A quiet week so far

My visits have been more regular of late, getting out every morning before work for the last 3 weeks. This week has been the quietest so far, the migrant tally is 1 WILLOW WARBLER on Sunday and then 2 REED WARBLERS this morning! The best of the rest as it were, has been the odd appearance of a LESSER WHITETHROAT, 1 SPARROWHAWK, the first for several weeks, NIGHTINGALE calling from the hedge this morning and the continued presence of good numbers of YELLOWHAMMER. SPOTTED FLYCATCHERS are still feeding young and I did see one young bird yesterday morning. The most numerous birds at the moment, aside from a good number of Corvids, are the GOLDFINCHES, flocks from 10-30 birds have been milling around mainly in the Veg Garden area.
Steve is continuing to find new species of moths for the site this week BROWN VEINED WAINSCOT and ROSY MINOR were added, 450 is not far away.
Sunday I actually did a butterfly count, not for anything in particular just that I often start one then get distracted and never finish it! I ended up with 85 butterflies in an hour and half of seven species just around the fields. The highlight was probably the 2 PAINTED LADY, the first I had seen at the castle this year.
Click on the pictures for a larger image, they seem a bit clearer when you click on them as well, I think?

Nice to see sharing amongst Butterflies, these were in my garden.

There must be something in the New Pond

Chiffchaff

Song Thrush