Yesterday I heard a tawny owl again hooting in the afternoon, in roughly the same place as previously. There was a brief distant answering hoot. I’d just bumped into Chris Hastie (FOOW member) who was doing some mapping so he heard it also. Let’s hope it stays.

Earlier in the week I snapped these mistle thrushes at the top of a distant conifer. I actually only saw one and didn’t realise there were two until I processed the picture. Perhaps one of them is the escapee from the sparrowhawk attack I saw last year!

Today I heard my first chiffchaff of the year. This is about the right time for their arrival.

The pond that was in the southern part of the wood is now right on the edge of the wood because of the ride widening. It’s looking a sorry sight…

After the wet winter it’s as full as I’ve seen it. In dry periods it can be the only source of water in the wood for the wildlife, but a few years ago – and for a number of years in a row – it dried up completely. The removal of the trees that shaded the pond mean that this is more likely to happen in future. I don’t think this was a good idea. I can’t see how this will help the wildlife in the wood.

This post originally appeared on Chris Wood’s Oakley Wood blog.