May
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Now is the month when exotic birds arrive from Africa, and our overwintering birds first have their fledglings

When? What? What happens? Where and what to look for
1st Week     Roadside verges are transformed ........
  Broom Starts flowering Chobham Common.  Don't confuse with its cousin the gorse.    Broom starts into brilliant yellow flowers just as Gorse is coming to an end.
  Fern First starts in leaf Much of Chobham Common is covered with the common bracken.  Loops of ferns start pushing up through the ground
  Lesser periwinkle Starts flowering This pretty blue flower with quite large heads.  On sunny back by Burrowhill pond
  Rowan Starts flowering Has heads of cream flowers
  Cow parsley Starts flowering All along roadsides you will see this tall plant with masses of small white flowers in heads
  Scots pine First in leaf Sprouts long orange 'candles' which contain the new seasons leaves
2nd Week      
  Cotton grass Has seed heads This tall, grass like plant with white fluffy sead heads is seen in bogs.   Unless you want wet feet you will probably need to be satisfied with a distant view.  Can be seen in the pond on the north Chobham Common
  Nightjar Arrives This birds travels all the way from Africa.  It is best seen after dusk when it sweeps across the heather trawling for insects.  It is often curious and will come and inspect you and then often clap its wings together.   The area of Chobham Common just north of Gracious Pond Road is favourite.
  Collared dove Has fledgling This dove which is almost always seen as a 'lovey-dovey' twosome is suddenly seen sitting at tops of trees three at a time - its young has fledged!
  Horse chestnut Flowers The large upright white 'candles' of the horse chestnut are unmistakable
       
3rd week     Suddenly all sorts of birds have fledglings .....
  Swift Arrives The swift can be spotted wheeling high in the sky chasing insects - hardly ever flapping its narrow scimitar-like wings.
  Robin Has fledglings The young have brown spotted breasts - no red
  Hobby Arrives This rare bird resembles a large swift.  It flies low over Chobham Common catching insects.
  House martin Arrives Usually first notices high in the sky catching insects; unlike the swift it flutters its wings frequently.
  Hawthorn Starts flowering The hedges become filled with masses of pure white flowers.
  Great tits Fledge You may be luckly enough to see 10 or so young flutter one at a time from a nest box in your garden.   The family will stay in local trees for a while but will then disappear to the woods.
  Mallard and coot Have young on water Large numbers of young can be seen swimming frantically to keep up with their mother.
       
4th week      
  Starling Fledge The brown speckled young strut around their parents noisily demanding food.
  Dunnock Fledge