There were a few more birds about this morning than there were yesterday morning, but in the overcast conditions it was still a little below par, with 42 species being found.
CHIFFCHAFF, BLACKCAP and WHITETHROAT continue to help themselves to the Raspberries at the Greenhouse Grounds, with few ripe Elderberries yet on offer who can blame them :-) The Blackberries are now ripening up nicely though.
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| Migrant Food :-) |
There were no 'chats' or Yellow wagtails at Migrant Alley, I would expect at least one of each here this month. As I walked the sheep pasture and paddocks, 32 GREYLAG GEESE flew over, as did 3 BLACK HEADED GULLS, 6 HERRING GULLS and a LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL, while looking back over at the Greenhouse Grounds the male Adult KESTREL was seen with one of its offspring.
The Scrubby Woods was a bit livelier today, with the likes of TREECREEPER, NUTHATCH, COAL TIT, a family of BULLFINCH'S, and a very fresh looking LESSER WHITETHROAT all being seen, looking up through a gap in the canopy of Oak trees I was very fortunate to get the brief view of a
CORMORANT (
64) flying over, my first here since June, other than that I only noted a few more Blackcap and Chiffchaff. Nothing at all was on the Lakes today, apart from the MOORHENS.
A much better visit than yesterday!
This afternoon I thought i'd give Migrant Alley another check, but stopped on the way through the Greenhouse Grounds to look for some Butterflies, where I got a real surprise! A pale looking blue butterfly flew up in front of me, and as I kept my eye on it I saw it alight in the grassy area, I sneaked up and saw it was none other than a Chalkhill Blue!!! Whoooa! What a Butterfly to find here, a new species for my patch, and the 28th species ive recorded here :-) ! I soon got down to taking a few photo's, but the wind was blowing it around, plus the fact I was excited as a 6 year old on Christmas eve, made for some iffy photo's ! I lost it eventually, then, whilst hunting for it, A White Admiral flew past me, Wow, just the second one i've ever recorded here, unfortunatley it didn't stop for a photo. I continued on, and was surprised when I eventually found the Chalkhill again, but looking at the photo's I took of this one, it must have been a second individual, if you look at the 3rd and 4th images in the set of photo's, the Butterfly has a notch in its left hind wing, the 5th, 6th and 7th photo shows no notch in the hind wing, there was two of 'em!!
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| Chalkhill Blue, A patch tick! |
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| I have now recorded 23 Butterfly species this month, and 24 this year |
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| If you look carefully you can see a cut out on the left hind wing |
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| The cut out on the hind wing shows here too |
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| The cut out doesn't show here |
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| No cut out here either |
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| This surely must be a second Chalkhill! Double fantastic! |
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| Chalkhill Blue |
I took lots of Butterfly photo's today, and i'll post them through the week :-)
7 comments:
Well done you, a great find. Looks like you have been through my photos by the looks of it. I wonder where its come from?
Marc,
I thought the same thing, wonder were they appeared from, and two together?
A difficult species to photo, they are very pale :-)
Warren ,
Nice one with the CHBs .
In all probability , they are two males looking for new territories .
To stay , they would require short grass sward and good quantities of Horseshoe Vetch , their only food plant . Without those two , they will just feed and move on . Still great to have recorded the species though .
Greenie,
Plenty of short grass around on the paddocks, just nothing else!
Excellent butterfly records and great stuff with the Chalkhill Blue Warren.
The Blackberries image is - in its composition - in my view....simple yet excellent.
Nice one Mate anything new on the patch is exciting and that was a great addition :-)
Nice one on the Chalkhill Warren! What a great addition to your patch list
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