After almost a year of seeing them in the immediate surrounding area, Red Kites are finally in the skies directly above Obley – two sightings in the past week! 

Look out for them above Shawls Wood – worry not if you rank yourself low in the art of bird identification as their forked tails make them unmistakeable.

Is it just me or has this winter seemed particularly long and particularly cold?
I think the flora of Obley must agree as I believe I have never seen such a late start to Spring.  A walk through the woods yesterday revealed the expected Celandines and Wood Anemones but they were tentatively nodding against the threat of frost rather than celebrating in the warmth of the sunshine.  And I struggled to find evidence of Bluebells pushing through the leaf litter.  A little Birch in a sheltered spot was just starting to come into leaf but, other than that, buds on the trees were still tight. 

Thank goodness for the encouraging ever-reliable pale sunny pools of Primroses!

One plant that I noticed when Martha was paddling in the stream, and I had never noticed before (I just love it when something had been under your nose for years!) was this Golden Saxifrage (please correct me if I’m wrong) growing on the edge of the stream.  Not, perhaps the most exciting flower but it did look so fresh and green and lovely.

When I bought the nesting boxes from Wiggly Wigglers I received 3kg of free ‘Finch energy’ bird food.  Within a few days, and for the first time ever, I had Goldfinches and Siskins visiting my table (which isn’t ideally sited as it is right next to the road).  How did the local bird population know so quickly that I had upgraded my offerings – is there some kind of ‘restaurant review’ network?  Since running out of this seed my visitors have returned to the usual crowd.

Do listen out for the bubbling breeding call of the Curlews in the large field across the road from the cabin.  A little further away, but if you are travelling towards Leintwardine there are Lapwings on the large arable fields down there.  I did not realise that there has been a 75% decrease in breeding Lapwings in South Shropshire over the past 10 years.

Saw my first Swallow today down by Clunbury – not seen them in Obley yet!  Enjoy the nature of Obley and let me know if you see anything interesting!