Ketrin Collection.

 My backshift week has once again come around with what seems like indecent haste and my lieu day on this occasion happened to be today. Not for the first time I joined forces with Alan Shorrock and the pair of us headed over to Wicksteed Park for another crack at the Norfolk Hawkers.

Gatekeeper and Norfolk Hawker

In sunny and warm conditions we made our way towards the fishing lake stopping to admire my first Gatekeepers of the year on the way. It was still pretty early when we got there and initially things proved to be something of a struggle. Damselflies became active first with Blue-taileds in particular showing well. The first dragons on offer were Emperors and a year first Brown Hawker though they were joined minutes later by a Norfolk Hawker which made a fleeting visit. We had several more all too brief views of this newly arrived species before Shozzer found a perched one that gave us the chance to take a few pics before we moved on. Butterflies on the wing included Red Admirals, Commas and Small Skipper as well as the usual whites and browns. Best of the bunch however was my first Purple Hairstreak of the year fluttering around oaks between the lake and the railway track.

Juv Green Wood and Coot family

Birds were a little thin on the ground though Kingfisher and Cetti's Warbler were heard while broods of young Great Crested Grebes, Coots and Green Woodpeckers were the best of the bunch. Having left the fishing lake behind we then turned our attentions to the main lake where two Common Terns were the pick of the birds. Ode wise several Small Red-eyed Damselflies were my first of the year and I had good views of an ovipositing Empress. Satisfied by our results so far we opted to pay the parking and head for the Old Ketrin Road on the edge of Corby.

Small Skipper and volucella hoverfly

The new site delivered my first White-lettered Hairstreaks of the year, at least two were present. I didn't manage to grab any pics of them but I did get a few of a Purple Hairstreak that Shozzer found. There were plenty of new brood Holly Blues about but in truth we spent too much time staring up at the White-letterds to look for other stuff and we left before we could find anything else, a pint in the Samuel Lloyd was a pleasant way of ending our session.

Small Red-eyed Damselfly and Purple Hairstreak

A Little Bit Of Essex

 I had a rare day off from the wildlife spotting yesterday, a boozy catch up with some ex work mates over in Ketrin being the reason. Today I was back in the game and paid a call on Priors Hall where it was cooler than it has been of late but still far from cool! There was far more sunshine than some of the weather forecasts had suggested but a stiff westerly breeze provided some welcome relief from the heat.

Common Darter and Small Skipper

At the quarry lake a pair of Egyptian Geese were my first site record which though much anticipated was not necessarily a welcome one. In a previous report I said that our Great Crested Grebes had three young and I was wrong as they actually have four, one must have remained hidden on its parent's back Today all were in view and showing rather well. The only other birds of note were Little Ringed Plovers which I could hear calling though I didn't manage to see them.

Marbled White and Black-tailed Skimmer with prey

Around the first pond just south of the quarry lake quite a few teneral Common Darters were emerging which were my first of the year, others were seen around the other ponds. Lots of small golden skippers were also seen though they were moving so fast I couldn't confirm their I.D. The grassland closer to the main bulk of the ponds was alive with Marbled Whites with smaller numbers of Meadow Browns and the odd Small Heath keeping them company. Maturing Black-tailed Skimmers were also present in this area while damselflies included Red-eyed and Banded Demoiselle.

Silver-washed Fritillary and Peacock

As I reached the beginning of the main woodland ride I noted that Ringlets and Speckled Woods were becoming the dominant butterflies while Large Skippers replaced their smaller cousins. A male Silver-washed Fritillary appeared to be holding a territory and there were several new generation Peacocks and at least one Comma. I didn't manage to see Downy Emeralds today but their favourite pond was alive with Four-spotted Chasers and also several Emperors. Nearby half a dozen Ruddy Darters were maturing away from the water and these were new for the year. Another year first was an Essex Skipper which allowed me to take a few record shots. Slightly cooler conditions meant that the small skippers were slightly less hyperactive and as well as the Essex I found several Small Skippers too. With the morning wearing on and my return bus's time getting closer and closer I had to leave and so headed back to Weldon just before noon.

Ruddy Darter and Essex Skipper

Horseplay

 I decided to brave the heat after work and head into Brookfield Plantation where the shade provided some welcome relief from the strong sunshine. On my way I checked our local Peregrines and found one sitting in its favoured spot, it was joined by its mate a little later on. These could possibly be the least productive pair in the county as I've yet to see them with young!

Peregrines sensibly avoiding the heat.

In the plantation those areas in direct sunlight were alive with butterflies though they were supercharged by the heat and seem very reluctant to settle. Not unusually for this time of the year the bulk of the species on view were browns with Marbled Whites, Meadow Browns and Ringlets supplying most of the sightings, a Speckled Wood and three Small Heaths were also noted. Large and Small Slippers were also present with the former being fairly common. The regular three whites were also on the wing and they were joined by a Painted Lady.

Small Heath, Meadow Brown and Marbled White

Other wildlife included my first Southern Hawker of the year which sensibly avoided the heat by hunting in a shaded ride. I really wished that it had taken an interest in the horseflies which were plaguing my walk, it's reaching their peak time when they hit maximum nuisance levels. Often I had to decide whether to take a photo or try and swat the little b****r that was trying to suck my blood, normally violence won. I'm looking forward to a couple of productive insect watching weeks but I wish those pesky horseflies would just buzz off!

Small and Large Skippers and Painted Lady

Purple Reigns

 A morning of sunny spells that saw me take the X4 as far as Weldon before walking on to Harry's Park Wood. My aim was to try and catch up with some of the mid summer butterflies that make this time of the year so entertaining. Although it still seems pretty early in the year I'd already heard of Purple Emperors from other sites in the county and I especially wanted to add the old purple poop licker to my year list.

Red and White Admirals

Things started fairly slowly and it was down to Ringlets, Meadow Browns and Large Skippers to keep me entertained. Gradually as the day began to warm more species appeared on the wing and several Red Admirals were seen along the main ride. Breaking the red monopoly my first White Admiral of the year also spent some time on the path. Next up was a male Purple Emperor, I got excellent views before I moved on. What followed was pretty amazing as I saw a further eight more males on the path including one that was enjoying the popular imperial breakfast of horse @%$*! I've never seen so many emperors in Harry's before suggesting that this could be an excellent year for them.

Comma and Small Tortoiseshell

Other species noted on my wander included Small Skipper while the new brood of Commas seem to be out in force with at least half a dozen being noted. A knackered looking Speckled Wood added to my brown quota, both Marbled White and Small Heath were also seen closer to Weldon. There were not many interesting birds to report with a Lesser Whitethroat along Bears Lane being the highlight. Also seen along the lane was a Small Tortoiseshell, it's always nice to see this once common species. The only other sightings of note were of several Banded Demoiselles before some chores waiting for me at home and a father's day meal compelled me to leave.

Purple Emperors

Butterflies To The Fore

 Shozzer and I decided to pay a call on the Ring Haw part of the Old Sulehay complex where Dark Green Fritillaries have recently been reported from. This county rarity is fairly hard to connect with and true to form Al and I both drew a blank in our efforts to find one.  Under often grey and sometimes wet conditions we laboured to find much of note though I ended up with a quite respectable total of butterfly species.

Marbled White and Ringlets

|I saw my first Marbled Whites of the year yesterday as I walked towards my work at Deichmann along Cockerell Rd. Many more followed today and they were joined by plenty of Meadow Browns and also my first Ringlets of the year. At first under grey skies we struggled to find much of note though matters did improve as the morning wore on. Several Painted Ladies and Red Admirals were observed as we walked along the main path and I also found my first Small Skippers of the year, a few Large were also noted. Large, Small and Green-veined Whites were all seen and I was also happy to find a Comma. Eventually we decided to up sticks and head elsewhere but not before I saw yet another year first, a Silver-washed Fritillary next to where we parked the car.

Small Skipper, Common Blues and Painted Lady

Our next stop was at Bedford Purlieus which is just over the county border though not despite its name anywhere near Bedford! The skies were pretty grey while we were here and finding any insects of note proved to be a bit of a struggle. Half a dozen Silver-washed Frits were welcome particularly as they all looked so fresh. Failing to see any White-lettered Hairstreaks here was a bit of a downer but I hope there will be other opportunities over the next couple of weeks. Our final stop of the day was at a different part of the purlieus where we were treated to excellent views of a Dark Green Fritillary that Shozzer found nectaring on knapweed flowers. The day ended on not unfamiliar territory with a pint in the reliably excellent Cross Keys in King's Cliffe.

Meadow Brown, Silver Washed and Dark Green Fritillaries

No Joy At Wicksteed

 I fancied another crack at the Wicksteed Park Norfolk Hawkers and so found myself boarding the X4 this morning. The weather looked fairly promising, less wind than yesterday and with longer sunny spells making it much better than on my previous visit last Saturday. I was quietly hopeful of success when I arrived at the park but such optimism proved to be somewhat misplaced.

Variable Damselflies and Scarce Chaser

An unseasonal Siskin called as it flew over and provided what turned out to be the birding highlight of my wander. At the fishing lake I found Variable Damselflies and a few Blue-tailed Damselflies but at that stage there was no sign of any dragonflies. Both Song Thrush and Bullfinch were singing as I waited around for things to happen. A Red Admiral turned out to be my only butterfly sighting of the morning which was surprising given how much bramble blossom was around. Warming conditions proved attractive to several Four-spotted Chasers and also a single male Scarce Chaser but the Norfolks remained elusive. I was able to add Banded Demoiselle and Red-eyed Damsel to my day list but eventually had to concede defeat and set off to catch my return bus home.

Red Admiral and Great Crested Grebe

White-legs

 Family commitments meant that my time today was limited but Shozzer and I managed to spend a few hours out in the field looking for White-legged Damselflies this morning. We began at Harringworth before moving on to Gretton Weir where despite the strong breeze and often cloudy conditions we struck lucky.

Meadow Brown and White-legged Damselfly

Harringworth did not produce much of note and it was a calling Cuckoo and a Kingfisher that provided most of the entertainment. After an hour we threw the towel in and moved on to Gretton Weir where we took a stroll through the riverside hay meadows. Meadow Browns are on the increase and we saw quite a few on our travels, a single Small Heath was recorded too. I found two White-legged Damsels, my first of the year, and both of us managed to get some shots of them. Other damsels in the same area included Large Red, Azure, Blue-tailed and Banded Demoiselle.

Banded Demoiselle and large Red Damselfly

Next and final stop was at Deenethorpe where we managed to find more White-legs sheltering in the grass. It looks as if Scarlet Tiger Moths had just hatched in numbers as Alan and I saw about half a dozen. New for the year was a Large Skipper  which I found on the opposite side of the road at Deene Lake and which like a Four-spotted Chaser was hunkering down in vegetation. Common Blue Damselflies were also added to the list before time pressures brought things to a close and after a pint in the Samuel Lloyd I headed home.

Scarlet Tiger and Large Skipper