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Back on home ground and another visit out to Old Moor RSPB the forecast was reasonable so I was hoping for a few Dragons/Damselflies but of course the first visit was out to the Bittern Watch area to try for a glimpse of mother going to and fro from the nest area, this time we hit the mark, short and sweet it was but see it we did. Whilst watching we also Great Crested Grebe, Tufted Duck and a Male Common Blue Butterfly

http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/placestovisit/dearnevalley/b/dearnevalley-blog/archive/2012/05/28/breeding-bittern-at-rspb-old-moor.aspx

Off we trotted back towards the centre seeing Blue Tailed Damselflies, Azure Damselflies, Common Blue Damselflies. We finally made it to the wader scrape hide hearing and seeing along the way Chiffchaff, Reed Warbler and Willow Warbler from the hide we could see Little Ringed Plover, Avocets, Redshank but not the Ringed Plover, looks like another visit. Did manage a few photos not of birds they were too far off
 Fly (Calliphora vomitoria)

Soldier Beetle – Cantharis nigricans

Remember the Red, White and Blue quiz from Springwatch

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/natureuk/2012/06/knowing-your-damselflies—an.shtml#more

We decided on another trip out to Leighton Moss for the Bank Holiday taking in Tuesday (5th) and Wednesday (6th) this trip out we were hoping for some fine, warm weather for insect life but alas the weather wasn’t good so we spent our time around the Leighton Moss RSPB reserve.

We did see a good selection of birds including Marsh Harrier,Raven, Marsh Tit, Garganey, Spoonbill, Avocets and Little Gull. The weather did cheer up on the Wednesday afternoon so we did see Blue Tailed Damselflies along with Broad Bodied Chasers, for the full story, Photos and B&B details see the TRIPS tab > Leighton Moss and June 2012

Due to weather forecast, becoming warm, we decided spending our Bank Holiday Monday at Old Moor in the afternoon with the hope of seeing a dragons about. On arrival we made our way around the ponds before heading off to the Bittern watchpoint as we did we saw 4 Spotted Chasers (2), Azure, Blue Tailed and Large Red Damselflies as we made our way. From the Bittern watchpoint we saw Mallards and Tufted Ducks and once again no Bittern. Other wildlife on the reserve Small Copper and Common Blue Butterflies, other birds of note were the breeding Avocets now with young, Redshanks still about, Sand Martin, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Reed Warbler. A great afternoon with much going on birds, Bees, Damselflies, dragonflies, Bugs and Flowers

Species List in no order 🙂

Blue Tailed Damselfly, Azure Damselfly, Large Red Damselfly, 4 Spotted Chaser, Small Copper Butterfly, Common Blue Butterfly, Black Headed Gull, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Teal, Gadwall, Shoveler, Coot, Moorhen, Avocet, Redshank, Swift, Sand Martin, Willow warbler, Reed Bunting, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Mute Swan, Woodpigeon, Stock Dove,Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Pheasant, Great Tit

And a few Pictures 🙂

Well the dinner time patch watching at work finally brought some excitement this week when I found a Holly Blue Butterfly around the top pond area. It was a Red Admiral that caught my eye at first, being the first of the year, when I caught sight of a blue butterfly and first thoughts were of Common Blue, then it landed and on closer inspection, well you couldn’t see my face for the smile. The camera was in the bag and it was then a mad scramble needless to say by the time the camera was primed and pointing in the direction of the Holly Blue it was off. However 15 minutes later it reappeared after catching my eye again flying passed a Large White and settling into a nettle patch, I got the picture and closer looks at this little beauty along with the nettle rash up my arms, joy 🙂

End of the week (Friday 1st June) saw me back on one of the “Patch” Reservoirs, Langsett, been keeping away from Patch sites due to the Dog Fouling and out of controllable dogs scaring migrant birds I couldn’t watch it anymore and you end up watching where you’re treading rather than the wildlife, that’s the beauty of Old Moor and Potteric Carr. Anyway today saw me at Langsett and as I made my journey I could see the fog and drizzle over the moors and thought I was in for a bad morning but it turned out good, I saw Blackcap, Pied Flycatcher, Common Sandpiper, Cormorant, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Pied Wagtail and Meadow Pipit.

Saturday we where at Clumber Park mainly on a family day there were all the usual woodland species but we found this chap in the car when we returned from our walk, beauty 🙂

Longhorn Beetle (Rhagium bifasciatum)

I thought I would start the new month with a Patch Trip out to Langsett Res to do a bit of camera work and on my travels over I wish I hadn’t, drizzle and fog on the tops. I carried on but the plan had now changed from camera to birds and on arrival in the Langsett Barns Car Park things seemed to be picking up a bit.

On the reservoir was a lone Cormorant and a feeding Common Sandpiper on the dam wall. I headed to the woods to find my quarry for the day, I heard Willow Warblers, Chiffchaff and Blackcaps but not the birds I was looking for. I camped out near some nest boxes and saw Great Tits and Blue Tits coming and going, after a while I gave up, I was getting cold by now, and headed back along the path I had come down, a flock of birds caught my attention high in the tress, great a family party of Siskins male,female and young birds. It was whilst I was watching these that I caught sight of another bird out of the corner of my eye, there it was a beautiful Male Pied Flycatcher, now I  could go home for a warm (no pics)

List in no order :-

Blackcap, Willow warbler, Mistle Thrush, Robin, Blackbird, Jackdaw, Cormorant, Swift, Swallow, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Common Sandpiper, Pied Flycatcher, Siskin, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Meadow Pipit, Bullfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, Goldfinch

What a week I just don’t know where to start it’s been an exitciting week all in all with the week finishing on a high at Old Moor.

The start of the week saw me seeing 3 Common Buzzards, 1 being near where I live then another 2 at my place of work along with a Kingfisher at work and a pair of Grey Wagtails feeding young on the Brook. A Common Whitethroat near where I live was also another highlight.

Butterflies at work have been seen all week with Orange-tip and Small Coppers being seen most days along with Green-veined Whites, Comma, Peacocks and a Common Blue.

Thursday the 24th we were on a late night, very late, at Potteric Carrs Bat night we didn’t hear anything different to what we already know Common Pipistrelle, were the commonest of the night with Soprano Pipistrelles and a Noctule in support. The highlight of the night however was hearing the Bittern booming on several occasions

The Friday (25th) we finished the week at Old Moor RSPB with Damselflies everywhere despite the windy weather we saw Common Blue, Azure, and Large Red Damselflies, there was a report of a 4 Spotted Chaser which we didn’t see. Butterflies once again where still out with us seeing Dinky Skippers, Brimstone, Common Blue, Orange-tip and Holly Blue.

On the bird front at Old Moor at the moment there is Avocet along with chicks , Little Ringed Plover, Redshank and 2 Greenshank.

The excitement at the moment is the ID of a wasp, I am thinking along the lines of an Ancistrocerus wasp either nigricornis or gazella but one of the RSPB staff at Old Moor is thinking along different lines and maybe a Red Data Wasp, but this has to be confirmed, watch this space. Then to finish the day off I found a Large White Butterfly in my back garden
Small Copper

The Wasp in Question

More photos of the Day at My Flickr Site

Well what a difference a day can make Thursday was beautiful, sunny and warm everything it seemed had come alive, then Friday came, day out, the sun went in, it came cold, we were today going to Old Moor via Broadstones Reservoir area and found several Wheatear coming thru, my hunch was right. We arrived at Old Moor needless to say we didn’t stop long we had dressed apparently for Thursday not Friday Doh!,

The birds were good however and we added a few to the year list, Knot was seen from the wader scrape hide, also from here Avocet (4), Redshank, Lapwing, Dunlin (17), Swift, Swallow, Sand Martin, House Martin, Black-headed Gull. Back along Green Lane and a Lesser Whitethroat gave itself away with the familiar ‘rattle’ in its song, that was about it we were cold coffee called

Our weekend visit to Leighton Moss began on Friday the 4th of May we saw about 80 species of birds including Peregrine, Osprey, Marsh Harrier, Glossy Ibis, Raven, Marsh Tit, other wildlife included Red Deer, Butterflies and a Common Lizard, for the full story, Photos and B&B details see the TRIPS tab > Leighton Moss

We seem to be a little bit stuck on the Old Moor and Potteric Carr theme at the moment but that’s not a bad thing the nature at both sites is excellent and Potteric Carr wasn’t to disappoint today. It wasn’t long after arrival, near the Decoy Hide, that our ears were blasted by a Cettis Warbler from the bush near the pathway and after a bit of patience we managed to get some good views of this secretive warbler. Black-headed Gulls in abundance and seen from anywhere to roamed.

Beeston Hide after our dinner in the vain hope of catching the sound of the Bittern which had been booming over the last few days, alas we were beaten, after half an hour we gave in seeing only Pochard, Greylag Geese, Reed Bunting with Reed Warbler calling from the Phragmites, staying well hidden as they tend to do, we moved next door to the Willow Pool hide thinking we should hear the booming Bittern there if it decides to wake up. There was a bit more action here with the comings and goings to the feeders with Long Tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Willow Tit and Coal Tit making an appearance, we also enjoyed Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Wren, Dunnock, Reed Warbler, Magpie, Pheasants, Little Grebe, Mute Swan, Tufted Duck, Mallards and a male Great Spotted Woodpecker from our advantage point another grand day out.