Bustards Are Great

 My brother David and I headed off to south Wales yesterday to catch a couple of acts at the Steelhouse Festival near Ebbw Vale. On the way we stopped on Salisbury Plain where we met up with someone from the Great Bustard Project and took a Land Rover trip to look for some of of their growing flock. This commendable project to reintroduce these magnificent birds into England is meeting with some success and it's good to be able to support their on going work.

Great Bustard and Marsh Harrier

We rattled along for a bit before stopping at their reserve which is overlooked by a large hide. Settling in we began to scan and our guide wasted no time in finding a distant female. She stayed in view for some time and we even got a glimpse or two of her chick as it occasionally peeked out of cover. Eventually she disappeared back into the long vegetation and we saw no further signs of bustards. A Roe Deer was sighted as it ran across a field, an army firing exercise may have spooked it. There was a covey of Grey Partridges nearby while a female Marsh Harrier spent some time hunting over the surrounding countryside. After a couple of hours we bid adieu to our host and headed off to the festival where a passing Raven offered a slight diversion from the assembled bands.

Shrill Carder Bee and Black-tailed Skimmer

This morning and we paid a brief visit to the Newport Wetlands which is a reserve run by the RSPB. Not much in the way of birds to report and few insects either though I did manage to see a Shrill Carder Bee which is apparently one of Britain's rarest bumblebees. Conscious that there was a rather important football game taking place today we left at noon and managed to get home in good time. Well done ladies, an excellent end to a rather good weekend!

24th July - Emeralds

 After yesterday's Essex excursion I decided to stay close to home and so opted for a stroll around Priors Hall. Braving blustery conditions and an assault by horseflies I was pleased when the clouds parted and the sun came out. 

Willow and Common Emeralds

Best birds of the day was also practically the first as a peek at the quarry from the A43 revealed four adult Yellow-legged Gulls. Moving on to the area around the ponds began to produce sightings of butterflies. The new brood of Common Blues appear to be out in force though Marbled Whites are all but over with just one being seen. Most of the other browns are still around in good numbers but they and most of the Large Skippers are looking a bit rough around the edges. A first county Brown Argus of the year did not hang around for long and other species noted included the three common whites, Comma, Peacock and Red Admiral.

Ruddy and Common Darter

An impressive total of eight species of damsel were noted with my first Willow and Common Emeralds being the pick of the bunch. Of the other species Small Red-eyed Damselfly was the best as they remain quite scarce at Priors away from the quarry lake. Not that many dragons were seen today and this may have been due to the breezy conditions. Emperors and Brown Hawkers joined Black-tailed Skimmers. Four-spotted Chasers and both of the common darters on the list.

23rd July - Blue-eyed Boys

 My internet has been misbehaving over the weekend so I'm having to play catch up with blog posts. On Saturday Phil Rogers joined my brother David and I on a trip down to the ditch at Canvey Island. This site has become quite famous in dragonfly circles of late as it now supports a couple of scarce or rare species. Phil and I have enjoyed rather mixed fortunes here in the past but today's visit delivered the goods.

An alternative name for SMH is Blue-eyed Hawker, wonder why?

Lovely weather greeted us on our arrival though if anything it was a little too warm for my tastes! Canvey doesn't look as if it has had much rain of late and the ditch is all but dry. Despite this we found our first Southern Migrant Hawkers within minutes of beginning our walk. A succession of males were patrolling up and down the dried ditch and the occasional individual landed. David picked out a pair in cop which allowed both Phil and I the chance to get more pictures. Whilst walking along the ditch I saw a couple of other pairs but these didn't hang around long enough to study.

Scarce Emeralds

Our second target species was Scarce Emerald which is as its name implies a rather rare damsel. Although a lot of males in particular were seen they seemed reluctant to settle for more than a second. Time and time again I raised my camera in time to see the potential target fly off! Eventually a few did linger and I was able to get a few shots. Several pairs in cop were also noted though none posed for pics.

Brown Argus

While there were few other odes on view apart from Common and Ruddy Darter there were quite a few butterflies on the wing. Highlight for me was a year first Brown Argus, most of the other species were the usual browns.

Morning Shift

 With the temperatures continuing to rise I decided to try and do all of my wildlife spotting before it got too hot. An early morning excursion to Harry's Park Wood was the order of the day and although it was still pretty warm at least it was just about bearable.

Common Darter and Silver-washed Fritillary

Along Bears Lane I managed to get my first pic of a county Common Darter, other dragons seen in the wood were Emperor and Brown Hawker. Browns and whites were active from early on and were seen in good numbers. Large Skippers too remain rather common and I was to see many during my stroll. Checking the oaks produced sightings of Purple Hairstreaks but none seemed to be prepared to pose for pictures. As I neared the Brigstock end of the wood several Silver-washed Fritillaries were noted and one of them settled down for a while to take in some nectar from a thistle. Having reached the car park at the Old Dry Bushes end I turned around and began to retrace my steps.

Purple Hairstreak, Purple Emperor and White Admiral

At first there was little new on view, a couple of Red Admirals and some new brood Peacocks joined a half dozen or so Commas on the list. Newly emerged Common Blues were seen on several occasions and there were at least two fresh looking Brimstones. My walk was nearing its end when things really took off for a mad ten minutes. First a Purple Hairstreak was found on the ground though I couldn't work out what it was doing, it didn't appear to be feeding or anything. Soon after the hairstreak departed a large butterfly flew past and landed on a bush near the gate. Lifting the binoculars revealed that it was a male Purple Emperor and not the expected White Admiral. This battle scarred veteran looked as if he had lost two of his legs on his right side and indeed many of today's butterflies looked far from pristine. He flew away strongly only to be replaced immediately after by a White Admiral which spent some time nectaring on bramble blossoms. A great end to my walk which was dominated by the quality of the butterflies, the only bird of note being a Raven.

Brimstones and Peacock

A brief stop at Weldon as I waited for my bus added a few more damsels and Black-tailed Skimmer to my day list while a Kingfisher was heard. The next two days could be potentially the hottest ever recorded in Britain, can't say that I'm looking forward to that!

Black-tailed Skimmer and Red-eyed Damselfly.

If You Can't Bee-eat Them....

 My brother David and I ventured into the wilds of Norfolk today in search of exotic avian visitors which have been making a small quarry near Cromer their temporary home. With distinctly Mediterranean conditions forecast for the next few days the small colony of Bee-eaters which are attempting to nest here should feel right at home. For the princely sum of just five quid we got to park our car and take advantage of a watchpoint that the RSPB and local bird clubs have established here.

Bee-eaters

They didn't give themselves up easily and it was some time before the first bird appeared, just a brief view of one disappearing into a nest hole allowing the other to get out and feed. Time passed before more returned, it was suggested that as many as five were present. They spent their time perching on distant wires and brambles from which they sallied forth to wreak much execution on the local bumbles. Heat and distance did not do much to make photography easy and I had to content my self with some record shots. We enjoyed watching them for over half an hour before we departed.

More Bee-eaters.

On the way home we stopped at the raptor watchpoint near Swanton Novers where up to four Honey Buzzards have returned after an absence of some years. We managed a brief and distant view of one but didn't get to see any more despite putting in quite a lot of time. 

Eyebrook

 Alan Shorrock and I took a trip to Eyebrook this morning where we enjoyed a steady if not quite spectacular wildlife watching session. Things remain quiet on the birding front but there were a few insects on view particularly when the sun was shining.

Osprey and Ruff

Two Ospreys were seen on several occasions though they didn't hang around for any length of time. A Yellow-legged Gull is still present while presumably the three Ruffs from our previous visit are still hanging around. One or two Green Sandpipers were also noted but there was little else to report. At the bridge an immature White-legged Damselfly was seen, Eyebrook used to have a colony but I'm not sure if it's still viable as we didn't see anymore. Commonest damsel was Azure and there were smaller numbers of Common Blue, Red-eyed and Banded Demoiselle while a Brown hawker and an Emperor represented the dragons. Best butterfly was a Small Copper though it was good to see half a dozen fresh looking Commas nectaring on bramble blossom near the bridge.

White-legged Damselfly and Small Copper.

On the way home we took a detour to the Welland at Harringworth where a break in the clouds tempted some White-legged Damselflies out. Plenty of Banded Demoiselles were also seen as well as a single Blue-tailed while a Brown Hawker also put in an appearance. The only butterfly of interest was a Holly Blue that did a brief flyby while several Grey Wagtails put in similarly brief cameos.

Banded Demoiselle

It's Still Hot!

 Today's weather forecast seems to have been more of a flight of fancy from some optimist at the BBC weather department rather than a genuine attempt to predict the conditions. The promised mix of sunny spells actually amounted to a muggy but overcast afternoon with even the odd spot of rain to contend with. Deceived somewhat by that dratted forecast I took an afternoon wander down to the pond in the Woodland Park at Weldon hoping to encounter some odes.

Three for the price of one, Small Red-eyed, Azure and Common Blue Damselflies.

Despite the less than favourable weather there was plenty of damselfly activity to enjoy as they responded to the heat if not the sunshine. Lots of Small Red-eyeds were showing and these included many ovipositing pairs. Plenty too of their larger cousins though the Red-eyeds preferred to keep station on lily pads. Other species noted were Common Blue, Blue-tailed and Azure while the few dragons on the wing were Emperor, Brown Hawker and Black-tailed Skimmer. Commonest butterfly was Gatekeeper and keeping it company were Ringlets, Meadow Browns, Large Skipper and a few whites.

Red-eyed, Blue-tailed and Emperor

A short stroll along the stream produced the hoped for Banded Demoiselles suggesting that some at least survived the pollution that affected the stream during the winter. Still no sign of White-leggeds sadly but they may still recolonise.

Banded Demoiselle.

Hairstreaks Come Good

 This afternoon I tried to harness the seemingly arcane powers of hairstreak whisper Alan Shorrock who seems to be finding them whenever he ventures out. I'm glad to say that those powers appear to be undiminished and we managed to find a few of these attractive little butterflies.. We're in the grip of a heatwave at the moment and if it was anything it was too hot for most butterflies and apart from those hairstreaks we struggled to see that much.

Purple and White-lettered Hairstreaks.

Our first port of call was Harry's Park Wood where browns and whites dominated the scene. At least two Silver-washed Fritillaries and a White Admiral were seen but none settled long enough to get any pictures. Highlight was the discovery of at least six Purple Hairstreaks though views were often fleeting and they frequently landed out of sight. Eventually one did settle and I manged to grab a record shot, I had a blank year for them in 2021 so it was a treat to reconnect with them. No other butterflies of note to report while dragonflies included Emperor and Brown and Southern Hawker.

Swallow.

From here we made our way to the old Kettering road where our winning streak (sorry!) continued. Shozzer picked out at least three White-lettered Hairstreaks and although they were very active I did get a few pictures of one. Other species on show included a Holly Blue and half a dozen Gatekeepers.

Well it's named after an insect! Tiger Moth

Loosing Streak

 During the past week Alan Shorrock photographed a Black Hairstreak along the old Kettering Road near Great Oakley. While I used to visit this area on a regular basis I hadn't for twenty or more years and this seemed like a good excuse to renew my acquaintance. The weather looked set fair and after a bus ride and a stroll I eventually reached the site just after ten this morning.

Gatekeeper and Large White

I walked up and down the road several times and did not see any hint of hairstreaks of any hue and indeed butterflies in general appeared to be in fairly short supply. Commonest were the regular browns with Ringlet and Meadow Brown outnumbering everything else. A few Gatekeepers were seen while a single Speckled Wood was also noted. Highlight was a male Silver-washed Fritillary which didn't land but was still a welcome addition to my day list. Large White numbers continue to increase and they were joined by Small and Green-veined. My list here was completed by a Small Tortoiseshell, a Comma and several Large Skippers.

Southern Hawker and Essex Skipper

Very little other wildlife to report, a Southern Hawker was the only dragon and there were few birds or mammals about. As I had a bit of time left before my return bus I checked the nearby Great Oakley Meadow reserve where an Essex and several Small Skippers showed.

Morning Sun

 A lovely spell of early sunshine tempted me into taking a pre work stroll around the grassland near Eurohub. Nothing too exciting to report but it was still enjoyable nonetheless.

Small Skipper and Comma.

As is often the case at this time of the year it was brown butterflies ruling the roost with good numbers of Ringlet, Meadow Brown and Meadow Browns on the wing. Plenty of little skippers whizzing about with all the ones that I managed to check being Small. Other species flitting around the area included Small and Large White, Comma and Small Tortoiseshell. The only dragon today was a female Emperor taking a breather in some long grass while damsels included Red-eyed. Most interesting insect was a hornet mimic hoverfly Volucella nectaring on bramble blossoms. Several Fallow Deer were flushed up from a bed of thistles and the best bird was Redpoll.

Emperor and volucella hoverfly.

Skippers

 I spent this morning at Priors Hall where the weather held out long enough for me to see some decent stuff. Although the clouds did eventually roll in it stayed dry for the most part and I managed to get to my return bus without getting wet.

Gatekeeper and Small Skipper.

A first Gatekeeper of the year was one of the early butterflies that I noted and it joined the many Marbled Whites, Meadow Browns and Ringlets winging their way around the site. Plenty of little skippers were whizzing about and the few that landed long enough to check were identified as Small. Their (slightly) bigger cousins, Large Skippers, also showed well and they seemed far less frenetic than the hyperactive Smalls. Speckled Woods and Small Heaths took my total of browns up to six, July really is the best month for this family. Large Whites after a slow start are now beginning to appear on a regular basis and two or three were noted today. Other whites showing were Small and Green-veined, they're present in only small numbers at the moment but that will change fairly soon.

Ruddy Darter, Emperor and Black-tailed Skimmers.

My walk around the ponds added both Common and Ruddy Darters to my county year list though the former was somewhat camera shy. Other dragons included Emperor, Brown Hawker, Black-tailed Skimmer and both Broad-bodied and Four-spotted Chasers. Nothing too interesting among the damsels, I had hoped for a Willow Emerald but will have to wait a little longer. As the sun had now retreated behind some formidable looking clouds I began to head towards the gate but spent a little bit of time checking the grassland for more butterflies on the way.

Green-veined White and Broad-bodied Chaser.

The greyer conditions had slowed the skippers down a little and I was able to photograph quite a few which helped me to find my first Essex Skipper of the year. Several day flying moths included a Six-spotted Burnet and a Mint Moth. No birds of interest to report and there were no mammals about either so I made my way back along the A43 to Weldon where I made a pit stop in the George before catching my bus home.

Essex Skipper and Mint Moth.