Birds, Butterflies and Orchids

A glorious weekend with plenty of sunshine and warm temperatures and we had a very busy time ahead of us.  On Saturday we were taking a delightful couple from London into the New Forest meeting them at lunchtime and going through to dusk.  Before we left a message came through to say a Wood Sandpiper was in the bay so Nick popped out quickly and found the bird, which also started singing.   

It seemed a good start to the day! We started at Acres Down and up the hill to the viewpoint for a bit of raptor watching.  It didn’t take long before a male Goshawk was found perched in a tree giving great scope views.  A Cuckoo was calling continuously and everywhere we went we heard them even late into the evening when it was quite dark.  The stars of the show were definitely the Wood Larks with very good views, on the ground, flying and eventually even singing.

We arrived at Holmsley in the evening to wait for dusk and the more specialist birds to be found here.  It was quite late before the first Woodcock appeared only to rode once which seemed strange.  Then the amazing sound of the first churring Nightjar, only just back in so it was good to hear them again.  We heard at least four individuals but unfortunately we did not see them, but then the Snipe started their “yapping” call.  We were heady with all the sound and then the familiar grunt of a Woodcock which flew one area of the heath across in front of us to the woodland on the other side.  A superb way to finish our day.

Our Sunday monthly group met at Martin Down and were greeted in the car park by singing Yellowhammer, Chiffchaff and Skylark.  Crossing over to Kitts Grave our first butterfly of the day was Small Blue, back to birds we had a Tree Pipit singing from the wire and Common Whitethroat.  Walking the woodland path we had Speckled Woods and Brimstone butterflies, singing Blackcaps and the quiet call of a Bullfinch.  There were Bluebells and Ransoms just going over and the simple but lovely Woodruff.  Though we never did see any of the Blackcaps we heard we did get to see a female Bullfinch.   We also had Song Thrush, Willow Warbler and Green Woodpecker.  We found a few spikes of Early Purple Orchids now just past their best, while the Common Spotted Orchids were not quite out yet and a Roman Snail was found on the path. 

Woodruff with accompanying Crab Spider

Back on to the main reserve we had Yellowhammers, Skylarks and Common Whitethroats with us all the time but it was the butterflies and plants that kept our attention.  Nick was the one to spot the very tiny Early Gentian and we found two plants, but the Burnt Orchids made an amazing display and drew many admirers.  We also had some beautiful butterflies and a full list is below.

Early Gentian © Nick Hull

Burnt Orchid © Nick Hull

Small Blue, Speckled Wood, Brimstone, Dingy Skipper, Green-veined, White Peacock, Grizzled Skipper, Marsh Fritillary, Adonis Blue, Small Copper, Green Hairstreak, Common Blue, Orange Tip & Brown Argus.

Brown Argus © Nick Hull

Wiltshire, Dorset & Hampshire visits this week

Monday 5th May - Wiltshire & Poole Harbour

Bank Holiday Monday and the sun was shining excellent for our first outing to Bentley Wood this year.  Plenty of Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and Goldcrest singing as we walked to the Eastern clearing and almost immediately we had a Pearl-bordered Fritillary.   We were lucky to see quite a few and as we searched for a Duke of Burgundy we had Tree Pipit, Marsh Tit and Garden Warbler.   However the Duke avoided us, though we did see Brimstone, Orange Tip, Peacock and Speckled Wood.  A high flying Sable & Argent moth flew by and after a bit of a chase it did finally settle for a quick photo before it was off again.  We also noted Bee Fly, Early Bumblebee Bombus pratorum, Green Tiger Beetle and it was nice to see some Water Avens Geum rivale in flower.

Our next stop was on Salisbury Plain, as it was early afternoon we didn't expect to much, however Skylark and Meadow Pipits were displaying, Corn Buntings, Yellowhammers and Whitethroats singing.  Our highlight was definitely a splendid male Whinchat sat up a little mound, occasionally running down to pick up a morsel and then back up again.  Using the car as a hide meant we were able to be close without disturbing him at all, until someone came in front of us and took 2 excited dogs for a walk!  We finished with a very distant Stone Curlew, so a brilliant day.

Male Whinchat - Salisbury Plain

Actually our day hadn't finished, hearing that a Spotted Crake had been heard in Poole Harbour we just had to go back out again in the evening.  We started at Middlebere whilst still light and listened to Dartford Warbler and Song Thrush, while a fox stood on the road watching us with interest.  As darkness fell a Snipe started drumming, such a wonderful sound and though we could hear him we couldn't see him.   On to Ridge to listen for the Spotted Crake, we were lucky almost straight away thankfully as it then started raining and became far too heavy to listen any more.

Tuesday 6th May - Longham Lakes

Longham Lakes near Ferndown our venue for the Tuesday group, walking round the South Lake.  Lots of Swifts hawking over the lake with a few Swallows and House Martin.  Whitethroats were in good voice in the hedgerows and Reed Buntings in good numbers as usual.  Along the causeway in a small reed bed we had 3 Reed Warblers and further on another couple of males singing.  A Cetti's Warbler gave it's loud short song and in the distance a Cuckoo.

Singing Reed Bunting - Longham Lakes

Wednesday 7th May - Bolderwood

This time it was our monthly Wednesday group meeting at Bolderwood and we started on a high.  Fran pointed our Redstart on the other side of the green, we were then treated to super views of a pair and Jess had a pair of Bullfinch nearby.  Then Joe bought our attention to our raptor and Nick quickly called "Goshawk", we all managed to get a good view of it as it flew low overhead.  Through the wood we had songs of both Goldcrest and Firecrest but views were very difficult to obtain.   A Marsh Tit did prove more confiding but it was the Wood Warbler that stole the show.  We heard the Wood Warbler singing and were able to get close enough to watch it giving that little "shimmy" as it poured his heart and soul into his song.  Such a beautiful warbler and a distinctive song. 

On our walk we noted Red Admiral, Speckled Wood and Green-veined White butterflies, Bloody-nose Beetle, Water Measurer, and Fallow Deer and Nick found a very busy Wood Ant nest.

A Day of Firsts

Yesterday was a day of "firsts" as when I came to update the list for the last blog Common Redstart and Swift were new for the year.  When we arrived home we decided that we had to get down and do some of the domestic duties, so we decided to do some gardening.  As you know, if you're into wildlife, you easily get distracted and I noticed a butterfly on the Choisya which turned out to be a Comma our first for the garden this year.

Comma in the garden © Nick Hull

After our chores were done and a well deserved drink break we had a walk around Lytchett Heath in the hope of seeing a few reptiles.  All we found was a Common Lizard followed shortly after by another first for the year for me on the Patch a pair of Large Red Damselflies in tandem.

Large Red Damselflies - Lytchett Heath © Nick Hull

Fritham, New Forest

Up early and out the door into a very cold morning to meet everyone at Fritham in the New Forest for a slightly late Dawn Chorus by the time everyone had arrived.  But there was a lot of bird sound going on with Blackbirds, Robins, Wren, Chaffinch, Wood Pigeon, Blackcap and Blue and Great Tits just from the car park.  Just as we moved off towards Eyeworth Pond Jackie brought our attention to a distant Cuckoo.  Our walk down to the pond added Goldcrest and Chiffchaff and once at the pond the local Mallards were accompanied by five drake Mandarin.  We stood listening and watching by pond for a while and watched the comings and going of various common species coming to bird food which someone had put out and we had good views of Marsh Tit and Nuthatch taking an advantage of this extra food supply.  

Drake Mandarin one of five Eyeworth Pond

Continuing on we could hear Stock Dove singing from somewhere deep in the wood, then I heard one of our target birds of the day a Common Redstart. He was a little hard to find but Jackie managed to pick him out at the top of an oak and we had reasonable scope views.  As we moved out onto the heath we needn't have worried as we came across several pairs and had a chance to see the female birds.  As we walked on we had plenty to look at and as we neared the point where we were to turn and head back on our circular route, I scoped across the plain to the north as I saw a raptor soaring high over the wood and had an unexpected surprise it was a male Goshawk.  Fortunately everyone got onto it quickly before it went into a shallow stoop and was gone from view behind the wood.  We were on a bit of a roll here as just after a 'crest' was picked up in a holly bush and it popped out to revealed itself as a Firecrest.  

Todays group walking back happy after seeing Goshawk

As we walked back across the heath feeling lucky on seeing the Goshawk we had no idea that we had another surprise in store for us before the walk ended.  Out on the heath we added Skylark and Meadow Pipit both treated us to their flight songs.  A little further on near some farm building we added Grey Wagtail a super male foraging for food, no doubt expectant hungry young were nearby.   Just before we arrived back at the car park something caught my eye soaring above us putting up my bins to get a better view there was no mistaking what it was once you saw the deep forked tail a Red Kite was moving south over us.  While admiring this bird we added Swift, House Martin and Sand Martin, what a way to end a walk.  

Bumblebee Workshop

Nick and I had a great day on Saturday in Winchester attending a Bumblebee Workshop.  I've long wanted to learn about Bumblebees and how to identify them, so this hands on day was just what I needed.  

So yesterday we were out in the garden trying to identify some of the bees we found on our flowers, between the showers anyway.  We were surprised how many there were though of course many were the same species or not a True Bumblebee or Cuckoo Bumblebee, for example Osmia rufa (Red Mason) bee.

We actually found four species and though we were told that we should only use the scientific name we have also put the known English name.   So hopefully we've not made a mistake with our identification.

Bombus pascuorum (Common Carder Bee)

Bombus hypnorum (Tree Bumblebee)

Bombus terrestris (Buff-tailed Bumblebee)

Bombs pratorum (Early Bumblebee).

Nick took a few photos:

Bombus hypnorum

                                              Bombus pratorum

                                           Bombus terrestris - Queen

                                           Bombus terrestris - Queen

                                          Bombus terrestris - Queen

In Search of Nightingale's

This morning Jackie and I were out pretty early with the group to a known site on the Isle of Purbeck in search for Nightingale. We were not sure if we would be lucky as we visited a few day ago and the only migrants we saw or heard were Blackcap and Chiffchaff.  Anyway after gathering together we headed off on what was a very sunny and warming morning and almost immediately Jackie heard a Goldcrest and we located it in a small fir tree singing his little heart out.  Just a few steps further on a Common Whitethroat was heard and sighted and we found three may four individuals in the scrub.  Chiffchaff and Blackcaps were also in good voice with a mix of Blackbird, Song Thrush, Robin, Dunnock,  Goldfinch and Wren all vying for songster of the morning.  It was only another twenty metres and I heard a distant 'tup,tup,tup,tup, pu,pu,puuu' from further along the path.  Walking another hundred to a hundred and fifty metres found us being serenaded not by one but two Nightingales superb.  Added to this a Grasshopper Warbler started his "reeling" song.

Snoozing Roe buck © Nick Hull

We listened and searched the bushes for a view as we listened for direction and it was Joe who picked a Nightingale out deep in the middle of a bush and he managed to get a scope onto it for all to see.  We spent quite a while here just listening to these wonderful songsters.  We managed to add Yellowhammer, Stonechat, Skylark a super relaxed buck Roe Deer and a few very young easter bunnies and a couple of very colourful cock Pheasants. Eventually we had to move on and we continued searching for bird, though we always keep and eye open for what other wildlife and be seen and Jess found our first Early Purple Orchids of the year.  Some of the group had two Field Voles, butterflies noted were Green-viened and Small White, Orange-tip, Peacock and Speckled Wood, and a Bloody-nose Beetle crossed the path in front of us all very nice to see.

Early Purple Orchid

Bloody-nose Beetle © Nick Hull

From a vantage point at the top of the hill we could view across the Poole harbour basin and dotted around in the sky were several pairs of Common Buzzards all enjoying the thermals.  I was able to check the Osprey post down in the Middlebere Channel and there was what looked like a bird of prey sitting on it was it could have been an Osprey or just another buzzard the distance was just to great.  Overhead we had a steady trickle of Swallows and a few House Martins.  We did hear a few Yellow Wagtails going over though difficult to see.

Here is a link to our audio/video page with a short recording made by Jackie on her iphone of the Nightingale and Grasshopper Warbler singing this morning.

http://www.twoowlsbirding.co.uk/www.twoowlsbirding.co.uk/Video_Clips.html

Hartland Moor

I started the day again at the moth trap and this morning produced 38 moths of 17 species new for the garden Brindled Beauty & Acleris Kochiella a small tortrix and new for the year were Muslin Moth and Brimstone.

Fresh Brimstone Moth from this mornings trap

Later in the morning we met our small group at Middlebere and walked around Hartland Moor.  From where we parked our cars most heard and saw Long-tailed Tits and our first Cuckoo of the spring and watched Meadow Pipit.  We started by walking the old tramway across the heath and Goldfinch, Linnet, several pairs of Linnet and Dartford Warbler, Stonechat and a couple of Willow Warbler were all seen well.

One of several Dartford Warblers seen today

We also recorded several species of butterfly,  Peacock, Brimstone and Small Tortoiseshell. As we walked on we had a couple of Skylark having a sing-off over the moor and several Buzzards were enjoying the thermals and soaring high above.  Our returning route took us back across the heath where we recorded several Chiffchaff and saw more butterflies and adding Green-veined White and Speckled Wood to our list. The silver sand of the path we were taking attracted a good number of Green Tiger Beetles.

One of many Green Tiger Beetle seen today

We crossed the road and started to head towards Middleber, here we had more of what we had already seen Meadow Pipits, Linnets, Dartford Warbler, Stonechat, Chaffinch and Willow Warbler also commoner species like Robin Dunnock, Blackbirds and Wrens. A male Kestrel graced the sky as it went about finding itself lunch.  We stopped and scoped the Wytch Channel in the hope of waders but Curlew, Shelduck, Mallards and a few gulls were all that was present.  Jess spotted a Treecreeper but it didn't stay for all to see. Though the best bird here was picked up by Jackie an immature female Marsh Harrier came up the channel quartering the reed bed before heading off towards Middlebere.

One of Many Linnets enjoying todays sun

It was here that the group split Jackie with most of the group headed towards the cars for lunch, but myself along with Liz and Joe, continued on along the ridge to look over Middlebere channel to see if an Osprey was perch in the favoured dead trees but there was no sign.  We did connect with the Marsh Harrier again and had a Wheatear sunning herself.  Jackie and the others had a Large Red Damselfly to add to our day list.  But I think one of the star sightings of the day was when we were sat in the car having lunch Liz called there is a green lizard if fact we found four different individuals a Common and the rest were Sand Lizards so I grabbed the carmera and managed a few shots.  Nice end to the morning.

Super male Sand Lizard photographed at lunchtime