Local Patching Update,11th & 19th June 2022.

A couple of visits to the local patch here,with bird sightings slowing as happens every year,the insects on the local patch take centre stage with several first personal records added to the local patch list.

The following is what i saw and recorded on the two visits:

11th June

Very quiet bird wise on today's visit,with highlights going to a male Cuckoo at Winter's Pond and a Little-ringed Plover which flew south at the Skitter being the only notables.

 Several good insect records were seen today though and included first records for the patch for myself in the forms of an Ashy-mining Bee and Meredon equestris,with other nice species seen including Chrysotoxum bicinctum,several Scaeva pyrastri and a Wasp Beetle.

Butterflies featured heavily in the sightings for today and included 12 species being seen,with a couple of firsts for the year in the form of my first Meadow Browns and Large Skippers.

The mitigation area and verges along Skitter Road are both cracking habitats for insects and all the above records were seen in these areas.

19th June

Another quiet visit bird wise,but at least some hope of things to come with a NFY Green Sandpiper at Winter's first thing.

This moulting adult was watched as it fed along the southern shore of the main lake,no doubt a failed breeder on it's way south.

Some good news on the breeding front,saw 2 broods of fledged Bearded Tits,with 2 at the Skitter and a further 6 in the long reedbed,just north of Ruins Pond,really nice to see.

Other bits from the avian world included a single adult Peregrine which flew north along the floodbank near the Long Wood and a pair of Grey Partridge along Skitter Road.

Insect hightlights included a few firsts for the year in the guise of 2 Ringlet and at least 6 Cheilosia illustrata.

The latter are pretty good Bee mimics and are one of our commoner species of Hoverfly seen taking advantage of the profusion of Hogweed in flower at the moment.

The larvae actually burrow into the root systems and stems of Hogweed as well,an interesting breeding strategy.

The following are my favourite photos from the two visits.

Skitter Road.

Hoverfly Sp. - Cheilosia illustrata,Skitter Road.

Ruins Pond.

Tachinid Fly Sp.- Tachina fera,Skitter Road.

The Humber Floodbank,Looking Towards Winter's Pond & Killingholme Haven.

Geese In The Early Morning Sun And Mist At Winter's Pond.

The Important Verges Along Skitter Road,Superb For Insects.

Hoverfly Sp. - Volucella pelluscens,Skitter Road.

Hoverfly Sp. - Meredon equestris,a new species for the local patch,Skitter Road.

Skitter Beck.

Hoverfly Sp. Scaeva pyrsatri,A Migrant Species To The Area,Skitter Road.

Speckled Wood,Skitter Road.

Hoverfly Sp. - Chrysotoxum bicinctum,East Halton Marshes.

Meadow Grasshopper Nymph,East Halton Marshes.

Hoverfly Sp. - Eupeodes corollae,East Halton Marshes.

Red Admiral,Winter's Pond.

Painted Lady,Winter's Pond.

Hoverfly Sp. - Leucozona leucorum,Winter's Pond.

Conopid Fly Sp. - Myopa testacea,Winter's Pond.

Hoverfly Sp. - Eristalis horticola,Winter's Pond.

Matlock Bath & Bakewell,Sunday 12th June 2022.

A nice relaxed day out with Trace today visiting both Matlock Bath and Bakewell to celebrate her birthday saw us having a great day.

Not really a birding or walking post today,but just some nice images i took while we were out enjoying this lovely area of Derbyshire.

Bakewell,Such A Lovely Little Town.

Lovely Matlock Bath.

 

Eleonora's Falcon & Orchid Overload,Saturday 4th June 2022.

After the amazing discovery of a 2nd summer female Eleonora's Falcon at Worth Marshes in Kent,Tim,Mark and myself made the long overnight journey to Kent.

On arrival at the site,we grabbed the gear and made it around to where the bird had been seen to go to roost the previous evening,seeing a 2nd calendar year Hobby on the way,perched up on the edge of the wood.

After speaking to a few people present,no one had seen the bird,apart from some sketchy reports at 4.30am which sounded rubbish to me.

The weather to be fair was not really good for hunting Falcons,with a strong wind and cool temperatures,so i decided to go for a walk around the area,just in case the bird had moved.

The only birds seen were 2 noisy Ring-necked Parakeets and there was also no sign of the Female Red-footed Falcon from previous days either....this was not looking good!.

A few more hours of standing around scanning and the weather began to break at last with a few sunny periods and this had the desired affect with at least 5 Hobbies beginning to hunt catching several dragonflies,but still no sign of the target bird.

All of a sudden a young lad came running over to where we were and he said he had just had the Eleonora's,a quick look on his camera and sure enough it was.

A bit of panic ensued and then the bird appeared over Great Wood infront of us and it was it!.....thank christ for that!

The Falcon then disappeared behind the wood and then after about 5 mins,it was above the wood again and i enjoyed some really good scope views as it caught some flying insects,most probably emerging Damselflies.

The birds larger size than Hobby,longer scythe like wings and long tail being all apparant along with the streaked underparts and buffish wash being visible.It looked like a Hobby on steroids,intermediate in size between Hobby and Peregrine for me.

We watched it for perhaps 15 minutes,before it all of a sudden got chased by a Carrion Crow and it disappeared towards the car park area and it wasn't seen again!.

We were so lucky to have connected and the Falcon must have been roosting in the wood out of the wind and waiting for a change in the weather so it could feed before moving on.

After all the excitement of the Falcon,we firstly visited Sandwich Bay and saw Orchid target number one for the day,Lizard Orchid,with literally hundreds being seen.

Also here were several Clove-scented Broomrape,which are incredibly rare and they really did smell like Cloves.

After our visit to Sandwich,we then travelled over to Parkgate Down along some very dodgy single track lanes it has to be said.

This was an amazing site for Orchids,with us seeing Lady,Monkey,Fly,Chalk Fragrant,Greater Butterfly,Common Spotted and Common Twayblade.

The Lady Orchid was a fine specimen and a new species for me.

A big thank you must go to Tim for another expert drive,particularly up to Parkgate Down & another big thank you to Tony Davison for allowing the use of his amazing images of the bird.

2nd Summer Female Eleonora's Falcon,Worth Marshes,Photo Courtesy Of Tony Davison.

2nd Summer Female Eleonora's Falcon,Worth Marshes,Photo Courtesy Of Tony Davison.

2nd Summer Female Eleonora's Falcon,Worth Marshes,Photo Courtesy Of Tony Davison.

Lizard Orchid,Sandwich Bay.

Clove Scented Broomrape,Sandwich Bay.

Greater Butterfly Orchid,Parkgate Down.

Monkey Orchid,Parkgate Down.

Lady Orchid,Parkgate Down,What A Stunning Species.

Chalk Fragrant Orchid,Parkgate Down.

Fly Orchid,Parkgate Down.

Common-spotted Orchid,Parkgate Down.

Parkgate Down,A Lovely Site.

The New Forest/Hampshire & The Isle Of Wight,Part 2......The Wildlife - 28th May - 2nd June 2022.

We visited some fantastic areas for birds,wildlife and wildflowers during our week away,with personal highlights including a new species for myself in the form of a couple of stunning Cream-spot Tiger Moths found on our first day at Hurst Spit/Castle.

Also at the above was a very confiding yearling Grey Seal which showed fantastically well,a really lovely little animal.

A walk between Buckler's Hard and Beaulieu next day,29th May,saw Tracey and myself finding 2 stunning male Firecrest which showed incredibly well,allowing me to take some pleasing pics,what lovely little birds they are.

A visit to the Isle Of Wight on Monday 30th of May,saw us finding a nice surprise in the form of 3 Glanville Fritillary as we walked between Alum Bay and the Needles and we also saw at least 5 Dingy Skipper and 2 Small Blue Butterflies.

Next day saw us visiting the stunning area between Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door,sseing some lovely Butterflies which included at least 15 Adonis Blue and the area speciality,Lulworth Skipper,with at least 20 being recorded.

Other species seen in this area included 5 Dingy Skipper,Bee Orchids,a Raven and 2 Peregrines.

Our final full day was spent visiting Acres Down,Hatchet Pond and Beaulieu in the New Forest,seeing some great species.

At Acres,we saw several Woodlark as expected,a displaying male Honey Buzzard and another singing male Firecrest.

At Hatchet Pond,i found the only Dartford Warbler seen during the trip,a singing male and also some lovely Heath-spotted Orchids.

Well what a fantastic time away visiting this amazing area for wildlife and scenery,we will certainly be back again in the near future that is for sure.

Polish Cygnet With Its Siblings From Beaulieu.

Male Dartford Warbler,Hatchet Pond.

Heath-spotted Orchid,Hatchet Pond.

Male Stonechat,Hatchet Pond.

Round-leaved Sundew,Hatchet Pond.

Woodlark,Acres Down.

Small Magpie,Lulworth Cove.

Bee Orchid,Lulworth Cove.

Male Adonis Blue,Lulworth Cove.

Male Adonis Blue,Lulworth Cove.

Lulworth Skipper,Lulworth Cove.

Dingy Skipper,Lulworth Cove.

Rook,Yarmouth,Isle Of Wight.

Dingy Skipper,Alum Bay,Isle Of Wight.

Male Firecrest,Keeping Copse,Beaulieu.

Mute Swan Cygnets,One Of 2 Families At Beaulieu.

Not Wild I Know,But Cute All The Same,A Donkey From Beaulieu.

Cream-spot Tiger Moth,Hrst Castle.

Thrift,Hurst Spit.

Grey Seal,Hurst Spit.

Little Egret,Milford-on-Sea.

Hemlock Water-Dropwort,Hurst Spit.

Yellow-horned Poppy,Hurst Spit.

Sea Kale,Hurst Spit.