Friday 24 July 2020

Butterflies, late broods and here come the gulls!

Hello

Yesterday (Thursday) and Fiona's visit to Souther Wood in the north of the county provided a bounty of butterflies which included female Purple Emperors still, a White Admiral and plenty of Purple Hairstreaks. Second hatch Holly Blues are on the wing now and today (Friday) second hatch Wood Whites were active at Salcey Forest with the Silver-washed Fritillaries including the 'valezina' version.


During the last week I've seen second/late brood Coal Tits just out with their parents and today I saw a just-fledged Great Tit with it's parent, both these species are known for sometimes producing second broods but it is rare in the case of the Blue Tit.


Three Cattle Egrets were at Stanwick Lakes this morning as was a Mandarin Duck and a Green Sandpiper and later there were three juvenile Mediterranean Gulls on the main lake and this evening a Caspian Gull too.


The adult male Common Redstart was still at Harrington Airfield this morning about 300m beyond the chippings compound and a Grasshopper Warbler was singing weakly by Bunker One. 


Two Red-crested Pochards and two Common Sandpipers were in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir this morning and an Osprey was present at 2pm and it fished both sides of the causeway. There was no gull roost as such at Pitsford this evening but there were three adult Yellow-legged Gulls, a Kingfisher and a flock of about a hundred Swallows dropped in, fed fervently for several minutes and then moved off south.

Earls Barton Pits produced a Great White Egret and a Marsh Harrier on the Summer Leys reserve and five Egyptian Geese on Hardwater Lake (including three fully grown youngsters).


Regards


Neil M


Silver-washed Fritillary
courtesy of Eleanor.

Platystoma seminotionis
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Bufftip moth caterpillars.

Miris striatus plant bug
courtesy of Robin Gossage.


Foxgloves.


Ruddy Darter.




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