Stanwell Moor - 8 June 2013

Another trip out with Phil, Josie and Nigel looking for chicks on and around the flash. We expected this to be the last try as no flying juvenile Lapwing had been seen and it seemed as though foraging foxes and crows had taken their toll. We saw some Redshank and Lapwing chicks before moving in but they quickly hunkered down and the two larger Redshanks went up with the adults, proving that at least some had made it to the stage where they could fly . Only one Lapwing chick was located for our initial efforts.

 

Chick number 1

We then spent some time watching the birds on the pool settle, but no small chicks came out and a near full grown Lapwing remained near the long grass, darting back in and becoming completely invisible when looked for.

A chick could be heard calling to our left and we were surprised, when it was found, at how far it was from the pool edge - closer to us than the pool infact . This little chuck still had the egg tooth in place.

 

Chick 2

The next find was of a nest with a newly hatch chick and another, still partly in the shell. Of course these were much too small to take a ring.

 

Chicks 3 & 4

On finding these siblings we swiftly departed, finding another chick too small to take a ring about half way between where we'd watched from and the cars, so perhaps another try might be worthwhile after all. 

 

Isle of Wight - 7 June 2013

Up at 5.30am and on the road to Lymington. The ferry was booked for 8.35am and we arrived early, in time to catch the earlier sailing on the 'Wight Sky' with just two other vehicles. The only problem was the heavy sky, intermittent showers and pall of black cloud hanging over the island. We found our way to the open deck, stood under a perspex shelter and watched the lightening arc from clouds to earth ahead of us. At this point, as Common Terns gathered above the ferry's wake, the chance of finding Glanville Fritillary seemed fairly remote. The rain got harder and when it reached the point where we were getting wet despite the shelter, we retreated inside. It was soon time to get back to the car and we were ashore at Yarmouth in next to no time.

Th rain was still persisting down, so not being one to miss an opportunity to visit a cafe, Chris found a very nice one in Ventnor where we enjoyed bacon baguettes. Amazingly, the rain had stopped by the time we'd finished so we set out for Bonchurch, hoping the sky would clear soon. We started from the Horseshoe Bay end and scoured the undercliff.

 

Horseshoe Bay

As time went on the odd White butterfly showed itself and after 20 minutes or so Chris found the first Glanville Fritillary on the day. Photography was challenging in the very keen wind but we managed some shots.

 

Glanville Fritillary

Common Blue

Along with a few Fritillaries, we also found Common Blues and Dingy Skippers.

 Dingy Skipper

 

Glanville Fritillary

We moved on to Bonchurch Down under a blue sky but it was too breezy just a few Dingy Skippers, Common Blues, a couple of Brown Argus and a Small Copper were seen.

 Bonchurch Down

 

Common Blue

 

 Brown Argus

Compton Chine was sheltered from the wind and the butterflies were up, but difficult to photograph as supercharged by the sun.  This was an interesting place where the wooden steps had recently been replaced due to a land slip. There was plenty of evidence of minor slips, some quite recently. It seemed to me that the life belt for emergencies was probably less helpful than some form or digging equipment, perhaps a JCB.

 Compton Chine

 Dingy Skipper

Glanville Fritillary

The final destination, Brook Down, provided more Glanville Fritillaries and a whole host of Adonis Blues.

 

 Adonis Blue (female)

Adonis Blue

Small Blue

Having found all our target species we returned to the ferry port and managed to get on a little earlier than booked. After stopping in at The Filly Inn, Brockenhurst for dinner we travelled back and arrived home just before 10pm.

Dorset/Hants butterflies - 6 June 2013

Today was a planned Marsh Fritillary day in Dorset. The morning started off a little duller than hoped but by the time SW Dorset was reached the sun had burnt off any morning cloud, but the wind was strong and quite cooling. A walk across Fontwell Down was desperately short of butterflies apart from a few Small Heaths and a family party of five Ravens frequenting the only tree at the Down head. This did not bode well, but a walk down the bridleway towards Compton Down, being in the lee of the wind, started to produce common butterflies in an old small chalk quarry, with Orange Tip, Green-veined White, Large White, Dingy Skipper and Small Blue. A walk across the upper slope of the down and very little was showing but as I dropped down lower the first Marsh Fritillary showed and walking along the lower slope eventually around thirty had been seen along with more Dingy and Grizzled Skippers. On leaving the down a couple, of Adonis Blue were seen.

Marsh Fritillary

 Marsh Fritillary

 Adonis Blue

Hod Hill was the next visit and eventually finding the right bit where most of the Marsh Fritillaries were located, another twenty odd were seen along with Dingy and Grizzled Skippers, Small Blue and a single Adonis Blue.

 Grizzled Skipper

Marsh Fritillary

 Dingy Skipper

One the way back Martin Down was paid a late afternoon visit  which only produced one tatty Marsh Fritillary, a few Small Blues and about six Adonis Blues.

Just as I got back to the car park, a Hobby was hawking over the grass.
 

 

 Adonis Blue

Stanwell Moor - 5 June 2013

We assembled a team of six to have another look for wader chicks. Some were spotted from a distance but we were unable to tie them down on moving closer to them. We backed off and waited for the adults to return but the Lapwing took their time and just three chicks were seen scattered around the pool edge while the Redshank repeatedly returned and left, but still no chicks showed themselves. At one point there was much activity in the long grass as the birds appeared to be mobbing some threat that remained unseen by us. A second sweep where Lapwing chicks had been seen drew a blank. Finally, as we were gathering to leave, Chris found a single chick, in the open, hiding in plain sight.

When we arrived the pool was being graced by a fine male Garganey.

Lapwing chick

Yoseden Bank - 5 June 2013

A bright sunny, though slightly breezy morning, made a visit worth while to look for any recently emerged Adonis Blues, but alas despite over 20 Common Blues being seen, there was no sign of any Adonis. Up to ten Small Blues were seen along with up to six Dingy Skippers, five Brimstone and just a single slightly worn Green Hairstreak.

Mating Common Blues

Green Hairstreak

Bentley Wood, Wiltshire - 2 June 2013

There was a forecast for sunshine so we decided to try our luck at finding butterflies at Bentley Wood. The emergence times have been running late with the cold weather that we've had lately so we really weren't sure what we'd find since Pearl-bordered should be finishing by now.

It was a struggle at first but we managed to find some lepidotera in the brief spells of sunshine.

 Pearl-bordered Fritillary

One of only two Duke of Burgundy

We managed to get a few shots of an aberrant male Pearl-bordered Fritillary.

There was no sign of Small Pearl-bordered or any skippers. But we did manage to catch up with a Brimstone and a Broad-bodied Chaser.

 Brimstone on Bluebells

 Broad-bodied Chaser

 One of the numerous Speckled Yellow Moth

There were some beautiful plants on the reserve.

 Milk Maids or Cuckoo Flower

Ragged Robin

Then we tried another part of the wood and tracked down some elusive Marsh Fritillaries.

 

Marsh Fritillaries

 

Marsh Marigold

Stanwell Moor - 1 June 2013

We went for an evening session, mainly to check out whether we had a Starling roost, so were slightly alarmed, as we drove down, to find that a Little Ringed Plover on the access road, was behaving as though there were chicks close by. We stopped the car and saw a small chick close to some piping. It didn't sit tight as we expected and decided to make a run for it. Without the benefit of the hand net we were most surprised to manage to catch it. There was no sign of any other chicks so it was quickly processed and returned to the gravel, and we went to put up the nets.

We set three nets in the reeds, two between the brambles and a single in the filter bed. We only got 8 birds, but there were a couple of new Reed Warblers, one from last year and another, Y224407, that was done at Bedfont, one of the groups other sites, on the 26th August 2012 as a 3. There was also a retrapped 4F Reed Bunting, Y335436, done on 21st April 2012 and then aged 4.

 4F Reed Bunting

We were able to confirm that the Starlings are back, with some 200 individuals roosting around the lake edge - in exactly the same place as last year. We even managed to catch one of the juveniles.

3J Starling

Totals: 5 (3)

Little Ringed Plover - 1
Reed Warbler - 2 (2)
Blackcap - 1
Starling - 1
Reed Bunting - 0 (1)