Spring/Early Summer Diary 2026

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The weather this spring has been very volatile with no two days the same. Day time temperatures have been disappointing and the nights rather chilly. This has resulted in poor numbers and variety of moths in our garden, but some butterflies and bees have been able to make the most of the occasional sunny spells. In fact, I have seen more Holly Blue butterflies than ever before in our garden, but Orange Tips have been in relatively short supply with females outnumbering males by at least four to one. Some self-seeded plants of White Comfrey have proven very attractive to bees. In addition to the very common Buff-tailed Bumblebee and Early Bumblebee the recently widely established Hairy-footed Flower Bee was frequently seen..

Frogs mating and spawning

Very few frogs arrived at my pond but they did produce some spawn which has resulted in a healthy population of fast-growing tadpoles. A few Smooth Newts have also been observed rising to the surface. Lage Red Damselflies were seen mating over the pond.

Nightingale

Locally Cuckoos seem to have increased a little with

Nightingale

one even calling in my garden for the first time in many years. At least one Turtle Dove has returned to its regular haunt a few miles from my home and surprisingly two singing Nightingales performed for visitors attending an open ay at Dole Wood nature reserve. Spotted Flycatchers remain very rare and Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers are now probably extinct in Lincolnshire.

Crane feeding chicks

On a happier note, one of 5 pairs of Cranes have bred again at Lincolnshire Wildlife's Trust reserve at Willow Tree Fen affording good views of these magnificent birds for visitors. This reserve also attracted the rare Red-footed Falcon hunting over the reserve with Hobbies.

Cranes with chicks

Locally most of the warblers are doing really well with good numbers of Garden Warblers joining the increasingly common Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and Whitethroats in the woods near my home. At another local site Grasshopper Warblers have increased from one reeling bird last year to three this year. The song is described as reeling because it recalls the sound of a fishing line being cast.

American Golden Plover

The RSPB's reserve at Frampton Marsh near Boston, Lincolnshire attracted a series of rare birds including at least two American Golden Plovers, several Wood Sandpipers, both Temminck's and Little Stints and a few graceful Black-winged Stilts. Egrets and herons continue to increase with Great White Egrets almost as regular as Little Egrets and Spoonbills also becoming regular visitors to many locations.

Great White Egret

Little Stint

Chinese Water Deer

A weekend in Norfolk demonstrated the generally unwelcome spread of Chinese Water Deer which we saw all around the coastal areas.

Ian Misselbrook
May 2026