Sunday 24 June 2018

The Arrival of Summer?

On Tuesday it was windy again, so we missed out on Skerne, and we went to nearby Tophill Low.  We saw plenty of birds, but I forgot my camera, so there are no pictures.  On Wednesday we were able to go to Wharram as the forecast was fine.  However, it was raining when we started (which was not forecast) and we had some torrential downpours throughout the morning.  We eventually located the male Grey Wagtail after a patient wait.  We also struck lucky with the Redstarts, as a pair were making many visits to feed their young in the normal nesting hole.  
Black-tailed Godwit
 Red Kite (c) 2018 Tony Robinson
 Ditto
Grey Wagtail
 Ditto
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Same Grey Wagtail in May (c) 2018 Tony Robinson
 Ditto
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 Male Redstart
 Ditto
 Female Redstart
 Ditto
 Pied Wagtail
 Fairy caps
Despite the rain there were plenty of butterflies in the nature reserve.  There were hundreds of Common Spotted Orchids, a few Pyramidal Orchids, but we could only locate 5 Bee Orchids.  The Thistle Broomrape wasn't as prolific as last year, but there were several impressive spikes. 
Female Common Blue
 Small Heath
 Speckled Wood
 Wood Tiger [Moth]
 Bee Orchid 
 Ditto
Bee Orchid (c) 2018 Tony Robinson 
Thistle Broomrape
 Carline thistle
 Ditto
 Clustered Bellflower
Several of the morning group went on to the raptor viewpoint near Scarborough, and connected with a Honey Buzzard.
Record Shot of Honey Buzzard (c) 2018 Tony Robinson
 Ditto
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On Thursday it was far too windy for Oakhill, so we went on to Blacktoft.  We saw Marsh Harriers and Avocets as expected.  However, in the afternoon Brian confidently identified and then pointed out a male Ruff, which turned out to be the first returning individual of the Autumn.  That same afternoon someone mentioned a Sparrowhawk outside the Singleton hide.  It flew off as everyone looked through the side-window.  However, the low flight over the vegetation revealed it was actually a Cuckoo.  She perched on some umbellifers a quarter of a mile away, and stayed there for 5 minutes.  Then she set off back towards the hide.  A Reed Warbler burst into song, and it seems this was her object.  She landed fairly close to the hide and perched long enough for everyone to have a good look at her before she landed behind the hide again.  No doubt she was determined to lay an egg in a Reed Warbler's nest.  
 Avocet [egg behind]
 Record Shot of immature Bearded Tits
 Black-tailed Godwits
 Ditto
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 Spotted Redshanks
Little Egret (c) 2018 Margaret Richardson
 Ditto

 Ruff
Ditto 
Ditto
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 Spotted Redshank
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Lapwings, Teal & Spottd Redshanks (c) 2018 Margaret Richardson
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 Whitethroat
 Lapwing
 moorhen
 Ditto
 Portrait
 Magpie 
 Marsh Harrier
 Ditto
Marsh harrier (c) 2018 Margaret Richardson
 Ditto

 Female? Cuckoo
 Ditto
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For the first and only time this year the weather on Friday relented enough to permit the group to visit Skerne.  It was a little on the breezy side, but there was just sufficient shelter to allow some insects to shelter behind vegetation in some parts.  Overall it was a very pleasant morning until the horseflies emerged in the late morning near the Belted Galloways.  Angela was quick off the mark spotting a Great Spotted Woodpecker before we had even left the car park area.
Male Great Spotted Woodpecker - note eye membrane
 Ditto
 Goldfinch
Goldfinch (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
Reed Bunting (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
Sparrowhawk
 Ditto
Kestrel (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
Male Marsh Harrier (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
Reed Warbler (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Wren (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
Immature Willow Warbler 
Immature Willow Warbler (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
 Ditto
 Ditto
Immature Moorhen
 Roe Deer
 Emperor Dragonfly
 Four Spotted Chaser
Large Skipper
Large Skippers
 Azure Damselfly - ID Joan Hill
Four-Spotted Chaser (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
 Blue-Tailed Damselflies (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
 Grasshopper sp. (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
Marsh frog with full air sacs (c) 2018 Dave Hill
Marsh Frog with medium air sacs
Without the Air Sacs (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
Immature Marsh Frog?
Immature Marsh Frog? (c) 2018 Dave Hill
Amphibious Bistort
Water Forget-me-Knot (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
 Water Crowsfoot (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
On the way back my nephew and I stopped off at Rifle Butts Quarry, and saw several species of flower, but no Marbled Whites.
Bloody Cranesbill (c) 2018 Ben Coneyworth