And more Butterflies Saturday 10th August

Late afternoon I took Frank for his walk back to Windover Hill in search of the Graylings. Walking up the hill loads of Chalk Hill Blues but not in the number of last week.

 

Chalk hill Blue

Also found a Small Copper

Small Copper

On the same flowers last week were several Painted Ladies but this week full of Small Tortoiseshell

Small Tortoiseshell

Also found this one, where the Graylings are supposed to be,  which I think is a Wall

Wall (possible)

This one back on the path near the car park is a definite Wall.

Wall

Back home this comma was on the Budliea.

Comma

Sunday 5th August - More Butterflies

Having had a first yesterday with the White Admiral I wanted more so interupted Paul J in the pub for suggestions as to where to go and was recomended Windover Hill.

Starting at Wilmington, walking over Windover Hill to Jevington and back via Friston Forest we picked up a good selection, not bad for a second attempt by a novice. I thought Butterflies would be easy to photograph but they don't stay still, you have to get up close, also they can fly quite fast!

Small Skipper

Small Skipper

Chalkhill Blues

 

Chalkhill Blue



Comma

Brimstone

Marbled White

Marbled White

Painted Lady

Species found where Chalkhill Blues by the hundreds, 1 Comma, 2 Marbled Whites, several Painted Ladies, loads of Gate Keepers and Meadow Browns, 1 Red Admiral, 1 Fritillary poss. Silver Washed,  Peacocks, 2 Small Skippers, Large and Small Whites, Brimstone. 

Saturday 3rd August Brede Woods - Getting into Butterflies

 With this lovely fine weather and several butterflies around the garden, I thought I would try Brede Woods for the late afternoon dog walk as I had never seen a White Admiral, apart from loads of Gate Keepers I also found.

Clouded Yellow



Small White

  Lots of Large Whites, lots of Meadow Browns




Meadow Brown



Ringlet

Ringlet

And eventually my target the White Admiral a bit worn with a hole in its wing.

White Admiral

White Admiral



White Admiral



 

(Most odd never having seen one before, 3 days later one turns up in the garden)



Sunday 28th July Dungeness Wood Sandpipers

A visit to Dungeness with Fred started off at the power station looking for the Black Redstart, but with quite strong winds there was nothing showing other than an oriental pissing up the side of the new hide. A look at the patch found loads of B.H. Gulls, a few common and Sandwich Terns. A walk around the Observatory and the Old Lighthouse found nothing so we went to the ARC pit. Loads of Lapwing, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 4 Wood Sandpipers, and a Black-necked Grebe in summer plumage.





Wood Sandpiper amoung Lapwing

Roseate's Tern at last Sunday 21st July

Work being manic as usual at this time of the year, so much so I have had to stop my Tuesday evening Beach Watch at Rye.

On Sunday at last I was able to take a trip over to Rye to look for the Roseates Tern but being early morning the light was so bad that I was unable to view the Terns accurately.

So late afternoon I took another look in the 27 deg. heat and within 5 minutes from the Denny Hide I found 1 and then another Roseates. I was trying to take a pic at long range of the pair but I only ever got a pic of 1,  but sure there was 2 of them. ( 2 Reported and photographed at Dunge the next day)

A good tick for this year but still well behind compared to last.

American Golden Plover Friday 14th June.

On Tuesday 11th June pm Matt Eade found an American Golden Plover at the Cuckmere estuary, I was suffering from a bad back and couldn't face the journey, still showing on the Wednesday but still couldn't face it. Thursday had to catch up with work, Friday still had to work but by lunchtime I had had enough and the Plover was still there so 1 more job early afternoon and set off to see it. Arriving at 5.00pm a quick walk along the riverbank passing a couple of birders saying its showing well and you won't need your scope was encouraging.

I believe this is the 3rd ever in Sussex, the last being 1988 at Pagham, and my second the first being in Norfolk October 2010 but that was at great distance amoung 2000 Golden Plover. Another contender for Bird of the Year.

So glad I went on Friday as sure enough it did the Friday night flit and no reports on the Saturday

Suffolk and Norfolk Weekend of 1st June.

On the spur of the moment with a good weather forcast I decided on friday eve to go to Lakenheath and then on to Norfolk. Checking Birdguides Saturday morning the Savi's Warbler was still at Lakenheath so left about 10.30am with the caravan and getting set up at Mildenhall I was on Lakenheath RSPB by 4.00pm. A quick walk to the far end of the reserve passing several calling Cuckoos, stopping and viewing a calling Grasshopper Warbler I arrived to join the 40 or so twitchers hoping to see the Savi's. Chatting to a couple of birders who had been there since 9.00am and hadn't seen or heard it wasn't looking promising. An hour later a faint call and a brown blob was in a bush where the experts agreed that was it. 10 seconds later it was gone.

The only pic I got was an empty bush but I had at least seen it.
Another half hour passed and no further sign so I set off to Weeting Heath. In the hide several other birders I recognised from Lakenheath put me onto a distant Stone Curlew.

We also found another sitting on a nest but only the head appeared - will try tomorrow for another look.

Early Sunday morning I set off to North Norfolk and on approaching Wells I got a  B.G. text to say the Bluethroat was still there. and by 8.00am I was watching it with about 20 others. Showing really well in the sunlight through the scope but sadly too distant for a reasonable pic.

While watching it flit from bush to bush, dropping into the reeds and back again all the birds went up including the gulls as an Osprey went over our heads.

The Bluethroat dropped down into the reeds again, so I set off to walk towards Blakeney point to try to find the Short-toed Lark reported yesterday.

 Eventually finding a few Skylarks I was looking for one a bit smaller and no streaking on its chest. The best I could come up with was this one but I have my doubts.

Considering the habitat looking for one bird was a needle in a haystack

Having walked for 2 hours past the halfway house and around the hood I headed back to the carpark seeing the nesting Little, Common and Sandwich Terns, Oyks and Ringed Plover plus numerous Reed Buntings

 And Linnets

With no new news from from Bird Guides I headed for Titchwell seeing a pair of Red Crested Pochard, from the hide a Spoonbill

 Avocet

 5 Little Gulls

 Plus summer plumage Knot, Bar-tailed Godwits, Sanderling and Dunlin. On the reedbed pool were a pair of Garganey

A drive around North Creake in hope of spotting a Montys was a waste of time and ended up back at Weeting Heath hoping for a better look at the Stone Curlews but all I could see was the head of the one on the nest.

Up early on Monday am before heading for home I went back to Lakenheath hoping for an Oriole but neither sight or sound of them. Heading for the Savis Warbler I heard several Cuckoos, passed the reeling Grasshopper Warbler arriving at the Savi's site with no one there didn't look promising. Ten minutes passed and I heard him call and then he popped up to the top of the reeds.

 For the next 15 minutes he called and showed well, though mobile.

A good end to a great weekend with perfect weather and my own company.