The great Dark-Green Frit hunt

Having encountered Dark-Green Fritillaries on a handful of occasions in and close to Brackley in recent years, I was frustrated I couldn't find where they were coming from! So I was pleased that in late summer last year, I was told of a location near Croughton, where someone had reported several in 2022.

Sussing the area out in May / June suggested it looked promising and it was great to enjoy upwards of 200 Marbled Whites and plenty of grassland butterflies there. However, with Dark Green Fritillaries very much on the wing elsewhere, I was struggling to find any as June wore on.

Due largely to the run of recent wet weather, I'd not been able to return thereafter - peak time for DGFs! However on Sunday 23/07, the morning rain, turned to a hot, mostly sunny day, if a bit breezy! Having a couple of hours free, I thought it was worth another crack for DGFs, before most likely, they'd be gone for another year.

On arrival, it was teeming with butterflies, as it was the last time I visited, however the species make-up had evolved, with Marbled Whites now very down in number, however Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns and Skippers were abundant. Second brood Brown Argus were on show, actually outnumbering Common Blues. A Small Copper stuck to it's particular territory like glue and was a nice surprise - they are all too uncommon in recent years.

A good stomp around revealed a lovely spread of Field Scabious and Thistles, luring in a nice variety of butterflies, as well as quite a few Silver Y and Burnet Moths.

After a full circuit, in the corner of my eye, I noticed something big and orange on a scabious right in front of me. At long last - a Dark-Green Frit! It was so great to finally find one - I think I'd just been unlucky up until that point. I managed to follow it round for quite a while and when I lost it, soon bumped into it again.

Having walked one more circuit and racking up an impressive 19 butterfly species, I encountered yet another DGF, this time in a far tattier state. A pleasing end before driving home.

On the bird side of things, it's definitely, slowly getting interesting again as autumn begins rumbling into life. Waders are now moving - I had 16 Green Sandpipers at the Green Sand hotspot of Bicester Wetland on Friday 21/07.

Been to Grimsbury a few times racking up Common Sand and LRP, though best bird was a juvenile Redstart in the SW corner, which I caught up with on 17/07, showing bloody well for a Redstart!

When it hasn't been raining, I have spent some time in the garden and there's finally been an increase in butterflies! Best being a female Common Blue and an Essex Skipper, as well as an impressive 11 species on 20/07. The Foxes continue to show and Swift numbers have reached big numbers - easily up to 80 in recent days. Presumably swelled due to juveniles now being on the wing and perhaps at times added to by birds moving through (?)

Double Caspians and the Bee-eaters

Both Gareth B and I were pretty keen to see the Norfolk Bee-eater colony in Trimingham, having not got round to going last year. Hearing their initial breeding attempt had not been unsuccessful, we needed to get our arses in gear, in case they gave up and departed!

We decided upon a day off work and headed over on Monday 10/07. The drive was a long one, however we eventually arrived at the quarry watch point late morning and in no time were enjoying all 3 birds perched up on the wires and wizzing around the quarry, albeit at a bit of a distance. But very decent scope views were had and over the next hour or so, we watched them do their thing, swooping around taking bees and dragonflies. There was a fair bit of interest in two holes in the sandy cliffs, but it was relatively half-hearted and didn't necessarily indicate a concerted effort to try again in the near future sadly.

While watching the Bee eaters, we noticed a Caspian Tern had turned up at Potter Heigham Marshes in the broads some half an hour away. It had been absolutely years since my only one, at Stanwick GPs in I think 2003! It would also be a UK lifer for Gareth so worth the drive over.

Having got a tiny bit lost, as to where we needed to go, we eventually found our way down the long bumpy track to the site and parked up at the end - not before getting some nice views of our first Norfolk/Green-Eyed Hawker!

Viewing the marsh was tricky over the reeds, but we soon managed to scope the Caspian Tern from the bank, close to the car. We walked along a path round to the opposite side and gained better views, as it sat with Black-Headed Gulls. However, again it was a bit tricky finding a unobstructed view through the vegetation! The bird departed soon after, towards Hickling but returned a bit later as we walked back to the car. Other birds noted during our time there included 4 Spoonbill, a handful of Ruff, Bearded Tit and a few Marsh Harriers.

By now it was late afternoon, at which point we arranged to meet up with birding pal Johnny P who had by now finished work for the day. We agreed to meet him at Buckenham Marshes where we'd have a short look before heading round the corner to Strumpshaw. Amazingly, another different Caspian Tern had appeared on the Mill Pool at Buckenham and Johnny was already watching it when we arrived. We began the longish walk down to the Caspian, however halfway along, I looked up to see it zooming past us down the river! I scrambled for my camera, but only managed a couple of pics as it was already past us and heading in the direction of Strumpshaw. A shame, as the views of this beast from the east on the Mill Pool would've been lovely!

Not much going on at Buckenham apart from this, so having met up with Johnny, we headed to Strumpshaw as planned. A nice evening stroll around the reserve, with more good views of Norfolk/Green-Eyed Hawkers.

We hung about a bit for the showy juv Long-eared Owl but no show by about 19:15pm so we sacked it off and hit the road home. A tiring, hot old day, but a great day, spent with good friends. Very enjoyable!  

Emperors at last

I'd not had a particularly prolonged encounter with a Purple Emperor for a couple of years so it was high on the agenda this year - subject to weather and availability of course!

My first encounter of the year wasn't overly surprising, but then again slightly unexpected! Knowing they were on the wing and hopeful I may bump into one, we went for a family walk in Hazelborough Forest (south block) on 01/07. While walking along, chatting away, a male flew up from the path right in front of us! It circled all 3 of us, revealing that wonderful flash of purple and then cruised up to the top of a nearby oak. I was cursing that I hadn't spotted it sat there, but still was quietly happy for us to have had the encounter. Rivalling that, on the way back to the car was catching sight of a Hornet taking out a Speckled Wood butterfly, before preceding to quite literally tear it to shreds on nearby Bracken! An amazing encounter! 

The next day (02/07) I had the morning to myself to have a bit more of a concerted attempt at some woodlands butterflies. I decided to keep with tradition and have a proper scour of Bucknell Wood, near Silverstone.

Having pleasingly seen around 5 White-Letter Hairstreaks high up in their favourite Elm, I continued with my circuit, seeing White Admiral, Wood White and and 2-3 of my first Silver-Washed Fritillaries of the year. No Emperors by that point, whereby the sun was now firmly hidden by thick cloud. My wife then let me know she had left her car keys in my car and she was wanting about to go out with Luca - oh dear!

Back home I went to sort that out, then looked at the forecast. There was a potential for a little more sun so thought sod it, will give Bucknell another go!

On my return, I walked from the car park - it was super mild, but light cloud still lingered, with just the occasional flash of sun. I got to where the path dog-legs right, often a good spot. A Silver-washed Fritillary zipped up from the brambles onto a nearby Hazel. In looking for it with my bins, I came across a resting Purple Hairstreak and then further scanning a couple of branches up, amazingly a Purple Emperor! All three sat there for sometime, before the Emperor suddenly swooped down and promptly tried to unsuccessfully land on my leg. It continued to circle around low, buzzing a passing dog, before landing again up in one of the Yews. Eventually, there was a longer spell of sunshine which again lured the Emperor down. It swiftly zipped off down the path, but thankfully landed and finally I was able to enjoy some lovely prolonged views, close up! 

After sometime I left it and went back up the path, coming across another PH briefly down by the path dog-leg. But it wasn't all about the Emperors. I managed to encounter 17 species in total, a very decent haul for a day of intermittent sunshine!

I returned to Bucknell on Friday 07/07 after work on a hot sunny day, with the backdrop of the Silverstone Grand Prix practice session! The main feature was the shear numbers of Purple Hairstreaks down from their usual treetop home. I can confidently say it was the most I'd seen down, encountering them frequently as I walked round, either on brambles, on the path or fluttering low down around path-side vegetation. One particularly fresh specimen spent quite some time on the path, in pretty much the same location as my close-up Emperor encounter a few days previous. 

It was also great to come across a lovely fresh Valesina female Silver-Washed Frit, around the old car park brambles - my first of the year. Never get tired of seeing these stunning, metalic beauties!

A county tick and June round-up

Undoubted highlight of the first half of June, had to be FINALLY connecting with a Purple Heron in Northants! It was a species that had already eluded me on three previous occasions over the years and so the appearance of one on the scrape at Summer Leys, (the location of my previous PH dip no less) lured me over for an early morning visit on 11/06. To keep up with tradition, it was a complete no-show, naturally re-appearing for others later in the day. You had to laugh! A Hobby, Cuckoo and a family party of Redshank were my consolation prizes!

Still, I refused to give up and wanting to see my parents one evening the following week, I decided to combine with another go for the heron, as it obligingly continued to extend it's stay.

The evening of 13/06 was relatively still and sunny and in theory ideal conditions to find it. Having been reported not long before my arrival - I was quietly optimistic! Low and behold, it was on show and after a tricky period trying to locate it amongst the reeds, I finally clapped eyes on a Northants Purple Heron! It went on to show really well over the net 45 mins or so, allowing almost constant views before beginning to play a bit of hide and seek, which was my que to leave!    

Patch birding had slowed down, to it's usual mid-summer lull. However, a flurry of late spring action elsewhere, gave me hope of one or two bonus birds. Sanderling and Black Tern were the main two things showing up elsewhere and while Black Tern eluded me, I did gladly connect with a smart Sanderling at Grimsbury Res, on a sunny 01/06 evening!

The first part of June signifies the emergence of my favourite butterfly, the Marbled White! Luckily for me they are abundant around here and it is not difficult to find them once out. This year I enjoyed my first ones along the track to the Ardley ERF lagoon. A lovely flower-rich verge home to plenty of inverts, as well as Pyramidal and Bee Orchids.

Marbled Whites dominated the scene locally through the month - they seem to have had a good year.

There were easily 200 in grassland around the south west side of Croughton Airbase. This was a new area for me to try this year, on my search for local Dark-Green Fritillaries. None so far, but some promising areas. Having encountered a handful of random sightings in recent years - I know they're there somewhere! While there were no DGFs, these areas were full of inverts and worth exploring!

Wood Whites were late emerging this year, however I did eventually get to enjoy approximately 75 in Bucknell Wood on 11/06 - a pretty decent count! The odd Broad-Leaved Helleborine were emerging again too.

A few others from the month: