A Common Whitethroat sang in the hedgerow border between Ashes lane and the Tree Nursery, while TURTLE DOVE, SWALLOW and SWIFT were all seen at Migrant Alley. I was listening to the Turtle Dove singing in the northern scrub, and a LESSER WHITETHROAT was heard, this is a new arrival, ive not heard one in this habitat this year, but it is a traditional territory for this species. That's about the total for the summer visitors seen this afternoon, not alot for the 1.5 Square Km that my patch covers, there must be more birds to arrive surely ? Maybe its this almost constant Northerly wind that is holding them back ? Where are the Spotted Flycathers?
Resident birds seen this afternoon included both GREEN and GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKERS, a pair of LONG TAILED TITS which I watched feeding their young after I found their nest, and all the common stuff, WREN, ROBIN, DUNNOCK, BLACKBIRD, SONG and MISTLE THRUSH, with a spread of TITS and FINCH'S.
My skywatch at Migrant Alley produced SKYLARK, YELLOWHAMMER, LINNET, and two more Raptors - COMMON BUZZARD and PEREGRINE, now if the Kestrel and Sparrowhawk had shown, as they nearly always do, I could of acheived 5 Raptor species in a day, that would have been something! I bet they show up tomorrow :-)
Below is one of the Linnets at Migrant Alley
Out of the wind, and in the shelter, the sunny spells encouraged a few butterflies to show. However, they are really looking tatty now, we are in need of the new generation I think!The Speckled Wood below isn't too bad........
...........But look at the state of this Red Admiral! This is only the second one ive recorded this year.
Even worse is this washed out Peacock!
Lastly, a Comma, which has also seen better days :-(
12 comments:
Poor old butterflies, they really have seen better days!
I wonder why I never see Linnets :( Although looking at the RSPB, there are concentrations of them in your area which would explain why you seem to see so many. I also noticed that is another one on the red list!
Songbird: Linnets generally spend the breeding season on my patch, and on into the summer, but by early winter they have moved off elsewhere. I have had a winter rost though in the last two years.
Hobby! Our interesting and exciting migrant today was a mere Kestrel!
What are butterflies?...brrrr
Cheers
Dave
Think I may as well echo Dave's comment re Hobby and what are butterflies.
A certain amount of luck required for the Hobby unless you are in the know with someone who can let you into the secret of one or two (suspected as far as Joe Bloggs is concerned) breeding sites in our area. Not that I object to suppression of breeding birds like the Hobby, or any bird for that matter if they are at risk.
Have a nice weekend when it arrives Warren.
Warren ,
Snap with the Linnet .
Washed out the Peacock might be , but it is about 10 months old !
Nice Linnet shot Warren.Shame about the ragged butterflies, there's something quite sad about faded beauty.
Washed out but nice pics, looking forward to getting some butterfly pics myself soon.
Like the male orange tip shot you got quite jealous of this one :)
Thanks Warren, ask a few to fly my way, please :)
Hi Warren.
Well done with the Hobby. Like Phil says, it is a shame and sad to see such pretty insects in such a tatty condition.
Regards the next generation of butterflies. Looks like the wintering gen of Small Torts have all but done now. Unless they`ve gone into hibernation again ;-)
Fabulous butterfly shots, Warren! I'm seeing some now but only have the one photo I posted this week, and haven't ID'd it...or tried to anyway, ha. Nice linnet shot too.
We used to get a lot of linnets in this area but sadly I see few around nowadays.
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