Big Ash Bash 2012

Went out early yesterday morning despite the cool, breezy conditions (and also despite having had only 4 1/2 hours sleep after watching the tennis!).

Visited the potential new assembly tree on Blaze Lane, just to the SW of Redditch town, in which I had seen a definite female BH on Monday 3/9. Weather was 70% cloud, cool, breezy. Observed for about 30 mins - nothing seen, of any species.

Left there and drove to Naunton Fields NR (a Worcs Wildlife Trust reserve). A number of adult BHs had been seen there last year and a reasonable number of eggs had been found during the autumn/winter. Weather was still mixed and nothing was seen in the 'main bank' of trees that had supported the adults in 2011. Met Pete Seal whilst there but we then split up to search different areas. I searched the other group of Ash trees closer to where the main egg finds had been. Eventually I caught sight of an extremely faded and tattered male in the most easterly Ash of the group. It was reasonably active in the sunnier periods, flying to different parts of the tree but landing only on the most easterly parts, including once at eye level, but by the time I'd got camera out of bag........etc.etc.

About three weeks previously, Pete had sighted a possible BH in the next nearest Ash to this one, but had not had a clear view of it at rest.

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