Spurn Day 27

I think it’s safe to say that today was a good day. The weather was glorious and the wildlife was on top form. It started as soon as I got there really, or rather as soon as I was really there, because as soon as I got there I crashed and had a power nap.

Upon awakening from my nap I immediately began to search the pond for Little Terns and anything else that may be around. There was some other stuff around, namely 2 Spurn ticks for me; Tufted duck and Little Grebe. The Tuftie was a drake just leaving eclipse. It spent most of its time that I saw it with the Little Grebes, of which there were 3; and adult and 2 juveniles. The grebes stayed all day though I think the Tuftie may have left as I did not see it during the afternoon.

-Tufted Duck with Little Grebe

We then had a bit of a lull after that. In fact the whole day went into a bit of a lull, probably because it was so hot. There were very good numbers of Yellow Wagtail around, at least 6 but probably more, and off all different shades, ranging from scratty brown to fairly fresh yellow. A juvenile Marsh Harrier made and appearance too, drifting over north bank and avoiding the ponds for the most part, which meant that the terns were not disturbed in any way. There was also a Black Tailed godwit that spent the day on the ponds, adding to the wader diversity. Alas it was not a summer plumaged individual but it was appreciated none the less.

The morning livened up significantly when I was on my way back from long bank around mid morning. It was quite warm by now, and came back to find a Common Lizard chillin on the doorstep of the hut. Of course as soon as it saw me it bolted, but the only place for it to go was inside the hut. It only stayed in a few minuets as I went into the hut myself in order to keep the exit clear and usher the lizard out. Of course I had the wrong lens but managed a few shots with my compact when the lizard sat rather obligingly on the ladder near the door. It was certainly a different experience on the job…

-Common Lizard

On the way to lunch down Beacon Lane I kept my eyes open for the lesser whitethroat but I could not find it. I did find numerous Common Whitethroat including a few juvs, but they tended to be skulky and difficult to see fully. Also on the lane I found a lovely Willow Warbler, which is unsurprising now their passage has started. It was very photogenic and allowed me to get some really decent shots of it, thought there was a bit of branch rather unhelpfully in the way.

-Willow Warbler

 It remained quiet until pretty much going home time. But as I was about to leave early because it had been so quiet, a pale phase Arctic Skua flew by not far off shore. It did not cause much disturbance but I stayed in order to make sure it did not return and bother the birds. It was a nice individual, very clear with well-defined features, clearly visible as it moved along the coast.

-Arctic Skua

So that finished me off for my day shift. So, where was all the wildlife? Well it all came during the evening’s seawatch which was very productive bird-wise but damaged my already fragile credibility significantly.

I started at around half 6 with a few guys, though by the end there was quite a crowd. It started very slowly, the tern passage barely getting going. However, but half 7 it began to pick up and good movements of Common, Sandwich and Arctic Terns began to move through. Picking up the Commons from the Arctics in a mixed flock is not something I can do with ease, but  by the end of the evening I gave it a go with 2 Terns that drifted down, calling them as commons. Apparently they were both Arctic! I also made a blunder with a Gull that landed on the beach. With the light it looked like it had yellow-legs, so I called it. As it moved towards the shore though its legs cleared and it turned out to be a Herring Gull. Wonderful!

However, that’s enough of the negative, what about the positive. Well, as I said there was good movement of Terns going through, but there were also a few waders. There were a few Knot, Sanderling and Dunlin, as well and the usual Whimbrel and Oystercatchers. Tim spotted 2 Juvenile Med Gulls that flew through, even landing on the sea for a minute or two before moving on.

The real highlights, though, started when there was a bizarre wader call from overhead. I of course had no idea what it was, but the others all jumped to their feet with Wood Sandpiper, only my second ever of course. It was quite high up, and without the call I would probably not have noticed it and certainly never identified it, but it was a new experience, if not a sadly brief one.

At 8.00 came the real star of the show. There had been one possible juv black tern moving far out to sea, but the guys were identifying it from its jizz and none really sounded overly convinced. Either way, I’m not sure I saw it. But at 8.00 a large group of terns came through reasonably close to the shore. I followed them and thought I had picked out a Black Tern in with them. I was about to call it for someone to look at, when another birder sat outside the hide called it first, loosing me possibly my best self-find ever. But this bird was closer than my first, so I decided to grab some record shots. It was at that moment that the unthinkable happened, when a pair of Arctic Skuas appeared, going the opposite way up the same line. Of course the terns went mad and scarpered all over the place. The Skuas started chasing the Sandwich Terns but the other terns disappeared and I was left searching the horizon frantically looking for my Black. Fortunately Paul pointed them out to me, as they had gone straight up and I would have missed them otherwise. We then found the Black, adult black I must add, and I was able to get some record shots to maintain my 100% lifer photo record for this year.

-Black Tern (With Commons)

We called it quits at around 8.45, having totted up a decent number of species (Well, they had for me). The final thing to move through was a flock of Common Scoter at 8.36. It was quite a seawatch, very successful, and I think I am getting to grips with it a bit more, the more I do it.

And that wraps up today. It’s been a very enjoyable but very relaxed kinda day, not too much tern bother and plenty to enjoy in the warm weather.

The Daily Oystercatcher

Today marks a new turn in the Oystercatchers. For the first time I recall seeing one of the chicks alarm call and move independently of its mother. That means that at least one chick now knows how to handle itself should to encounter a predator on its own. Their progress has been outstanding, and its good to watch them develop these final skills. I note that I have not included a picture of them for some time, so here’s a nice family portrait to show just how much they have changed.

-Oystercatcher Family

Species List:

Beacon Ponds: Sandwich Tern, Little Tern, Common Tern, Arctic Tern, Common Gull, Black-Headed Gull, Shelduck, Mallard, Reed Bunting, Swallow, Dunlin, Oystercatcher, Marsh Harrier, Little Egret, Yellow Wagtail, Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, Cormorant, Woodpigeon, Linnet, Redshank, Mute Swan, Black-Tailed Godwit, Sand Martin, Bar-Tailed Godwit, Sparrowhawk, House Martin, House Sparrow, Whitethroat, Blackbird, Whimbrel, Pied Wagtail, Arctic Skua, Grey Seal, Common Lizard, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Large White, Wall Brown, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Ruddy Darter, Emperor, Migrant Hawker, Blue-Tailed Damselfly,

Seawatching: Guillemot, Sandwich Tern, Common Tern, Greater Black-Backed Gull, Little Tern, Dunlin, Gannet, Swallow, Common Gull, Wood Sandpiper, Black Tern, Arctic Tern, Meadow Pipit, Arctic Skua, Herring Gull, Sand Martin, House Martin, Oystercatcher, Knot, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Redshank, Sanderling, Whimbrel, Common Scoter, Grey Seal

Elland GP

-Bullfinch Males

So, I headed down to Elland GP this morning with the intention of finally getting a scaup. Did it turn out that way? Ahaha, No! Once more I was eluded by this mysterious duck! Fortunately I was not alone in my dipping, which is comforting, as usually someone else will see it, or it will reappear once I left.
  However, dwelling on the unseen is a waste of time, so lets dwell on the seen. It was a lovely, but blustery day. First I went to the feeding station to see what was about:
-At least 7 bullfinches, but probably more. Stunning birds, great to see them so close
-1 GS Woodpecker, my first of the year
-3 LT Tits, also my first of the year
-Robins
-Blue tits
-Great tits
-Coal tits
-Blackbirds
-Chaffinch
I then spent about an hour running around the ski lake trying to find a scaup but to no avail. Sadly I failed to find it. However, there were plenty of other birds on this wander:
-6 Tufted Duck
-5 Cormorants
-3 Goosander
-1 Little Grebe
-Black Headed and Common Gulls
-Coots and a moorhen
So that ended my little scaup quest, failed, but plenty of other nice things seen!

Uni Week 13

So the last week before Christmas. Its weird to think I have only known these people for 13 weeks and yet here we are struggling to leave each other for Christmas. Somehow, my lectures managed to continue right until Friday, while many other people just finished their lectures on Tuesday, Wednesday and then went home. This left the accommodation in a state of serene quiet state, as well as the main campus. Somehow, everyone else quiet week turned into a pretty hectic week for me, with 4 assignments as well as continuing lectures leaving me with a constant stream of work that kept me busy.

Friday
Going home day. Prior to my leaving I happened to look out of my window and spotted a jay flying into the tree's on the other side of the road.
  The train journey meant guaranteed fun, and so it proved as there was a signal failure at Sheffield station which meant a chronic backlog of delays. Once it got going though I was able to enjoy watching numerous winter thrushes from the train window, and when we passed a fishing lake I was able to spot some tufted ducks on the lake

Dorset Holiday-Day 6: Broadcroft Quarry Butterfly Reserve, RSPB Lodmoor, RSPB Radipole Lake

I have always said that you can tell if its going to be a good day by how it starts, and that usually means that I saw an unusual moth in the morning on the toilet block. And indeed, that is how today started, only this was something more than an unusual moth. In fact I would even go so far as to say that this is the moth I had always wanted, with the exception perhaps of Oleander Hawkmoth (like that's ever going to happen!!). I usually had a quick look round the toilets on my morning visit, as there was often some moth or another, not usually anything special, and today there was nothing at all so I left and as I was closing the door I spotted next to the door half under a clear notice board a small grey brown moth hiding. It was a Buff Tip Moth. I was overcome with euphoria and absolutely legged it back for the camera after spending a few mins appreciating it. 

I returned with the camera and began snapping away. After some snaps I decided to move it to a more convenient position where I could get photos. The moth was completely docile and in a few seconds I had a buff tip moth on my finger. I then moved it around a few times before I had the right light and position and background for my photos and even then they could have been better, but what matter, when you have just seen one of your favorite moths.  

-Buff Tip Moth

And so we got down to the business of the day. My family were going to the Isle of Portland so I decided I would go to Broadcroft Quarry Butterfly Reserve to see if I could give my butterfly list a kick start. Once I arrived I found myself not really knowing where I was going, and even as I write this I don't think I ever made it to the reserve, just to the fields adjacent to it. The site claimed adonis and chalk hill blue, but I saw neither. I did however see plenty of Common Blue Butterflies because as is the case with me, if I don't know what what im looking for the best thing to do is to take photos of all that it could be and analyse later. Therefore I have ample photos of common blue butterflies.

-Common Blue Butterfly 

But there were more than just blue butterflies, as there were plenty of whites and browns, and even those that come between, like white browns-Marbled Whites, which seemed to be very abundant among the Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns and Large Whites

-Marbled White

And it was not just generic shaped butterflies as there were a good many skippers about too, though none of the lulworth variety, all either Large or Small Skippers

-Large Skipper

-Small Skipper

The field was very nice and was ideal what you would call butterfly habitat but there seemed to be a lack of anything else. I could hear whitethroats around me but failed to see any, and I also noticed a group of Ravens overhead. These were my first of the holiday and also of the year.

-Raven

There were meant to be 5 species of blue butterfly according to the websites. I had only seen 3 of the species mentioned, and only 2 of them I had seen on this holiday. The other besides common of course is Silver Studded Blue which is rare on limestone, and this is one of the few sites where it can be found as such. They were, however, very abundant here as they have been across the board this holiday.

-Silver Studded Blue

But it was not the butterflies that left their impression at this stage. I was wandering back to the road to make my way across to the field on the other side of the road when I glanced down and there was a Bee Orchid, another species I had been desperate to see. I was immediately struck by how tall the plant was, the flower being almost 30 cm off the ground. The flower was very dainty as it hung at the top of the tall stem. It was clear that the plant had been flowering before, but that those flowers had died and there was another unopened bud above the flower currently open. I took many photos because I was simply so excited by it and how dainty it was. Definitely one of the species of the holiday so far.

I was lucky that the plant was in the open and not obscured by any of the tall grasses in the area, or any of the brambles that had been clawing at my legs. I took photos from all angles because it was so lovely and I was so pleased at finally finding one.

-Bee Orchid

Indeed today seemed the day to look for flowers, as adjacent to the bee orchid I found another old favorite in Pyramidal Orchid, national flower of the isle of Wight

-Pyramidal Orchid

But the flowers did not steal the show for long, as I soon had a new butterfly species for me. I mentioned on Day 2 how I thought I had small/little blue but they turned out to be silver studded blues. Today I set that record straight as I was wandering through the grass I disturbed a small brown/grey butterfly that when it landed showed only limited spotting on the underside and little blue colour overall. I knew immediately this time that I had found a Little Blue Butterfly and I was very excited. Having given it the big up, it was a very tattered and old specimen, as all the spots were faded, the wings were damaged and even were these fixed its still not the most exciting example of a blue butterfly, mainly because its not really that blue. But having said that, it was nice to see that's true and was another new species for the holiday.

-Small Blue

Between photographing the little blue I had noticed that one of the singing Whitethroats had finally shown itself and had begun singing from the top of a bush, though it was some distance away as my camera see's it.

-Whitethroat

I then continued my way across the road as had been my original intention to see if I could find any more new species over that way. It really was more of the same, though without little blues, but I did encounter an equally scruffy butterfly in the form of Dingy Skipper, a species I have only ever seen once before, though that time it was in much better condition, as with this individual I could hardly make out any markings. It was still only the 2nd time of seeing this species and as such it did not lack any appeal because of its condition.

-Dingy Skipper

The remainder of the butterfly reserve was filled with regulars; Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper and Ringlet

-Ringlet

Once I had finished at the butterfly reserve I decided to wander into town and from there get a bus to Weymouth and visit Radipole Lake and Lodmoor, both RSPB. I made my way first to Radipole lake as it was nearest the bus stop and had the most recommendation.

As soon as I arrived my bird list began to grow, as I recorded, Cormorants, Feral Pigeon, Grey Heron and Tufted Duck, the latter I got extremely good views of. 

-Tufted Duck

-Grey Heron

I wandered down the path, which had good growth of various plants and flowers on either side. On these I found some Scarlet Tiger Moths, to continue with the moth theme that we started on, which were advertised in the leaflet as being one of the specialties of the reserve.

-Scarlet Tiger Moth

I decided to make my way up to the top hide so that I had somewhere to have lunch. On my way up I passed through various reedbed habitats with some woodland too. Birdlife seemed to be quite limited, reduced to bearded tits mocking me from the reedbed with their too familiar chirping call. 

On the side of the path I also found another Bee Orchid, but this one was bent over and the grass had grown up around it so my photos were not very good and did not add anything to the one I had seen earlier. They say you wait ages for a bus and then two come at once, and that was kind of what it was like with bee orchids, not that I'm complaining.

As I entered one of the wooded sections just passed the bee orchid I flushed a Comma from the hedgerows, but it landed on the path to sunbathe.

-Comma

At one point the path crossed over a bridge over a river which flowed pretty slowly. Here I spotted a female Banded Demoiselle which was the first really photograph-able one of the species I had found so far on the holiday.

-Banded Demoiselle

The only thing that happened on my walk up was that I flushed a Black Tailed Skimmer from its slumber on the path.

At the hide there really was not much going on. There were some Mallards in slumber on the far side and a Grey Heron fishing, as well as the regular Woodpigeons, but that aside it was really poor in my opinion. During lunch a couple of other birders came in and it was these that as I was leaving after lunch said that a kingfisher had come in. I made my way back up to the window and there was able to watch 2 Kingfishers as they flew across the pond, including hovering behavior and successful fish catching.

Once I had finished at the hide I had intended to go to the viewpoint to see if there was any better, but on the way I found that a family of very crabby Mute Swans had parked themselves on the path. When I approached they made themselves big and seriously hissed. I considered trying to get round by the side where their young were, but decided against it and instead went back. 

I made my way back up the far side of the walkway but there was not much happening there, only a couple of Moorhen. On my way out I found another Scarlet Tiger Moth, but its wings were crippled. I took photos of it because it was displaying its vivid red underwings.

-Scarlet Tiger Moth

And that finished me at RSPB Radipole lake, and I was a bit dissapointed with it really, as there were so few birds. Next up was RSPB Lodmoor. It involved cutting across the town, but there was no wildlife going on there. At Lodmoor there were plenty of birds, but they were some way away. There was a good variety though, mainly waders and wildfowl. On the waders front there was Lapwing, Oystercatcher and to my surprise Common Sandpiper. There were Canada Geese, Graylag Geese and Shelduck on the wildfowl front, as well a a Grey Heron

-Lapwing

-Shelduck and Grey Heron

-Common Sandpiper

I did the long walk side walk around the reserve, but I may as well have done the short walk, as the long walk really did not add anything to my reserves species list, except Whitethroat and Black Tailed Skimmer

On the road side of the walk I had a little more luck as it was here that I was able to overlook the scrapes. It was more of the same as what I had seen upon my entry, but I also flushed a pair of Bullfinches, which were my first of the holiday.

I eventually made my way round to the viewpoint eventually and it was here that I found my third and last really notable bird of the holiday with Greenshank. To me, Greenshank is one of those birds that you know you have seen before, but you don't remember where because I tended to overlook it and not really be bothered. I know I have seen a flock of around 7 at Calaverock WWT in Scotland before, but I don't recall any other time, so it was nice to get one on this holiday which was proving so void of birds.

This greenshank was quite distant but I could tell what it was. It allowed me to get some record shots, though they are really poor.

-Greenshank

My family picked me up from Lodmoor and then we went back to the caravan. Our juvenile robin was around back there. The only other thing of note was that during dinner my ankle was bitten rather brutally by a ladybird larva! I had no idea they were so savage!!