SMALL BLUES NEAR LAMBOURN

This time last year I visited an area near Lambourn where a large colony of small butterflies could be found. So I decided to re-visit it today and see what could be seen, aware that last year's dry weather and this year's late spring, could have affected the butterfly emergence. I parked in a gravelled area just off a B road and then walked up a rutted track  edged with cow parsley and  within minutes I had seen my first small blue of the year fluttering along close to the ground. Another could be seen just ahead and then another  and I realised that there were in fact dozens of these tiny blue butterflies fluttering around at various intervals along the track and verge. Occasionally other species crossed my path, namely orange tip, brimstone and an unidentifed white. I also saw my first painted lady butterfly, which flew past, and stopped briefly, before flying on again. 

 

PARAKEETS AT COATE WATER

I'd heard  recently that there were currently some parakeets at Coate Water country park in Swindon. With most of the population centred in London, their numbers have been steadily increasing and expanding into other areas, but these are the first I had heard of in Swindon.  On my last visit I failed to locate them, however, speaking to someone yesterday I was informed that they were still there and he described the tree in which they had a nest. So with a few hours spare this afternoon I drove over there to see for myself. 

To avoid parking charges I drove down through the  Broome Manor houses and came out onto a minor road which passes close to the country park, and allows parking for a small number of cars next to one of the entrances. I then only needed to walk a short distance to the area where the parakeets were to be found in a copse close to a bird feeding station area. I went in to the small woodland and stopped to look around, after a couple of minutes a passer-by stopped to ask if I'd found them as he'd been round twice today and hadn't seen any, and assumed they must have fledged!  Feeling slightly disappointed that I may have missed them,  I decided to walk along the path through the woodland to see if I could hear or see anything of them,  coming out by a bridge over a narrow part of the lake, beneath which, were a family of newly hatched cygnets and their parents so I stayed and I watched them a while.

Having had no sign of any parakeets, I  returned the way I came and stopped again at the place where they had been reported, hoping that they maybe would return. After watching a number of jackdaws flying around, I suddenly heard a squawk and then a parakeet  flew into the branches of a nearby tall tree. I was facing into the sun, so it was hard to get any photos but I waited and it flew off  and then returned a short time later to the same tree. It did this a couple more times, so I decided to see if I could find where it went. I walked twenty metres of so then suddenly realised it was feeding at the top of a bush close by, partly hidden and well camouflaged with its green plumage, but I did manage to get a few photos. It remained there for a while, appearing to be feeding from some seed heads.  Next it flew back to the copse where I saw it clinging to the underside of a wide bough together with a second parakeet and at one time  appeared to be feeding another in a nest hole.  Here it was even more difficult to see them as I was facing direct into the sun again but could just make out their silhouettes. They hadn't gone after all!

GRIZZLED SKIPPER AT MORGAN'S HILL

 This afternoon was forecast to be sunny and quite warm so I waited till after lunch to head over to  the butterfly reserve at Morgan's Hill, near Bishops Cannings to see if I could find some grizzled skippers. It was still cloudy and quite chilly when I arrived but it did look to be brightening up, and, after a considerable wait, the sun eventually broke through. Disappointingly there were few butterflies brave enough to make an appearance but I did see a couple of brimstones,  speckled woods,large whites and to my relief just one grizzled skipper which settled obligingly for quite long periods on dandelion heads. 

N.B. Another white 'butterfly' turned out to be a rather attractive muslin moth, which, according to my guide book, are night fliers, although occasionally females fly in sunny weather. 

grizzled skipper

speckled wood

large white

muslin moth

                                      views from entrance to the reserve

EARLY SPRING BUTTERFLIES AT RODBOROUGH COMMON

At last I had an opportunity to  go and search for some of the early spring butterflies that have emerged. It had been a sunny morning but was now clouding over and as I left work I hoped that the forecasted  rain at  3pm would hold off and that there would be sufficient sunshine to encourage the butterflies to fly at Rodborough Common. I was particularly hoping to find green hairstreak and duke of burgundy at this site with hopefully, a few more species as well. I got to the carpark just before one o'clock and managed to secure the last space in the partly flooded car parking area. There is one particular area which is sheltered at the bottom of the slope of the common and I headed there as this where you can generally find the butterflies. 

I took a gentle route across the slope rather than descending the steep bank, stopping to search some hawthorn and gorse for green hairstreaks, but I drew a blank, perhaps due to the fact that the sun was only shining intermittently. I therefore decided to carry on traversing the slope but was suddenly attracted by the movement of a small brown butterfly, just ahead of me  which turned out to be a duke of burgundy!  It settled for quite a while with wings open for allowing some close photos.

Not long afterwards, as I continued along the narrow path, another butterfly fluttered into view, showing green and brown which I realised must be a green hairstreak! It, too obligingly, settled for some photos.

I did see a further few duke of burgundy butterflies on my visit, and also a first dingy skipper and brown argus, but sadly they didn't stay around long. The sun was becoming increasingly obscured by clouds and I realised that I probably wouldn't see any more so returned to my car. 

STANDLAKE

 I paid a visit to Standlake, Oxfordshire this morning, and although I  saw nothing new for the year it was nice to notice some of the new spring  ducklings and goslings. I also watched  3 or 4 hobbies flying above the water while I waited in one of the hides for a shower to pass, and had a slightly better view of a couple of drake garganeys. The recently recorded purple heron didn't show, being a very elusive bird, so it is hard to know whether it is still there! 

 rather zoomed in shot of a male garganey

the first brood of mallard ducklings I've seen this year

view from the hide

distant hobby

greylag goslings. 

The path to the hide followed the Windrush path which has a number of bird mosaics to find

START OF MY BUTTERFLY YEAR

With the weather colder than usual, there hasn't been much in the way of butterfly activity recently but now I am beginning to see a few species emerging to start my butterfly year list. Back in February I saw my first Red Admiral (1) at Lower Moor Farm in some winter sunshine then in the middle of March I started to see Brimstone (2) butterflies fluttering along the hedgerows, my first one  being on 17 March whilst driving between Tadley and Greenham Common. 

On 27 March I found a Small Tortoiseshell (3) sunning itself on the wall outside the school where I work as I left at lunchtime and then during the Easter holidays, spotted my first Peacock (4)  butterfly whilst staying in Cambridge with my sister.  Apart from Brimstones I saw nothing else until a visit to Slimbridge  WWT  on 8 April produced a  Speckled Wood (5) on some nettles along a sheltered walkway then later in April (20th) I found a couple of Orange Tips (6) and a Comma (7) in a sheltered part of the nature reserves by the River Thames at Farmoor Reservoir ( a brisk NE wind was blowing along the causeway). 

     Speckled wood at Slimbridge  WWT

Comma at Farmoor

Orange-tip at Farmoor

RING OUZELS ON CLEEVE COMMON

 Last year I visited Cleeve Common in Gloucestershire in the hope of finding some ring ouzels which are often seen in April as they stop off on their migratory route to breed. Sadly I was unable to locate any so I  decided to make another attempt this year. 

I left home at  by 7 a.m as I knew the area was likely to be popular on a Saturday morning, not just with birders, but with joggers and dogwalkers for whom this is a popular spot. After driving up the windy road that leads to the top of the hill, I found a parking spot in the already nearly full car parking area adjacent to some large pylons. 

I'd read that up to 5 birds had been seen during the early part of this week so I was fairly hopeful of seeing at least one today though I had no idea where to start looking on this vast expanse of hillside dotted with gorse bushes and small trees. It is easy to get lost but the tall pylons are a useful marker as to where the car park is situated!

I meandered amongst the gorse checking for any dark blackbird sized birds in the trees.  I also used my phone  to find out  what  their  call  was  like so I could  listen  out  for it amongst  the gorse. On descending a path I noticed two dark coloured birds, roughly the size of blackbirds, fly across in front of me, one of which was emitting a call similar to what I had just heard on my phone. However not being able to make out any white crescent on the birds' breasts I couldn't be sure.

I made my way  across to the direction in which they had flown but couldn't see or hear anything to indicate their presence. Across the small valley  few photographers had set up tripods  but I couldn't see what they were looking at as they were quite a distance away. Another lady approached me and said she'd noticed the photographers  too so we decided to make our way towards them.

They had gone before we reached the spot where they had stood, but I could see them talking to some other people who came in our direction and said that there were some ring ouzels to be seen across the valley, probably not far from where I had just been looking. We followed them and sure enough  it was possible to make out some birds feeding on the grass between some large areas of gorse. Looking through binoculars I could make out the white crescent which distinguished them as ring ouzels.  Every so often they would retreat back into the gorse before reappearing. Although not as close as I would have liked, these birds were a 'lifer' for me so I had to be content. Although tempted to go  and see if I could gain a closer view, I was aware that the birders I'd spoken to had a dim view of people who got too close, and anyway the birds would probably keep out of sight if they detected human presence.  I've read of photographers who had to spend 2 or 3 hours hidden in a gorse bush in order to get some decent pictures. Not for me! 

distant ring ouzel

female stonechat