SMALL BLUES AND DUKES AT CROG HILL

 It was so nice to be able to get out on a butterfly hunt today after some dull and windy weather. I decided to stay fairly local as I've a few trips further afield planned over the next few days. Crog Hill, just outside Lambourn is a well known spot for small blue butterflies so I  headed over there and parked in the usual place just off the road, where a bridleway starts. Along this bridleway it is  easy to spot these tiny butterflies, not so much blue but almost grey/black. I spotted one virtually as soon as I got out of the car and saw several more as I walked along the rutted track until I got to a grassy spot on the left hand side. Here  I found most of the small blues, together with at least four duke of burgundy butterflies, another speciality here,  which were much easier to see and photograph than at Rodborough Common at the end of April.  Other butterflies seen along the track  were common blue (3), Brimstone (2), small heath (1) peacock (1) and a further two dukes. 

A BUNDLE OF CUTENESS AT SLIMBRIDGE

Today's visit wasn't to see any new species for the year, (although I did add swift)  but to see the new life emerging at Slimbridge as resident waterbirds show off their broods. Goslings of all sizes were all around the reserve, plus cygnets and  ducklings and young coots and moorhens.  An extra bonus was a couple of bittern flights though both times it caught me by surprise and flew away from me so I was unable to record on my camera. A few of the cutest  are below. 

 

PEWSEY DOWNS BUTTERFLIES

 I had slight misgivings as to whether to venture over to Pewsey Downs NR this morning. Although sunny at first, temperatures weren't particularly high, and although predicted to rise later this afternoon, cloud was expected. 

However, with a few days of overcast or damp weather forecast over the next few days, I felt it was worth a try; one enthusiast had noted good numbers of butterflies at this site a few days ago and I was keen to tick off Marsh Fritillary. 

I arrived quite early for butterflies, at 9.45.am, the morning cloud was only just clearing and it was  still rather cool but, reaching a sheltered area to the east of the hill,  I did spot a common blue and dingy skipper almost straight away. The common blue vanished out of sight and I never saw it again though! As the morning progressed it became slightly warmer and sunnier for a while before clouding over again.  Nearly all the butterflies I saw were in this sheltered spot,  though in small numbers,  but included green hairstreak, grizzled and dingy skippers, small heath, wall, small copper, and marsh fritillaries.  

grizzled skipper

marsh fritillary

small coppers

dingy skipper

green hairstreak

small copper

wall

TRIP TO FOD

Today's trip didn't deliver the redstarts and spotted flycatchers I'd hoped for but  instead I was treated to some good views of a  pied flycatcher singing and exploring a nest box. I'd been down to the Lower Hide and spent some there, but  saw none of target birds, surprisingly , as I have often be quite successful there. I heard a redstart briefly but was able to  locate it, though some other observers did spot it from outside the hide apparently. The pied flycatcher was a short way along the woodland trail, singing in the trees close to the nest box.  

 At Cannop Stone works a pair of grey wagtails were busy collecting food for their young, evidently in a nest within a small stone building by the weir.