Mike's Natural Musings: An Amble Around the Woodland Burial Ground with the Birding Lens

Tuesday, 21 April 2020

An Amble Around the Woodland Burial Ground with the Birding Lens

Again it has been a clear sunny day with that same bitter east wind of the sea. Quite strong again as well. Latish on I decided to wander around the woodland burial ground as I felt that it would be failry sheltered. I had thought that I might catch some butterflies but the only one was a rather worn speckled wood. I did get views of a pair of sparrowhawks soaring above, though, and a blackcap sang well. The hisghlight though was a very confiding chiffchaff which I maganaged to photograph; one of several I heard singing.

Sycamores and horse chestnuts are now in full leaf with lime and silver birch just beginning to green up. In direct line of flight our house is not much more that 100 yards from the limes and so I hope that I might get lime hawk moth in the trap soon.

I have just been outside (9.08pm) to observe Venus which is incredibly bright n the western sky. At the same time I was delighted to spot the starlink satellite train passing over from west to east. I saw 8 but it can be dozens of tiny satellites move across the sky in a train-like straight line. Starlink is the name of a satellite network created by a private spaceflight company called SpaceX. The mission of the project is to provide remote locations across the world with low-cost internet. Tonight is also the peak of the Lyrids meteor shower, but unfortunately at 4.00 am.