FRAMPTON MARSH BLACK WINGED STILTS

During a much needed break at my sister's home in Cambridgeshire we deliberated on which reserve to visit on our birding 'day out'.  This time of year is quite quiet on the bird front, but I'd read of a pair of  black winged stilts that had been resident at RSPB Frampton marsh for quite a while,  so we decided we'd head there for the morning. 

We  spent some time looking out at the pools in front of the Reception foyer where the most unusual species were a little ringed plover and a yellow wagtail, before heading on to the  reserve. We'd been told that that the black winged stilts could be anywhere but they particularly favoured the scrape in front of the Reedbed hide so that's where we headed first. On the way we noted half a dozen or so painted lady butterflies, all in pristine condition, they have certainly been abundant this year. 

In front of the Reedbed Hide we were treated to excellent views of one of the black winged stilts, which spent al long time preening before walking on its elegant long red legs off to the right and out of view.   In the past, some stilts have bred at the reserve but they were unsuccessful this year. We also had views of spoonbills, ruff, avocets and black tailed godwits. Some of the scrapes were bone dry but were attracting a few pied wagtails.  

On the mammal front, we were excited to see a family of stoats run across the grass in front of the Visitor Centre during our lunch but they were too quick to get  a photo!  . 

A PERSONAL BEST

 Today I succeeded in recording my 50th species of butterfly in single year, having beaten my previous total of 49 a couple of years ago. Although I 'missed' a couple of previously  seen species this year,  three new lifers have brought up my numbers. 

Last week I ticked off brown hairstreak at RSPB Otmoor, (although I found just one female without its 'tails') and today I visited Warren Hill just outside Tidworth, to look for silver spotted skippers.  I soon found what I was looking for, among dozens of chalkhill blues and meadow browns.  The 'teddy bear faced' silver skippers are fast flyers, skimming over the low grass, kept short by rabbits.  They were easy to spot, but stopped only for seconds on any flower they could find before flying off again. They remained low down, making photography hard as there were few long stemmed flowers to perch on. 

After a while, I wandered over to where I could see some other people also looking for butterflies.  They had found a few stems of scabious flowers which were attracting the skippers regularly  so I waited with them and before long was able to get the photos I wanted.  

A NOT TOO DISTANT SHRIKE at EASTLEACH

 A week ago, I took part in my first real twitch - just 20 minutes from home!  On that occasion views were only distant, due to the reluctance of birders to use the footpath where the bird was showing, in order not to disturb it. Since then, views have changed, and  twitchers have been able to gain far better views ( and photographs) by walking along the footpath and watching from the wall between the path and the field, just at the point where the two county borders meet ( Glos and Oxon) .

Having seen other people's photos on various blogs, I decided I would visit for a second time (and many birders have visited more than this),  so this morning I parked in the allocated car parking field at 8 am, where the number of cars was significantly lower, than over the past week and an honesty box replaced the bucket and volunteers who last week stood at the field entrance.s

It was a slightly longer walk to where this morning's birders were already gathered, but the long tailed shrike was showing already, in a bramble bush along the county border, and sometimes flying to a neighbouring hawthorn tree where it perched in open view. Much of the time it sat motionless in its chosen position, occasionally flying to the ground to catch a grasshopper, or on one occasion, a small vole.

Most of the time the shrike sat in Oxfordshire, but once flew around to the other side of the bush and perched on a wire fence - this time in Gloucestershire. 

I was pleased to have much better views today,  together with some reasonable photos to record this  exceedingly rare visitor to the UK, the last recorded year being 26 years ago. 

the shike - in Oxfordshire

a quick flight to look over the county border into Gloucestershire

 

 

EASTLEACH TWITCH AND A WALK AT SLIMBRIDGE

 I'm not normally a twitcher although I do note the unusual species from looking at Bird Guides on a regular basis. Recently, crowds of bird watchers flocked to see a 'mega' bird species, a long tailed shrike in Scotland, some driving from as far away as Cornwall I believe.

Whilst  amazed at the lengths people will go for another 'lifer' , I was even more amazed when another ( or the same?)  long tailed shrike turned up at Eastleach Martin, only 20 minutes away from my home! With no excuse not to go and see it, I read the instructions for parking and turned up  in the allocated field around 9.30 am.  I reckon  at least  70 cars were already  in situe, and  a short walk back up the lane found me amongst a line of birders, mostly with long lenses, scopes and tripods all pointing towards one spot along the hedgerow, some distance away. With my binoculars I could only make out the shape of the shrike, but a kind person  allowed me to take a look through their scope which was set up next to me. From time to time the bird would make a short flight to another perch, either on a teasel, on the branch of a tree  or at the front of a bush. Each allowed for good sightings, particularly those with the more expensive gear. 

I learned afterwards that the bird's  preferred locations were  actually along the Gloucestershire/Oxfordshire border, thus causing some interesting dilemmas for county birdwatchers, anxious to add a tick to their own patch birds. 

With the bird being so distant, I could only get a blurry shot on my own camera, but if opportunity allows, I might have another go and pay an additional £5  charity donation, for the privilege of parking in the farmer's field.  Altogether, I would agree with the  general opinion that  the kindness and co-operation of the local farmer, made for a well-organised and friendly 'twitch.'

Next day, I had a pre-booked walk   at Slimbridge WWT with writer and broadcaster David Lindo. I had been surprised when I managed to secure one of only 20 free  tickets for the event which was one of a series of free walks at the WWT Centres of which he is vice-president, organised to  celebrate   20 years of his work as 'The Urban Birder'.   The walk was actually led by chief warden, Martin McGill , with David Lindo providing interesting facts about his life and birding in general along the way.  Although we only visited   four of the centre's hides,  I managed to add another four bird species to my own year list, ( spotted redshank, yellow wagtail, green and common sandpipers.)  and a couple of new dragonfly species. 

It was an enjoyable walk with other like minded birders and ended with book signing by the author. 

green sandpiper

ruff

David Lindo

Red veined darter

the new estuary shoreline area looking beautiful in the sunshine

David  Lindo says 'Look Up' to  the group on his  20th Anniversary walk at WWT Slimbridge

SOUTHERN MIGRANT HAWKER at Otmoor

 I visited rspb Otmoor reserve yesterday morning, more in the hope finding butterflies rather than dragonflies. With reports of brown hairstreaks in various parts of the country I wondered if Otmoor's hairstreaks would be on the wing too.  However, despite a  thorough look along the Roman road, I was unable to find any although there were plenty of other species including, comma, red admiral, numerous gatekeepers, meadow browns, ringlet and holly blue. 

However, after turning left along the bridleway I was excited  to find  a  male  southern migrant hawker, a species I'd never seen,  then back along the Roman road, there was a migrant hawker. 

   comma

gatekeeper f

large skipper

ringlet

migrant hawker

migrant hawker  eating breakfast?

southern migrant hawker

southern migrant hawker

GRAYLINGS AT 100 ACRE PIECE, MORTIMER

Graylings are often found near coasts, but I know of a colony that can be found at the edge of a conifer plantations in the village of Mortimer, West Berkshire. It also happens to be the next village to my daughter's home, so can be combined with a visit to see her.   Graylings, are a master of disguise, often settling on bare ground, and closing their wings, so they appear to merge in with their surroundings and therefore difficult to spot. 

Often the only way to see them is when they are disturbed and noting carefully the spot where they have landed.  I decided to try the site at 100 Acre Piece,  for a change, and in the short time I was there, I found two or three graylings, so could tick this species off for another year! 

FRITILLARIES IN THE ALUN VALLEY

 Last year I made my first visit to the Alun Valley in South Wales with the purpose of finding my first High Brown Fritillary. Similar to the Dark Green Fritillary, it can be identified by the row of reddish brown spots on its underwing - that's if it settles of course!  The Alun Valley is one of the small number of places in the UK where this increasingly  rare butterfly can still be found. Sadly, I was unsuccessful, mainly due to a change in the weather which deteriorated quickly after I had arrived. However, I did at least get my bearings of the site, and met someone who helpfully told me where to look. 

A week ago, I  revisited in better weather conditions hoping to see both  species of fritillaries.  The forecast was a mix of sun and cloud, with reasonable temperatures. Arriving at  just after 8 am, some butterflies were already on the wing and after parking in a gravelled area just before the cattle grid leading into St Bride's Major, I climbed up the grassy hillside, and followed a path between the bracken on to the top of Old Castle Down through  some grazing sheep. At the corner  I followed the path downhill where I had been directed last year. A few fritillaries were seen now and then  but did not settle, These were skimming over the bracken, making it impossible to photograph or identify them and as the hours passed I saw plenty of gatekeepers, meadow browns, painted lady, red admiral, whites, and small heath butterflies. However, finally I did find a couple of fritillaries feeding on thistles, which proved to be Dark Green Fritillaries, a species  I hadn't seen so far this year. Once settled they were readily photographed.  I spent several hours walking up and down the paths, looking for any fritillaries that might be High Browns, but without success until the skies clouded over and it seemed unlikely that I would see any further fritillaries which  are a species that fly in sunshine. I therefore returned home, thinking I would have to wait another year to tick of this  species on my UK list. 

However, this week, I was reading a blog which said that High Browns were still being seen in good numbers so  I decided to have a second shot at finding and photographing a  HBF .I got up early again in order to make the hour and three quarters journey before rush hour. I quite enjoy the trip; an hour along the M4, across the Severn Bridge then further along the M4 to J35. Hopefully it would not be another  wasted trip. 

No one was parked at my usual spot, (I guess it is more popular at the weekend) and I made my way up to the top of the  Down. It was a cloudless sky so maybe I would see more fritillaries this time. As usual, other species were in evidence but strangely no fritillaries! I met a dog walker who recommended a route which circuited the Common where  I might find some High Browns as they can have particular favourite areas.  I followed the route, passing a small herd of cattle as I went, but which thankfully ignored me. Still no fritillaries! As the path started to  ascend the hill again, I decided to  turn back and retrace my steps.  A glimpse of orange caught my eye, a fritillary was flying near the hedgerow about 30 feet away. but where did it go?  I made my way through some bracken to get a bit closer in the hope that it would fly out again. Then looking down, I spotted what looked like a dark triangle  shape, low down on some brambles. Was it a butterfly? Could it be..?   Yes!  A High Brown, showing the distinctive  dark reddish brown spots on its underwings. I grabbed a couple of photos, and then it flew off again, over the hedge. 

It was still only mid- morning, but temperatures were getting  hotter so, having achieved my aim, I returned to my car, but before making the journey home, drove down to Dunraven Bay where I sat on the beach to enjoy some lunch. 

Above - Dark Green Fritillary

Below, High Brown Fritillary