  The reason I decided to report it is that I identified the plant via the Botanical Society of the British Isles’ website (http://www.botanicalkeys.co.uk/flora/content/species.asp?1109) which noted the plant as ‘scarce’.

The precise location was OS map ref: SO 8026 2056. There are a cluster of plants covering about 10 square metres, not in huge abundance but enough for me to notice them.  The habitat is a meadow one, on the western crest of a ridge above the Leadon, the other flora being a mix of buttercups, sorrel and various common grasses.  It hardly seems the ideal location of a wetland plant, but it is only 200m or so away and above the Leadon’s floodplain.

I am in the process of joining the GNS.

Posted on behalf of John Putley.

Red Kites are becoming a more familiar sight with every passing season in the Cotswolds as the Oxfordshire/Berkshire population increases and spreads out. Kites to the west of the Severn though are still relatively infrequent by comparison but they do show up now and then as this photograph of one of two Kites seen circling with a Buzzard over the Woolaston Common area shows.  Photo by David Priddis, 20th April 2013

Yesterday I posted comments regarding the increasing bird activity and incoming migrants, today, this little gem arrived in my garden.

I don’t really think it’s an exotic migrant, just an unfortunate escapee…

Eastern Rosella – Platycercus eximius

Black-tailed Godwit is a regular spring passage migrant at Coombe Hill, but the numbers this year are a good deal higher than usual.  Comparable records in recent years are 25 from 6 to 8 April 2005, 14 on 7 April 2006, 25-45 in the second half of March 2007; in other years since 2001 numbers recorded in the last ten days of March or the first ten days of April have been in single figures.  The Icelandic breeding popuation of Black-tailed Godwit winters in western Europe (particularly in UK and Ireland) and passes through western England in March/April en route to its Icelandic breeding grounds.

On Sunday 7 April at 18h00, five birds were seen, all but one very red (males in summer plumage); five were seen during the morning of Monday 8 April, and on the morning of Tuesday 9 April; none were seen on the evening of Wednesday 10 April, and the five are presumed to have left - though they could have been part of the larger flocks seen later in the week.  The five were present at the end of the long period of cold easterly weather, with strong winds, which only began to give way to milder weather with south-westerly Atlantic fronts on 10 April.

The milder weather saw the arrival of much higher numbers, no doubt previously held back by the adverse conditions; other migrant waders showed the same tendency.   On Friday 12 April, 51 godwits flew in at about midday.  On the morning of Saturday 13 April 66 were counted between 06h30 and 08h30, when they flew off to the west; they included a colour-ringed bird, originally ringed in Iceland (details of life history awaited).  This flock was not found later that morning, but a flock of 110 (including the colour-ringed bird) were present from about 10h00 until 13h00 on Sunday 14 April; that evening from 18h00 until dusk, only three birds were left.  This group was seen to fly off to the west several times, but returned; perhaps they went to another wet spot at Cobney Meadows; the presence of the colour-ringed bird suggests that the same birds were involved each time.  There was movement of this species elsewhere in the county (38 at Walmore, about a hundred in flight over Frampton on 13 April).

On the next morning, Monday 15 April, 95 were once again present at 10h30; they flew off at about 11h00; the colour-ringed bird was not seen in this flock (though some were in deep water, and it could have been overlooked); so this may have been some of those previously recorded, or possibly new arrivals.    On Tuesday 16 April, none were found at Coombe Hill, but five were flushed from the flight pond at Cobney Meadows.

A dismal, cold Novemberish day, with a biting easterly wind early on.

Water depth at Coombe Hill continuing to decrease; much of the grassland looking grey and desolate because the hay was not harvested last year, and the dead grass now forms a mat of dry vegetation through which new shoots are not yet showing.  Good variety of waders, but difficult to interpret because an immature Peregrine made them jumpy: 3 Oystercatchers (quite noisy, perhaps preparing to breed), 46 Lapwings (maybe 11 pairs displaying, plus a flock of 24 non-breeders), 4 Little Ringed Plovers (behaving quietly  like passing migrants, though the Peregrine made them agitated), 3 Redshanks (trilling actively as though intending to breed), only two or three Curlews with very little bubbling, quite different from the numbers found on recent evenings, 5 Black-tailed Godwits (undoubtedly the same birds as those seen on Sunday evening – three bright males, one dull male and a pale female – presumably off passage in the cold conditions), 30 Snipe, 1 Jack Snipe.  Otherwise  3 Shelducks, 60 Teal, 8 Shoveler,  4 Little Egrets, 1 Little Grebe.  Some passage of pipits with about 80 Meadow Pipits.  Three brave Chiffchaffs. a Treecreeper and a Reed Bunting all singing.

Water levels on Cobney Meadows low, few birds about, but one Canada Goose sitting; no sign of Curlews.

At Ashleworth a Chiffchaff singing from Meerend Thicket, 160 Teal, 6 Wigeon.