Tuesday 2 June 2015

HEN HARRIER

Mike Ilett had a first-summer male HEN HARRIER near Wallington over the weekend, hanging about the Quail site of several years back just 250 yards off of the A505

Nesting LESSER SPOTS

I was very priveleged to bump into a nesting pair of LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKERS last week, a pair which has nested successfully for at least the past five years. I believe there are two well grown youngsters in the nest......
























Whilst observing the nest, I was astounded to see this occur. A female Common Kestrel flew in and spent a long time perched opposite. It very quickly realised a nest was in the vicinity due to the noise the young Lesser Spots were making. The Kestrel gradually got closer and closer to the nest-hole and following one trip in by the adult female, flew to the hole and smothered it with its open wings. Fortunately, it was not capable of reaching into the hole and eventually flew off. Never thought of Common Kestrel as being a possible predator of Lesser Spotted Woodpecker!