Heatwave wildlife

Hello

A very hot day and birds in Hanging Houghton village included the singing Spotted Flycatcher and a Siskin with a Grey Wagtail and a Kingfisher at the brook in the Brampton Valley (and large numbers of Banded Demoiselles).

A Broad-bodied Chaser, a Comma and still plenty of Scarlet Tiger moths were the best of the insects in the garden.

A flock of 14 nomadic Crossbills were seen at Harlestone Heath today as they flew over the clearing next to the saw mills and Steve Fisher was able to report a pair of Mediterranean Gulls with a juvenile on the Layby Pits at Stanwick Pits, together with the Red-crested Pochard and a Common Sandpiper.

Jonathan's visit to Hollowell Reservoir this evening provided views of two Great White Egrets, a Ruddy Shelduck and a Green Sandpiper.

On the butterfly front there were four Purple Emperors at Bucknell Wood this morning and good numbers of White Admiral too and Purple Emperors were showing at Fermyn Wood this afternoon too. A wander of the meadows between Short and Southwick woods was good for large numbers of Marbled Whites (these have really spread in the county during the last decade) with White Admirals actually in Short Wood.

A very pleasant evening in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir brought a surprise in the shape of an Avocet plus the Pink-footed Goose again and a fly-over Curlew. The Avocet remained until dusk, favouring the shoreline between the Bird Club and Maytrees hides and often swimming out on the open water.

Regards

Neil M

Male Reed Bunting at
Stortons Pits courtesy
of Paul Crotty.

Reed Bunting nest
courtesy of Chris Payne.

Sedge Warbler courtesy
of Chris Payne.

Marbled White at Stortons
Pits in evening sunshine
courtesy of Gary Burrows.

Kestrel nest near Astcote
containing three young
courtesy of John Boland.

This nest was evident when
a large branch of the tree came
away and the nest cavity was
completely exposed. The decision
was made to not intervene and
despite heavy rain and a very hot
sun to date these fluffy youngsters
have survived and thrived and now
have the beginning of their first
feathers!