BUTTERFLIES WITH A VIEW

With sunny weather continuing, I decided to turn my attention to finding some of the early emerging spring butterflies. Yesterday I saw a couple of holly blues in my garden and I have read reports of other species seen in Wiltshire and Oxfordshire.

Martinsell Hillfort, just south of Marlborough is only half an hour away, but somehow I have not managed to visit it. Perhaps its the description of the steep climb to the top that has put me off! However, I  headed over there this morning to find out what the site offered and to see if I could  add any new species to my list so far this year.  The carpark isn't huge but there were only a few other cars there when I arrived,  mostly walkers. It was a bit early in the day for butterflies, admittedly, and my hopes weren't exactly high when I realised that there was also a  brisk north easterly wind. 

I followed the path to the top of the hill,  and  made for the  bench from where you can admire the extensive views over the Wiltshire countryside. It was pretty breezy and I hadn't yet seen any butterflies. I was hoping that there might be a sheltered area on the opposite side but it opened out onto a plateau which was still exposed. I carried on walking, staying close to the hedge which gave some protection from the wind, but the only butterfly I saw was a peacock.

I decided to return the way I had come, and passing through a short narrow sheltered section between some bushes, I suddenly saw something brown fluttering at a low level at the side of the path . It settled, and  there was my first green hairstreak of the year!  The tiny butterfly proceeded to  flutter around and then settle again several times, always in the same vicinity so I waited till it was in a position where the sun shone on its beautiful bright green underwings before taking my photos.

Feeling at least partly rewarded, I returned to the car and ate my picnic lunch, enjoying the view.  It had now begun to warm up a bit more and I noticed  orange tip and brimstone butterflies in the grassy area next to the car park so  decided to go back and explore a small part of the hillside where I would expect to find a range of species on a less windy day. I found a couple of female brimstones and then another green hairstreak but  sadly nothing else. Definitely a place to return to in a few weeks time I think. 

 view from Martinsell hill 

view of hill from carpark. The slopes are a good place to look for butterflies.

 green hairstreak

peacock

female brimstone

FARMOOR RESERVOIR

 

After a day out in Surrey yesterday, I decided I would stay local   today and  pay a visit  to Farmoor Reservoir where I had heard reports of a flock of about 15 little gulls.  I arrived at 9.45 am; the large car park was fairly busy but mostly from fishermen and bird watchers; sailing lessons hadn't  yet begun for the day. 

As I reached the top of the slope, I scanned the reservoir and immediately was drawn to a flock of gulls ducking and diving over the water. They were smaller than  gulls I'd seen before, and I noticed the dark underwings - could they be the little gulls?  I walked over to the causeway and stopped to talk to someone with a telescope -  yes they were definitely little gulls, he told me, but not 15 of them but 81!  Although distant, it was possible to make out their black heads and beaks and dark underwings. There were a few common tern amongst them too. 

It was a peaceful scene as I made my way slowly along the causeway but as I walked I became aware of  some  cheeping. Looking down to the shoreline, I spotted  what I  thought was a  lone duckling. Initially I thought it was lost but then realised there were some adult greylags further along which were evidently its parents. Was it the last remaining gosling from a larger  brood I wondered?  I watched it poking amongst the tufts of vegetation for food, followed by its parents The adults stepped into the water and started swimming but the gosling was obviously not brave enough and only stood at the edge and they eventually came out again!  At the far end were a pair of gadwalls, a species I don't regularly see on the reservoir - usually  only mallards and tufted ducks. Other birds noted were lesser and greater black backed gulls, great crested grebes, yellow and pied wagtails as well as other usual species. 

It was breezy along the causeway so I was glad to drop down to the Pinkhill nature reserve where it was more sheltered. I took the path that leads alongside the Thames where the bushes and trees were alive with birdsong -    blackcaps and chiffchaffs as well as reed and sedge warblers, also a whitethroat and a distant cuckoo. Reaching the Shrike Meadow, a sedge warbler was singing loud and clear and I eventually located it near the top of a bush next to  a bridge over a separate area  of water where it posed nicely for photos. 

I also saw my first speckled wood butterfly of the year and a couple of small whites and a female orange tip. 

Retracing my steps across the causeway  I found two dunlins feeding together at the water's edge, my first for the year. I watched them for a while, before returning to my car. 

little gull

little gulls

little gull

flock of little gulls

view of the Thames

greylag

female orange tip butterfly

speckled wood butterfly

greylag and gosling

dunlin

dunlins

sedge warbler

COLIN THE CUCKOO AT THURSLEY COMMON

 

This time last year, I arranged with some friends to meet them at Thursley Common nature reserve in Surrey to see a  particular bird  which was becoming rather well known there. For seven years, 'Colin' the cuckoo has returned annually from Africa to this beauty spot, and has become something of a celebrity, as he has been enticed to a certain perch which has been set up in the middle of a field, baited with meal worms, and providing ideal photograph opportunities for keen birders. 

Sadly last year, Lockdown restrictions prevented our visit, but when I heard he had returned at the beginning of the month, I contacted my friends again to see if they would be willing to meet there. Sadly since last year, a large part of the heath was destroyed in a wildfire, including the majority of a 1.3 km long wooden boardwalk across the bog and we were unsure just how accessible the site would be. 

We agreed to meet in the Moat car park at  10.15.am and we only just managed to find spaces to park - Colin is very popular!  The weather was glorious sunshine with bright blue skies and although chilly at first  it grew warmer as the day wore on. We followed a sandy path and stopped at a junction, where we came across a couple of horse riders who directed  us  how to reach the parish field to find the cuckoo. Not being in any hurry, we took our time to  stop from time to time to  scan the gorse bushes for other birds of interest, including the dartford warbler which is regularly spotted here.  It wasn't long before we saw one, which flew across the path  next to us and disappeared. Further ahead we stopped at a junction  in the path where a photographer was pointing his lens at a bush. Another dartford  warbler,  and this time it gave slightly better views, though  my camera was pointing into the sun. As we continued walking, we met a few people coming towards us and several were keen to tell us that the cuckoo was due back for its next feed  at any time as it had been away for three hours!  

We decided to head straight there and on reaching  the field we were aiming for, we entered  via a gateway, and joined the twenty or so photographers already positioned  in a small arc around a lichen covered branch. carefully balanced across two logs, which was sited about ten metres away from us. There was a  feeling of expectation as most were seated with tripods and cameras ready for the cuckoo's next visit. 

The cuckoo wasn't anywhere to be seen, so we decided to start on our lunch. Then, about  half an hour after we had arrived,  we became aware of a cuckoo calling in the distance and not long afterwards it was seen flying  to the top of a nearby tree where it  started cuckooing loudly.  All we had to do now was wait until it flew down to eat the mealworms which had been put out for him. 

It wasn't long before he did so and gave some brilliant opportunities for photos, staying for around ten minutes. At one point he flew down to the ground from the perch and all we could see was its head. While we waited  for him to  return to his perch,  a few woodlarks were spotted just behind and at the same time a whisper went round that there was a redstart perched in the tree right behind us!  

The cuckoo did return to its perch, and continued to enjoy its free meal, before flying to the other side of the field. It was time for everyone to move... either to leave or to take up a better position for the cuckoo's next visit... in another three or four hours maybe? 

We decided to  move on, and have a further look for dartford warblers. We did  find some, but they were very mobile and hard to photograph. We also saw stonechats, which are often taken as a sign that dartfords may be hidden in the gorse nearby, as well as a whitethroat, willow warblers and chiffchaffs. 

As we made our way slowly back to the carpark, it was sad to see the charred remains of large parts of the heath.  

Many of the small trees across the heath had blackened bark up to about a metre or so from the ground and there were charred logs laying around the scorched shrubs.  However, there were already signs that life was returning with new green growth sprouting from the base of some of the gorse bushes. 

lake near the carpark

 notice at entrance to Thursley Common

 

Colin the cuckoo waiting in the tree

the perch ( cuckoo on ground)

photographers waiting for 'Colin'

                                             some of my photos of 'Colin'  are below

dartford warbler

woodlark

stonechat

redstart

views across the charred heathland