Huddsbirder

Here I was again but this time I was holidaying in nearby Whitby and with the family returning mid-week due to hospital appointments I found myself with a couple of days to spare, so I spent the time in the Fen Bog area. The weather was better than the last time I visit and the wildlife over the few days was better with some new species and some targets missed, which will be saved till next year.

There were good numbers of Narrow bordered 5 Spot Burnet Moths about this time, Swallows and House Martins, Black headed and Herring Gulls, a Kestrel, I also happened to disturb a Nightjar, which was soon up and back down again into cover. There were plenty of Ringlet Butterflies along with Meadow Brown Butterfly, Small and Large Skipper Butterfly, Common Blue Butterfly and lots of Small Heath Butterflies, and a new species for me Dark green Fritillary Butterfly, which was really hard to pin down I really given up trying to get a decent photo of one when I stumbled across one going back to the car, but no under-wing shots, well you can’t have everything.

On the dragonfly front I only managed to catch sight of Common Darter and Golden Ringed Dragonfly, but the best surprise for me was seeing my first Green Tiger Beetle, now these little beauties are really quick on their legs and it was hard to find one that was still enough for a decent photo, I really enjoyed watching these. Another find was the large fly called a Tachina grossa (see on my flickr photostream…a real beauty)

Things I missed which will mean a return trip next year were Keeled Skimmer and Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary

Golden Ringed Dragonfly

Green Tiger Beetle

Dark Green Fritillary

Here’s a couple of new nature reserve’s for me, Ben Rhydding Nature Reserve this ones near Ilkey and the Fen Bog Nature Reserve this ones up on the North Yorkshire Moors (Nr Whitby) both being good for Butterflies as well as other wildlfe.

Ben Rhydding was to be the first port of call in the morning sun and produced some excellent butterflies Comma, Small Tortoiseshell, Small Skipper, Large Skipper, Meadow Brown and Ringlet however the quarry we had come to look for did take some finding, we were looking around all the elm trees to no avail but were found feeding at eye level on thistles the White letter Hairstreak, we enjoyed for a while filling or boots with photos and excellent views of a butterfly that feeds mainly high in trees

White letter Hairstreak

It was then onward to the North York Moors in the vain hope of more butterfly species, we completely failed at Fen Bog probably now due to the overcast weather, so after lunch moved on to a place in wheeldale near a stream and ponds. We had better success here with 3 Common Crossbills, Chiffchaff, Swallows and Kestrel, butterflies on sight were Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Small Skipper, Speckled Wood and it was here we got sight of a Golden ringed Dragonfly

Todays trip was down to Fermyn Woods to have an audience with His Imperial Majesty (Purple Emperor Butterfly) it would be  a 2 1/2 hour drive with a pick up stop at Doncaster on route , we were of at 6am and hit the parking stop on sight for about 8:40am.

We were soon in the woods picking things up like Meadow Browns, Ringlets and Speckled Woods on route to the favoured Purple Emperor sights. We stopped off at one of my favoured sunny glades where we saw White Admiral, Large White, Large Skipper, and a Purple Emperor (H.I.M) , it was whilst a few of us were enjoying the Emperor that a White letter Hairstreak showed up alas all but briefly but I did manage a very poor photo of it as it went to ground in the long grass and hid.

We explored further into the woods stopping at various sunny glades enjoining the many butterflies stopping off at various bushes, we had wonderful views of many Emperors and White admirals during the course of the day, seen easily and very close as they came to ground on the woodland footpaths. Silver Washed Fritillary were also seen but on this visit all but briefly and high up. Commas, Small tortoiseshell were also seen and rumours of a Painted Lady.

We then decided on a new site on route North again at a place in Barnack called Hill and Holes where there is to be found the Chalkhill Hill Blue Butterfly….we didn’t find any on this occasion but I think we were a bit to early, however there were many Marbled White Butterflies to enjoy.

Our last stop was at the bridge on the Rutland Water Reservoir where we could see Osprey, Black tailed Godwit, Common Tern, Mallards, Egyptian Goose, Green Sandpipers, Coots, Moorhen, Swift, Swallows, Sand Martins and a fly thru Little Egret…great ending to a wonderful day

Purple Emperor

White Admiral

A quick visit out to the Bulcliffe colliery Sight to see if I could find any surprises to-day in the heat wave we were having at present.

There was a good number of Silver Y moths about long with a great number of Ringlet and Meadow Brown Butterflies on the wing, Common Buzzards overhead with Yellowhammer, Willow Warblers and Common Whitethroat singing from the bushes added to the wonderful stroll I was having around this small nature reserve, Small Heath, Common Blue, Large Skippers and Small Tortoiseshell Butterflies added to my short visit

Small Heath Butterfly

Hairy Shield Bug

Adventure weekend the the journey back home was to be with a stop off at Rutland water at the Lyndon Reserve for Osprey, todays weather was cloudy with wind, litle hope of more insect life today then. Down at the first hide the Ospreys could be seen, female at the nest with the male osprey close at hand. Other birds from here were Little Egret (5) Common Tern, and a surprise sight was a Little Tern . Sand Martin, Swallow and Swift were overhead.
Walking on top the other hide I found Chimney Sweeper Moths and Peacock Catapillars

A great weekend in the Northants area with plenty of species seen many more I haven’t logged here but a great weekend of adventure all round…and thanks to the many people I met

The Day List:-

Common Whitethroat, Wren, Common Tern, Great Crested Grebe, Tufted Duck, Black headed Gull, Greylag Goose, Cormorant, Mute Swan, Swift, Moorhen, Goldfinch, Little Egret, Pied Wagtail, Starling, Chiffchaff, Blue Tit, Long tailed Tit, Willow Warbler, Chaffinch, Lapwing, Reed Bunting, Osprey, Common Buzzard, Little Tern, Sand Martin, Blackcap, Swallow, Shoveler, Coot

Weekend of adventure Day 2 and the plan for today was the Tywell Hills and Dales Nature Reserve  near Kettering about 25 mins from where I was staying at Woodnewton at the Bridge Cottage b&b (see b&b  tab for more info).

On arriving I could immediately see the area was abound with Marbled White Butterflies they were just everywhere you looked, walking into the whitestone pay off the reserve there was even more to be seen.  Along with the whites there could be seen Common Blue, Large Skippers, Ringlet and Meadow Brown,  a Four Spotted Chaser was also seen all but briefly.
I decided on a walk around the perimeter too see what else was on show,  I found a few Small Heaths, Speckled Woods and a few Burnet Companion Moths,  Speckled Wood were found in the more shadier places and a Red Admiral on the path. Back at the start a guy I’d met early was still in the same spot I’d left him in, we got chatting and enjoyed Marbled White’s together for a couple of hours more than the guy wanted to but the whites were putting on a good show,  he eventually left leaving me to enjoy by myself.  Birds on site were Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff that i noted  but as the butterflies were so enjoyable I didn’t take birds in add much.

I too finally tore myself away and ended up at the Purple Emperor site at Fermyn Woods were there wasn’t a lot of action Speckled Wood,  Comma, and  Marsh Tit were about it, so I decided on ending the day in Fermyn Country Park were I saw a few Four Spotted Chaser were zipping around the pool,  up on the top I found more Marbled White,  Large Skippers,  a couple of Small Skippers,  Ringlet and Meadow Brown,  and what I believe to be a Small Argent and Sable Moth.

The day list
Red Kite, Hobby, Blackcap,  Willow Warbler,  Chiffchaff,  Marsh Tit,  Marbled White Butterfly,  Large Skipper Butterfly,   Small Skipper Butterfly,  Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly,  Common Blue Butterfly,  Small Heath Butterfly,  Red Admiral Butterfly,  Ringlet Butterfly,   Meadow Brown Butterfly,  Small White Butterfly,  Argent and Sable Moth, Burnet Companion Moth, Four Spotted Chaser Dragonfly,  Blue Tailed Damselfly

Marbled White Butterfly

Weekend of adventure and day 1 was to be at Salcey Forest just off the M1 at junction 15. I parked up using the car park near the Forest Cafe and after doing so Asked here for a map, which they didn’t have,  so I took a picture of the map on the wall and headed off into the forest in a north’ish direction. It wasn’t long before I spotted the quarry of my visit Wood White Butterfly, they were distant at first but I needn’t have worried about seeing any for as I got v further into the forest they were everywhere the most numerous of the day,  along with Speckled Wood. Other butterflies of the forest today were Large Skipper, Red Admiral, Common Blue, Ringlet and Meadow Brown.

The birds were more heard than seen now due to the good covering of foliage so it was down to the ears today and not the eyes, so mostly heard were Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Common Whitethroat with the odd Blue Tit, Goldcrest and Garden Warbler thrown in, also heard was a Great Spotted and Green Woodpecker. A Common Buzzard was seen drifting over the forest.

The day was getting hotter and by now I had gotten lost it was then that I stumbled upon a small pond just off the main footpath and hard to see. I stopped off for a looksie and found a number of Four Spotted Chasers which were hassling a beautiful male Broad bodied Chaser, getting photos of either species was proving difficult always resting in places just out of sight. Along with the dragonflies of course were Damselflies mostly Azure, and Blue tailed but a nice bonus was a male Banded Demoiselle.

At this point I needed to find a way out of the forest, all I can say is I love my smart phone, when it finally got a signal. Well it walked me out seeing very little else of note apart from 2 hawker species which went unidentified, the cafe at the end provided a welcome cup of tea and a slice of fruit cake.

Adventure weekend day 1 over here’s the day list :-

Common Buzzard, Common Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Jackdaw, Blue Tit, Goldcrest, Wood White Butterfly, Speckled Wood Butterfly, Red Admiral Butterfly, Ringlet Butterfly, Meadow Brown, Butterfly, Large Skipper Butterfly, Common Blue Butterfly, Broad Bodied Chaser Dragonfly, Four Spotted Chaser Dragonfly, Azure Damselfly, Banded Demoiseille

Wood White Butterfly

Spotted Longhorn Beetle

Broad Bodied Chaser Dragonfly

Is been a great week this week with all the fine weather so after work I decided on an hour at the Old Bulcliffe colliery site to see what was on the wing,  very little.
There was however a good number of Small Heath butterfly out along with a smaller number of Common Blue and a couple of Dingy Skipper but no Damselfly or Dragonflies to be seen.
Birds seen were Chiffchaff,  Sparrowhawk,  Kestrel,  Goldfinch,  Willow Warbler and Blackcap

Common Blue Butterfly

Dingy Skipper

Nice sunny day with a few hours to spare so I dashed up to Thurstonland to see if there was any butterflies about.  The sun was still with me, but the wind was still blowing strong, it took about 10 mins but I got a quick glimpse of a Small Heath as it went by.  I ventured further along the trail but found nothing so decided on working my way back to the area I first saw the Small Heath.  I eventually caught sight of one,  a Small Heath, on the opposite banking to previous sighting,  then I started seeing a few,  add a Mother Shipton Moth (briefly), and a Speckled Wood and that was about it

Birds on the bank included Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap and a Garden Warbler

Mother Shipton Moth

Small Heath