Friday 1 July 2022

Warm at First, but Then Wet

Immature Robin 
Ditto
Roe Deer & Poppies

Ditto
On Monday I went to Fen Bog for the third time in a few weeks.  The Whinchat family had fledged, so were absent but the Redpolls and Stonechats were still in evidence.  Less expected was an Adder sunning itself just through a gate on a concrete path.  It posed for a couple of minutes before disappearing in a thick clump of grass. 
Adder
Ditto
Ditto
Lesser Redpoll
Ditto
Ditto
Ditto
Ditto
Stonechat
Ditto
Ditto
Yellowhammer 
Ditto
Ditto
Ditto
Train

One of the 2003 Wednesday am originals was near Doncaster, so she popped in to Black-Winged Stilt family at Potteric Carr.  

Black-Winged Stilt (c) 2022 Lynn Hall

Chick on far right (c) 2022 Lynn Hall

On Tuesday we went to Skerne.  It was a very windy morning, but we still had very interesting sightings.  The highlight may have been the male Kestrel, which was still bringing food into the Barn Owl box.

Kestrel
Ditto
Marsh Harrier
Tree Sparrow
Whitethroat
Ditto
Marsh Frog
Red Admiral
Small Tortoiseshell 
Banded Demoiselle
Skimmer?
Hoary Willowherb

On Wednesday we made our final visit to the supermarket for this year.  If anything the shelves were even more full as many Puffins were now standing or sitting outside their nesting burrows.  

Linnet
Linnet
Immature Skylark
Immature Rock Pipit
Ditto
Rock Pipit (c) 2022 Tony Robinson
Puffin
Ditto
Puffin (c) 2022 Tony Robinson
Kittiwake
Kittiwake with Chick (c) 2022 Tony Robinson
Guillemot with Fish
Razorbill (c) 2022 Tony Robinson
ditto
Shag
Stonechat
Meadow Browns
Small Skipper
Small Tortoiseshell 
Small Whites
Roe Deer
Harebells
Boat
In the afternoon several am members went on to nearby Bempton in the hope of a Red-tailed Shrike, but it had gone to ground until the following morning.  Of course the Gannts were still present, and they did glimpse the Black-Browed Albatross.
Gannet (c) 2022 Tony Robinson
Immature Gannet (c) 2022 Tony Robinson
Swallow (c) 2022 Tony Robinson


The forecast for Thursday earlier in the week had originally been bad, but by Wednesday it was much improved, so we went ahead with the Deserted Medieval Village.  We parked near the nature reserve and walked along the old railway line to the woodland.  We didn’t locate the Grey Wagtail or Spotted Flycatcher, but did track down the Nuthatch.  We found Goldcrests, Marsh Tits and Bullfinches.  When we returned to the quarry there were many more butterflies than last week, despite the overcast conditions, but the knapweed wasn’t really in flower in great numbers yet.  After lunch we found an immature Grey Wagtail (very lacking in colour), but the Nuthatch failed to appear, even for Gordon!  A Corn Bunting singing near the Deserted a medieval Village car park was the first sighting of this species I’ve had here in 30 years.

Corn Bunting
ditto
Record shot of Nuthatch
Hares
Marbled White
Ringlet
Common Blue
Small Heath
Bee Orchid
Jacob's Ladder
Robin's Pin-Cushion
Sign 1
Sign 2
Sign 3

On Friday we went to Kiplingcotes Chalk Pit.  It was overcast, but this meant that the Marbled Whites, Ringlets and other butterflies were easier to observe and photograph.  The morning was curtailed by a heavy shower.  We got back to the parking area before a thunderstorm began, which was accompanied by a torrent of rain.  In the afternoon it stayed dry and the twist of 30 Linnets, Yellowhammers and Willow Warblers were still present.  More butterflies appeared including two Common Blues as the session progressed.  Buzzards were seen soaring in the direction of Market Weighton.  A male Sparrowhawk was drawn to our attention by an alarmed group of Swallows.  A single Swift was also seen.

Marbled White

Small Skipper
Plume Moth sp.
Grasshopper sp.
Beetle sp.
Centaury sp.
At this time of year it's always worth keeping an eye on your own lawn.  A Friday pm stalwart had a rewarding view into her garden this week. 
All photos (c) 2022 Angela Murray-Nag
Professor Yaffle and his pupil







Finally, in the moth trap this week

Summer Chafer
Ditto
Dark Arches
The Uncertain 
Grey Dagger
Dark Arches
Dark Arches
ditto
Worn Mother Shipton?
The Lackey
Ribband Wave
Poplar Grey
Dunbar
Emerald
Ditula Angustiorana
Willow Beauty
Buff-Tip
Ditto
Common Wainscot
Emerald
Oligilia strigilis
Dun-bar

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