Ash Brownies! Butterfly watching

24/08/14

Usually when I go looking for Butterflies I like the solitary aspect, and I spent many hours this year walking around and stalking these dainty beauties.

However, I was approached by a friend from Hereford saying there was an open day at Grafton Wood and wondered if I wanted to go.

As a site I have never previously visited, a guided walk seemed the more sensible option.

Grafton is considered to be one of the the main strongholds for one of the UK's slightly more scarce butterflies, the Brown Hairstreak. It wasn't a very hard decision, and plans were made to join the group in the Church carpark at Grafton Flyford in the morning.

A large crowd had developed, and lots of familiar faces started to emerge from the crowd!

Following a walk around the entire south end of this rather appealing woodland, but having seen very little, 2 Purple Hairstreak being the obvious standout highlight, we heard news that the group at the north end had found a couple of Brown Hairstreaks!

A walk to the opposite end of the wood followed, and soon after a rather stunning female BROWN HAIRSTREAK was showing rather beautifully on trackside vegetation, moving between bouts of sunning and egg laying!

 

A 2nd 'Ash Brownie' was flying about but they were part of only a few Hairstreaks seen by the entire group during the open day. It had been a poor year!

 

We managed to find a few birds on our jaunter too, and a male Redstart was flitting about in the hedgerows outside the main woodland, as was a male Yellowhammer. A Yellow Wagtail flew over calling.

However, a short walk away, 2 Spotted Flycatchers were feeding on a fenceline, and were showing superbly as the adult would fly in to feed its speckled juvenile.

 

A nice mixed flock were also moving through the adjacent willows, a Lesser Whitethroat and 2 rather stunning juvenile Willow Warblers showed well as they moved past among the usual Blue and Great Tits.

 

Having completed the task for the day, I dropped into Grimley CLP on the way home, which was rather quiet, however there were some very nice birds around, 8 Little Egrets were still on show, and a large Wagtail flock included 5 Yellow Wagtails.

 

 

A adult Hobby was showing nicely but the highlight of the visit was my first Whinchat which was perched very distantly on fencelines far to the south.

 

A check of Waggon Wheel pits was needed but again it was rather quiet.. 

 

However, a Whinchat showing superbly on the eastern side of the pools certainly made a good highlight. I always enjoy seeing (and moreso finding!) these rather smart birds, and it is always a pleasure to do so!

 

MB

The BIG Worcs day

With the year drawing to a close, we decided to do some 'mopping up' of the missing species from our lists in a tour around some north Worcester sites.
23/12/12

Starting with an early morning walk around a very flooded patch revealed a surprising drake Goosander present on one of the floods, despite it only being a couple of feet deep! A walk further revealed a nice female Blackcap and 3+ Redpoll (With an extra 2 on our feeders).

After a period of watching our feeders, we got onto the car, stopping off near the floods so i could show my dad the Drake Goosander. However, while just driving along, i saw a smaller bird perched up adjacent to a Starling on their regular tree, and the smaller bird was attacked and flew down onto a hedge next to the car. I shouted WAXWING!

And before the car had stopped i had gotten my bins and jumped out, and i was able to confirm the presence of a superb WAXWING! Just about scraping onto the patch, as the tree it was perched in is on the patch side of the road. We were able to watch the bird for a short period, in which i took a couple of Digi-binned shots. As i was setting my scope up, the bird took flight, and flew to another nearby tree, before flying off into Lickhill Estate, and despite having a drive around the estate, the bird wasn't seen again! A good bit of luck there as the bird was only present for a couple of minutes. A little bit later and we wouldn't have seen it!

Next stop was Hartlebury trading estate, and a drive around didn't reveal the hoped for Waxwing flock, as the rowen had been completely raided. However, a Fieldfare was feeding on the Connaster.

So, we went for the short journey down the road to Shenstone, which turned out to be very productive. As soon as i stepped out of the car, i could hear the song of many Corn Buntings, and quickly scanning around revealed a good flock of 30c perched in a tree. We walked the footpath to the 'usual' hedge, and this is where we spent over an hour stood watching, as we were treated to a marvelous overall total of 64 Corn Buntings! While mixed in with the flcok was 3 Yellowhammer, 30c Linnet, 50c Chaffinch and a single Reed Bunting. Not a bad list of farmland passerines there. The ivy covered tree's along the path help 5+ Goldcrest, including some which gave superb views!

While just walking back to the car, a small falcon flushed for within the ivy covered ground/Bushes next to us, and on getting on it with my bins, we were treated to superb views of a female MERLIN as it hurtled back towards the road, before briefly alighting in a tree, and then flying out of sight.

At this time the Shenstone Birder arrived, and it was while he was walking along the track that i again spotted the MERLIN as it flew very low across the ground in the short cut field behind us. We decided to follow Jason up the path in the hope of refinding the bird, however it drew a blank.

We parted ways, as we headed towards Upton Warren in the hope of a big brown heron.

We had failed to see the bird the previous evening, so it was back with vengeance tonight, and we stuck in the hide for a good 2 1/2 hours. While in the hours of daylight, we were treated to views of Water Rail, and the usual array of feeder species. A male Bullfinch shown very well!

Hope was dwindling by 4pm, however, at 4:05pm, i picked up a brown shape in the reeds, hardly recognizable in the gloom, and on getting my scope onto it, i confirmed that i had the BITTERN! It was somewhat a relief as since they stopped visiting UW regularly, they have became a bogey bird for me, and i haven't managed to connect with one for over two years! We then spent the remaining 15 minutes watching the bird until it was too dark to see. What a way to end the day!

Who says midlands birding is rubbish?

MB

Highlights- Kestrels and Whinchat

8/07/12

Patch

Butterflies had emerged, so i went up and checked Moorhall meadow, and luckilly enough, i quickly spotted my target, the Marbled Whites had emerged. I got a total count of 11, which after the horrible spring/summer isnt a bad count! A single Common Blue, 5 Small Tortoiseshell and loads of Ringlet were the only other notables.

11/07/12

Sheepwash Urban park.

A very quiet visit birdise, with 5 Common Tern the only birds of note. Insect wise however, there was tons. 3 Male Black-Tailed Skimmer were around the site, as were 2 Brown Hawkers. 3 Red-eyed Damselflies were on the same pool as last time, and Azure, Common blue and Blue tailed were in abundance.

14/07/12

Patch again.

A much more birdy patch visit. Soon upon reaching the river, i located 2 Kestrels, one of which was showing very well from the footpath, where i was able to get some decent photos as it perched on a hawthorn hedge.

A great experiance to have a Bird of prey so close, one which in my birding is quite rare, as there usually on the opposite side of the field or in the air.

I also soon relocated the male MANDARIN DUCK, now in full eclipse plumage, with red bill indicating its true sex despite its female like plumage. And soon after that, i once again relocated the female Mandarin, which again, only had one chick in tow, but the remaining chcik was now almost fully grown, with only its flight feathers to develop.

 

20/07/12

Shenstone

A quick stop into Shenstone to try and find the Whinchat which had been found was rewarded with decent views of this moulting male bird as it fed in a flowery field, In habitat that you should see a migrant Whinchat in. So therefore there is no suprise that this field produced two birds in a space of a few days.

For me, Male Whinchat is one of the better looking british birds, that striking white supercillium and peach tinge to the upper breast just look so stunning.

The bird perched preening for much of the time we were there, atop one of the many ragwort plants in this field.

We decided to stop on the roadside and view as we didnt have much time, and didnt want to desturb the bird, however, we were still treated to very reasonable scope views.

It was also nice to see 6 YELLOWHAMMER, including a couple singing birds, which was a nice change, as we never get them on any of my local patches!

Weirdly, a G S woodpecker flushed from a tree as we walked back, in an area with very few trees in it.

MB

Am i a photographer? Or do i just like Firecrests?

24/02/12

With my last couple of visit producing dire pictures of the Firecrest, i wanted a record shot for my Note book, so therefore, on a Friday, i walked home from 6th form (1 1/2) miles, and then walked the remaining 5 miles over to Penn Common, where the FIRECREST was still residing.
After getting abit lost on Penn golfcorse, i eventually found myself back on track, and was soon at the area the bird was in, Light Wood.
I was quite proud of myself, as Google maps predicted my journey would take 1 hour 1 minuite, however, i got to the site in just over 40 mins walking, so i was quite happy!
And as i arrived, i scanned over towards its favored hedge, and within 30 Seconds, i was watching the stunning male FIRECREST, flashing its orange crown as it went about its buisness.

It soon flew into a tall tree and started climbing, zipping between branches. Here i got a few photo's which show its orange crown.



Even in this relaxed posture, the orange is easilly visiable on the bird, i watched for about 20 mins before it moved off into the wood, and i informed a couple of birders who appeared from no-where that it was just showing while they were looking in the wrong place!

As time went by, there was still no sign, and both birders left, leaving me along again, soon, as is the luck with birding, the FIRECREST popped out on the edge of the holly not far away. i took a couple of snaps and looked down at the screen,

YES!
A photo of a FIRECREST!




As i had been watching the male bird earlier, i didnt look at its crown stripe, presuming it was the same bird, and just kept the above photo because it was the 'sharpest'. Despite having suspitions as to there being a pair of then on site, having seen a seemingly yellow crown striped bird on my first visit! With the light dropping, and the Firecrest having again dissapeared, i went looking for a bird i had heard calling all day, a flock of 15 YELLOWHAMMER, including 6 males which perched on the hedgeline further south of the wood, also mixed in was 4 Bullfinch and 10 Linnet.

However, over a week after seeing the bird, i finally uploaded the 'full set' of photos that i took and i went through them, and i was shocked when i came to this one. In the same 'set' as the picture above, pic 1 was blury, very blury, pic 2, again blury, pic 3, the photo below, pic 4 the 'good' photo, Pic 6, the bird dissapearing into the hedge.

On reviewing picture 3 i finally came to checking the colour of the crown stripe, and saw this!




A completly yellow crown stripe!

Could this mean that i was right, and there are 2 FIRECRESTS at Penn Common? please leave a comment on your thoughts.

I remain fairly certain there are 2 birds,
I know the stripe can 'change colour' when the bird is adjitated, or exited, however, i have seen the male bird in both 'relaxed' and 'exited' state, and both times you could see significant Orange tones (As seen in the relaxed first picture). Having said that, i also (not wanting to sound to far up my own arse) have quite good 'experiance of Goldcrests and their changing crown strpe after many years of close study on the patch (were lucky enought to see over 30 birds regularly!).

Having said the 'pluamge' side. the birds habits also stuck out, the male Firecrest often fed high in tree's, and often showed for long periods of time, however, this possible second bird was ALWAYS low down in the Holly bushes, and was alot less showy, only apperaing briefly each time.

Having summed up the pro's and con's, i cant see how there can only be (or WAS only) one Firecrest at Penn.
Your thoughts would be much appreciated,from people more 'in the know' than me?

MB

Shenstone

3/12/11
News tht the 'Shenstone Birder' had located a winter flock of Buntings/Finches was welcomed and we dropped into Stanklyn lane on the way to the Gardening job!

Quickly, a FIELDFARE was on show, picking off hawthorn berries with Blackbirds (Among them, a few black billed 'Scandinavian birds).

Anyhow, the flock of birds was here including a healthy amount of 7+ YELLOWHAMMER, including a few stunning males.

However, the Main target was the flock of Corn Buntings that have been seen, and we were lucky enough to see 3 birds sat on the far edge of the hedge near an overhanging tree, so therefore they wernt in the best position to photograph, but i tried:

MB

Chelmarsh Res.

25/10/11
Like i explained when the Arctic skua was around here, i found this place for the first time and i quickly thought it could become one of 'my' birding haunts, and without knowledge on any good birds we headed over there to have a look, and hopefully see a few 'winter' ducks.
Saying that, i was actually quite saddened that only tufted duck and 4 WIGEON were the only birds that represented this type, i had also hoped that the large greylaf flock would harber a 'wild' goose, but the entire goose flock had gone!
30 odd lapwing were on the dam. there wasnt much doing on the water, so we walked the hedges, untill be struck gold, a particualr strech of bush held lots of birds. 5 YELLOWHAMMER including one gorgeous male was showing



As this is usually a bird i always seem to miss, was quite happy to see them, the birds associated with 10+ Reed Buntings, as well as a multitude of finches, including a flock of 40+ flighty Linnet, 5 Redpoll sp flew over, and 5 Siskin was in the small birch trees near the hide at the north end, it was quite odd to hear skylark singing on such a cold, despite bright and sunny day.
2 Marsh tit were seen along the enterance road to the sailing club as was 2 Treecreeper in a mixed tit flock.
The large flock of roosting gulls that was present just before we left was looking into the sun, so, other than a quick look through, i didnt really 'grill' them.
On the roads coming away i spotted a very large flock of gulls in a roadside field, we pulled over and i had a scan through them.
400 odd Gulls, all every single one was either a LBBG or a BHG, not even a herring!
However, in the same field, was also c30 Pheasant, and 6 RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE.



MB