Highlights this weekend (21-22.3.09) included:
1. Great views of a pair of sky-dancing Marsh Harriers, joined for a competitive dance-off by a handful of Buzzards.
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Marsh Harrier
2. First Dog Violets in the garden this year (as found by Jasmine).
![](//4.bp.blogspot.com/_hOdsjwLqJ4o/Scef22ar9rI/AAAAAAAAGjU/AJOuk5vs--A/s800/dogviolet1738.jpg)
Dog Violets
5. First hatched Frog tadpoles in the big pond.
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First tadpoles of the year
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Blackthorn blossom
4. Twitching a 'female-type' Black Redstart at Swaddywell pits (where there were also a male and female Wheatear).
5. Twitching (by bike) a drake Ring-necked Duck at March Farmers on the Nene Washes. This is species 229 on my PBC Life List.
Last year on 26.3.08 I posted that my PBC year list had reached 125 (including 17 'elites'). This year's list currently stands on 131 including 22 'elites'.
Incidentally, I also bothered looking at where I would stand with a greener, self-propelled BIGBY list (inspired by Brian 'The Natural" Stone's efforts. So far I am on 85 species (including Crane, Ring-necked Duck and Scaup), this year.
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Muntjac