Valezinas

Bucknell Wood has to be one of, if not the favourite place of mine to visit locally for wildlife. July too is, for me the best time to visit, with the place crawling with life!

The butterflies in particular, are a big draw for me, with a fab variety of common and rarer species too and I've now recorded 26 species (and counting) in total here. This year has been great, however I just wished I could've spent more time here exploring!

There have been a handful of major highlights in Bucknell for me this year. The first was the discovery of only the second ever White-Letter Hairstreak for the site. Somewhat fortuitously, it landed right in front of me, began nectaring on a bramble flower for a short while, before shooting back up to the treetops!

Since then Doug Goddard, the Northants Butterfly recorder managed to find another in a different part of the wood. Checking this area last Saturday (25/07) I managed to see 1, possibly 2 in the oaks above the brambles where Doug had seen his. So it appears there maybe more here than first thought!

Another main highlight is the continued occurrence of Valezina Silver-Washed Fritillaries. These are a rare form of female Silver-Washed. Last year I managed to find one rather mobile specimen, however this year I've managed to see 2 possibly 3 individuals, getting some far better photos too! They are stunning creatures, looking rather metalic! They're behaviour too appears to be slightly different, often sticking to more shady areas of the wood.

Thankfully, the wood is clinging onto a tiny population of Purple Emperors, however it appears the rather reckless tree felling the Forestry Commission have carried out over the winter and early spring may well have affected numbers. The good news is there have been a couple of sightings. I personally had a particularly brief view of one zooming along the treetops back on 19/07, while someone else not known to me had rather better views of one, gaining some good photographs earlier on in the month apparently. In the absence of any pics from me this year here's a couple taken in Bucknell last year!

The site has become a great place for Silver-Washed Fritillaries and this year has been no exception. Visiting early last Saturday (25/07) morning, there were easily around 30 and that was just in the eastern part of the wood!

Purple Hairstreaks appear to be in reasonable numbers, though getting a decent look at one without the use of binoculars is rare! Luckily for me, one did come down reasonably close on 19/07.

  















White Admirals don't appear to be in quite the numbers they were in last year but there have still been a fair amount knocking about.

The continued presence of the tiny colony of Essex Skippers continues to hang on with maximum of 3 seen at any one time, together with several Small Skippers. The Large Skippers in Bucknell appear to be in rude health, as do the Ringlets & Meadow Browns. I also had my first couple of Painted Lady in Bucknell, as part of the mid-summer influx into the country.

On the bird front, the place is alive with young birds mainly tits, Goldcrests & warblers. There's has also been a couple of Siskin sightings, as part of a recent influx from the continent after a particularly good breeding season. The odd Spotted Flycatcher as also been on show, but on the whole they have been very elusive.

South coast nearctics

On Sunday 12/07, Andrew Dove and I decided to go on a bit of a twitch to the south coast for a pretty fab double-header in the form of the long staying Greater Yellowlegs in Hampshire and the Hudsonian Whimbrel frequenting Pagham Harbour in West Sussex. Both lifers for me, with the Whimbrel a lifer for Andrew. In other words, a potentially very good day ahead!

Following a very early start, Andy drove us down on what was a pretty dreary day. The roads were a breeze and we arrived at Titchfield Haven, a little east of Southampton in just under 2 hours!

We parked up by the River Meon on the edge of the reserve in very breezy conditions. We began scanning from the roadside, soon finding several Black Tailed Godwit, but as yet, no Yellowlegs. Walking round to the reserve entrance, we were annoyed to find the reserve and hides didn't open until 09:30am!! Being about 07:45am, this was far from ideal!! What is the point of a nature reserve opening that late...ridiculous!!

It would've been a right pain to go on to the Hudsonian Whimbrel and then having to come back. We kept scanning about but nothing. Undecided what to do, we walked back towards the car. Walking along the road, I could see the Godwits were a bit closer and immediately spotted with the naked eye a bird that look different and very Yellowlegs-like. And there it was, Greater Yellowlegs!

For the next 45 minutes or so, it showed really, really well, feeding very close to the road together with several Godwits and Black Headed Gulls.

Once we'd had our fill of the Yellowlegs, we jumped in the car and headed off east for 40 minutes or so, along to Pagham Harbour.

The walk out from the RSPB Pagham Harbour car park to the Church Norton end was a fairly lengthy one, however was a pretty pleasant one despite the rather gloomy skies. The paths were littered with numerous Gatekeepers and there were plenty of Whitethroat en route.

The Siddlesham Ferry Pool, right by the road looked awesome for waders and not surprisingly there was a few bits to see. Best was a moulting adult Spotted Redshank, as well as a small gathering of Avocet, Black Tailed Godwits and a couple of Ringed Plover.

It began to rain but thankfully not too long before we made it to the hide at the Church Norton end. We began scanning and soon racked up a nice variety of birds as the tide gradually began to recede. 

Waders included about 6 or 7 standard Whimbrel, a few Grey Plover, Turnstones, Black Tailed Godwits, 3 Common Sandpipers, Ringed Plovers, Redshank, Dunlin, Oystercatchers & Curlew (including an awesome looking Leucistic bird!).

Terns too were very much in evidence with a sizable colony of Sandwich Terns, regular Little Terns fishing the channels and the odd Common Tern about too.

Sadly though, despite several hours of scanning the mud and channels, wandering around and scanning from the hide, we drew a blank on the Hudsonian Whimbrel. By mid-afternoon, we were tired and hungry and decided to call it a day and head for home.

It had though been a great day and a good laugh too! I had a quick look at birdguides while waiting in traffic on the A34 on the way home. Wish I hadn't! The 'Hud' was now showing in front of the hide!! But nevermind you can't win them all and to see my first Greater Yellowlegs at such close quarters was a more than adequate prize! 

Purple Emperors

On Saturday 11/07 I was playing cricket at Upper Benefield in the north of Northants and this coincided nicely with the Purple Emperor emergence over at nearby Fermyn Woods. So, for the morning I had a good wander round.

I'd walked no more than 50 yards from the car before a male Purple Emperor tantalisingly circled the path for a short while before zooming off to some nearby oaks. Good sign!

Walking around in the early morning sunshine, I managed to see several Emperors either on the paths (including a freshly emerged female), or zooming around the treetops.

A couple of White Admiral, several Silver-Washed Fritillaries and a smart Marbled White also showed themselves. What was a particular highlight though were my first confirmed sightings of White-Letter Hairstreak with several on view in Lady Wood. While they were pretty high up, I still managed to get some very decent binocular views.

I enjoyed these little beauts for a short while before it gradually clouded over, signalling my time to head off to the game!

Mid-summer at Grimsbury

The mid-summer doldrums have been well and truly in place at Grimsbury Reservoir, Banbury for much of June and early July, where bird movement ceases for a short while before gradually, slowly but surely, things liven up again through July & August.

The place though has been alive with life, particularly insects, despite the poorly-advised, constant grass cutting undertaken by presumably Thames Water.

On the butterfly front, I had sightings of a couple of migrant Painted Ladies on 01/07, while others species have included several Marbled White, Small & Large Skippers, lots of Meadow Browns, Ringlets, Small Tortoiseshells and the first Gatekeepers too. 2nd brood Green-Veined & Large White have also began to rise in number as well as the odd handsome Red Admiral and Comma too for good measure!

Particularly along the river, dragonflies & damselflies have also been in abundance. Several Brown Hawkers & Emperor Dragonflies have been evident, as well as lots of Banded Demoiselles and a small colony of the uncommon White-Legged Damselfly (below), a new one for me, discovered by Gareth Blockley.

On the bird front, we've had as many as 4 Common Terns arrive and settle for sometime from mid-June, seemingly setting up a rather late territory, possibly suggested a failed breeding attempt elsewhere. 2 have remained well into July where they have continued to look settled.

There's also been a small push of Common Sandpipers through as well as the odd appearance from a male Little Ringed Plover, presumably lingering in the area post-breeding. Warblers are becoming increasingly less evident, though did recently hear a Lesser Whitethroat singing away by the river, while we're still hearing the odd burst from Blackcap, Whitethroats and Chiffchaff, while Garden Warbler are around if a bit elusive.

Fingers crossed now for some early autumn goodies to add to the already impressive 2015 Grimsbury yearlist!

More Orchids & Black Hairstreak

Sunday 28/06 was a rather murky, breezy day, however it was a free day for me to go out and look for wildlife so regardless of the weather I headed out!

I started at Summer Leys near Wellingborough for a bit of birding and to enjoy some of the orchids on show here. Once the rain had relented I headed for the main Pioneer Hide seeing a fair few Southern Marsh Orchids between here and the car. Most were past their best but one or two were still looking in decent shape.

The scrape was alive with birds including an adult and 2 fairly well grown Redshank, 3 adult LRP, and quite a few adult and chick Lapwings. The 2nd-summer Mediterranean Gull that has been present since the spring soon flew around the scrape before joing a small group of Black Headed Gulls.

Having taken in everything here, I drove round to Mary's lake and went for a wander to the meadows at the back of the lake to look for more Orchids. I soon found a lonely, beautiful little Pyramidal Orchid.

Further on, I came across a handful of Bee Orchid and a Marbled White under a leaf, sheltering from the light drizzle.

This area also produced plenty more Pyramidal Orchids. They really are proper stunning! The sun tried it's best to break through for a short while, suddenly bringing out quite a few Marbled White seemingly from nowhere!

I headed back to the car. Despite the cloudy and breezy conditions, I decided to pay Glapthorn Cow Pasture a visit for the Black Hairstreaks. It would probably be my only chance this year to see them so thought sod it, I'd give it a go. If you don't buy a ticket, you don't win the raffle!

After the never-ending drive up past Oundle and across to Glapthorn, I arrived to find not a single car parked up. It appeared I was the only one there. Not really surprising though. The continued cloud and wind were hardly conducive for butterflying!! Still, I remained optimistic and to be honest, pretty cheered by the fact I had the place to myself in Black Hairstreak season, an occurrence pretty much as rare as the species themselves!

Walking along the path further encouragment came with several Meadow Brown and Speckled Wood were still flying around despite the lack of sun. I walked down to the favoured Hairstreak nectaring spot and began meticulously gazing across the sea of bramble flowers for a twirling hairstreak. After no more than a minute had gone by when a butterfly crusied past my pace and circled the bramble in front of me before landing. It was dark and my immediate reaction was Ringlet, but no it bloody wasn't, it was a Black Hairstreak!! WOW how lucky was that!

It sat on a leaf for about 15 seconds, angling it's wings to the sky, trying and presumably failing to gain some heat. It then shot off up into the far more familiar surroundings of the top of a nearby blackthorn. Hearing how frustrated people have been getting there waiting hours and hours for one to come down, I was just a little bit smug, not only finding one straight away, but also to have it completely to myself!

Over the next hour and a half or so, I saw anywhere between 5-10 in the same general area around the tops of the blackthorn, however despite a few periods of prolonged sun, I had no further sightings up close. Still, I went home very happy!!