A day to catch up on some more Bird Atlas tetrads. The two today did not have much of note, again good numbers of skylarks and some turtle doves. Non birding wise two grass snakes, hare, grey squirrel and oviposting emperor dragonflies. Butterfly wise
speckled wood, meadow brown, small skipper, large skipper, small tortoiseshell, red admiral and common blue.
Saturday 28th June
A day out in Norfolk, with the first stop Cley. Here we found the lesser yellowlegs on Simmonds scrape, also note a summer plumaged spotted redshank. Onto the East Bank where the new car park was already full (well had 4 cars in it) and according to the new design only holds 8 cars and 4 are disabled spaces! The walk down to Arnolds marsh was uneventful but on arrival we quickly found an adult roseate tern with the common and sandwich terns. Three distant spoonbills were on the far side of the reserve. Sea watching was a non event but the
tern roost now had two different roseate terns and a few artic terns. At Kelling we had several stonechats before connecting with the dartford warblers that were more elusive. Also of note was a common lizard
and a few silver studded blue butterflies braving the wind. Great Ryburgh failed to produce any Honey Buzzards despite the vain attempts of some of the assembled, but the montagu's harriers performed well.
The Brecks produced nothing at all, but even so not a bad day at all.
Thursday 26th June
The fine weather tempted me out during my lunch hour or two, to Epping Forest first stop Wake Valley Pond for dragonflies. My main target downy emerald was easily spotted but fast moving, the damselflys were more settled, large red, blue tailed, red eyed and azure. black tailed skimmers and 4 spotted chasers battled it out for the best spots yielding only to the emperor partolling the water. I could have stayed all day, but moved on to Connaught water where the place was crawling with Mandarin ducks from small ducklings up to full sized juveniles.
Wednesday 25th June
Being away a lot recently and some upcoming trips in the next few weeks, it was time to do one of my Bird Atlas tetrads. I picked one of the two I can do from my house and it also includes a reptile survey for NAARS although I have not seen a reptile in this survey at all, loads of amphibians, still keep trying. Birding was a little quiet a Juv Greater spotted woodpecker and turtle dove the highlights, but loads of confirmed breeding particularly skylark, linnet and yellowhammer. hares the only mammal seen and speckled wood and meadow brown butterflies seen. Only 4 tetrads to go.
Sunday 22nd June
Once again the weather was bad with rain combined with very strong winds so butterflies were cancelled and we headed to South Walney Island. Those who know me know that I am interested in exotic species and South Walney Island has a small population of Emperor Geese. This was to be my target my girlfirends aim was not to get attacked by any of the gulls. The wind was strong but the rain held off and we quickly encountered aggresive LBB and Herring gulls defending chicks and eggs some actually on the path! The reserve has a large number of eider ducks the most southerly colony in Britain apparently and we found ducklings in of all ages all over the reserve. Further on we found some nesting GBB Gulls they kept well away from the paths. It was not the weather for small birds although a few starlings, Linnets, pied wagtail and a tough swallow braved the conditions in search of food. We encountered both greylag and canada geese families before locating an emperor goose. Waders consisted maonly of oystecatchers with a flock of knot a couple of dunlin, redshank and a single ringed plover. As we reached the far end of the reserve it started to seriously rain. We reached the car soaked through, we were not alone as several other birdwatchers braved the conditions. Will have to visit again when the weather is better.
Saturday 21st June
The weather was grey and grim so I did not bother with Cold pike and more mountain ringlets a mile or some from where we were staying. I headed off but the rain came and all hopes of butterflies was quashed. So I took a walk from Coniston up into the hills past the Youth Hostel and mines. A few meadow pipits and a family of wheatears were the only wildlife of note. The rain got heavier and I dropped back down to the Youth hostel which had several bird feeders which I watched for a while as recently fledged birds of most common species attended. Enough was enough and I headed back to town for some touristy things.
Friday 20th June
A beautiful day but very breezy and after a quick food stop by late morning we were in Northern Cumbria for our first stop of the day. It took a little finding as some of the obvious navigation aids had disappeared. Anyway I found the ponds amongst the swamp (good job I had taken wellies) and shortly after white faced darters they were quite abundant well over a dozen seen despite the very windy conditions, they favoured sheltered spots in which to sun themselves. There were several large heaths ssp which were harder to photograph due to the conditions. A tree pipit was the only bird of note and time got away from me enjoying the spot so much. After a very late lunch the next stop was Honister pass in the Lake District, parking in the slate mine (somehow avoiding the car park fee perhaps due to the lateness). I headed up towards haystacks followoing the directions and onto the flat area, where several mountain ringlets were easily found as soon as the sun came out, again hard to follow and photograph in the strong wind but I got a few shots. Time was getting on and after the walk back to the car there was no time for Northern Brown Argus. That would have to wait until the following day. After some chips it was off to our accomodation in Langdale and several pints of ale.
Thursday 19th June
An evening trip to see Beavers at an enclosed site where thay have been introduced, as a pre runner to the re-introduction programme. The re-introduction programme will start next year in Scotland. But this setup was studied to asses the environmental impact of Beavers. We had good views of two individuals.
Today we had a wedding to go to, but the morning was mine so I headed to the banks of the Thames where the strong wind and overcast conditions were not good for dragonflys A banded demosille the only thing of note, apart from the monkey orchids and loads of red kites.
The wedding in Weybridge allowed good views of ring necked parakeets during the outside photo call. Arriving home in the early hours a badger was seen on the edge of the village.
Sunday 18th May
Arriving in far from perfect conditions at Bentley Wood to find a large emergence of small pearl bordered fritillaries complicating matters but after quite some searching we did locate a couple of pearl bordered fritillaries none would allow approach for photo's rather annoyingly. A duke of burgandy was similarly camera shy. Next stop was to meet up with Farnborough John to check out some small mammals. First stop was Greywell Hedge where John has been feeding them. Tem minutes after baiting the first arrived a common shrew but did not hang around. The bank voles were more showy allowing loads of photo's. The family of tawny owls also allowed excellent views. We made a last stop along the canal for badgers where at least 5 including a youngster were present.
We headed for our accomodation locally.
Saturday 17th May
An early start checking out some sites for green frogs, the Edible frog site drew a blank but had lots of warblers and a large party of mistle thrushes and it was a pleasant walk in the sun. The second site for marsh frogs was a little better with several calling but only one seen the worsening weather not helping. I headed to Lakenheath driving through the rain arriving in overcast but rainless conditions. First stop was the red footed falcons both the male and female in the same scope view on arrival
will they stay to breed? Several hobbies, marsh harriers and a foxbut no cranes or bitterns. The orioles were calling and after an age a brief view was had, not much else so I headed for home.
Friday 16th May
My final tetrad visit and the worst as Farmer b@$*ard had planted a lot of the footpaths with crops and not marked the paths, fortunatly they were at the end of the walk but I made the best of it getting wet through in the process. A rookery was of note, as was a indian peafowl all the usual stuff that I have seen in the similar squares locally and loads of hares
Thursday 15th May
A quick visit to 70 Acres lake at lunchtime for the red footed falcon where it was showing quite well hawking over the reedbed with a hobby
Tuesday 13th May
Missing out on the weekend action due to family commitments, I needed to get out and Rainham tempted me. Traffic was surprisingly light and I made it before they closed to get some directions. I quickly found the spot and one of the temmincks stints present. Another birder put me onto the blue headed wagtail that is possibly of the form iberiae(spanish wagtail) Before I could get some photo's it had vanished, but I located the second temmincks and then the wood sandpiper. After some serious searching the wagtail was located but distant and some record shots were taken. Lots of Holly Blues were seen along with a GV white and a common blue damselfly.
Thursday 8th May
The warm weather was too much to resist so I headed off to Fishers Green where I was hoping for nightingale and cuckoo, both of which proved elusive, I managed a brief view of cuckoo despite all its calling. The nightingales were a little more helpful but not much, but they sang beautifully with at least 10 present it was a top evening, and a few odonta in the form of hairy dragonfly and large red damselfly.
Wednesday 7th May
With all the recent Black Tern activity I decided to try Amwell in the hopr of some, chances were good as there were a couple at the weekend. And for once it did not dissapoint with three black terns on view when I arrived. The first chicks had hatched with coot, mallard and Lapwing showing. A passing artic tern was of note but not much else, although a pair of bullfinches was a nice finish.
Monday 5th May
More domestic bliss but more TTV's as well - loads of whitethroats again but blackcaps were a little thin on the ground. A few swifts were in. Highlights were several turtle dovesgrey partridges the top bird was a greenland wheatear on the edge of a field, I managed a record shot as it kept its distance.
Other wildlife was not too bad at all with loads of hares a few rabbits and some roe deer a good selection of butterflys same as yesterday but with lots of speckled woods. A pond with smooth newts was also found.
Sunday 4th May
A day for domestic stuff then catching up on some Bird Atlas TTV's, a few migrants in whitethroats, blackcaps, swallow, house marten
but with only one new species (not migrant) reed bunting not much else of note birdwise. Mammals - 7 hares, 12 rabbits and a field vole, butterflys 25 orange tip, 5 large white, 2 red admiral and 8 peacocks. Also carried out the NARRS survey for reptiles but nothing at all.
Saturday 3rd May
With the car brakes fixed, and birdguides showing dotterel down the road I headed off to the chalk. The short walk did not produce much but the pair of dotterel were showing distantly on arrival and were very wary. A few hares and rabbits were around and a buzzard was eyeing them up.
Channel Wagtail