April Highlights

I can't quite believe it's May already ... where did April go? Here are some of our favourite bits from the last month.

• We started the month on windy but wonderful Hayling Island, where we were serenaded every morning and evening by a beautiful song thrush, we met Fantastic Mr Fox, we found starfish and fossils and claimed Bug Mad Island!

• The Red Kites nest blew out of the tree in my parents back garden and we found all sorts of lovely things lining it, including a dead mouse, lots of baby wipes and a rotten pair of knickers!
• At long last the woods burst into life, with bluebells, celandines and wood anemones carpeting the woodland floor.
• The Roman snails woke up and started to mooch around Pulpit Hill.

• We were thrilled to find a basking slow-worm and just loved all the cowslips that seemed to be flowering everywhere.

• My breath was taken away by the beauty of our secret garden (Yoesden Bank) where I spent a morning watching Green Hairstreak butterflies.

• We had an outing to Iffley Meadows in Oxford and saw how a traditional English water meadow should look, full of Snakes-head Fritillaries.

• We had a close encounter with a fantastic Queen Hornet

It's been a pretty busy month now I think about it!