Wednesday 1 June 2022

Half-Term Special: Strensall Common

It’s half-term week, but on Wednesday we had a one-off special visit to Strensall Common.  We crossed the railway line to find Bullfinches, baby Long-tailed Tits and Blue Tits around the cottages before we entered the YWT reserve.  The heath was absolutely swarming with day-flying moths, but relatively few birds.  The highlights were a Treecreeper, a female Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Mistle Thrush.  Looking north George pointed out Sherrif Hutton castle across a wheat field stuffed with Scented Mayweed.  

Common Heath Moth
Underside of Common Heath Moth (c) 2022 Jane Robinson


Latticed Heath (c) 2022 Jane Robinson
Treecreeper (c) 2022 Jane Robinson
Female Great Spotted Woodpecker
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Sheriff Hutton Castle 
We crossed the railway again and then the road to a large open heath area.  In some Silver Birches we noticed a small brown bird, which promptly sang its beautiful lilting song and  performed its elaborate song flight.  It was our first Tree Pipit since the pandemic.  It rewarded us with great views.  Leaving the trees behind we made it on to the open heath.  More brown moths flew across our path, and then one landed revealing its glorious metallic green underside - my first Green Hairstreak in 3 decades.  A little further on we had excellent views of a male Cuckoo - it was Chris and Sonia’s best ever view of this species.  A Linnet was heard, but not seen, shortly afterwards we were serenaded by an unexpected Garden Warbler from Goat Willow Scrub.  We were then inflicted by a shower and headed back, but not before we enjoyed a close view of a delightful pair of Stonechats and one member of their first brood.  
Record Shot of Blackcap
Tree Pipit
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Tree Pipit (c) 2022 Jane Robinson
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Green Hairstreak
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Record Shot of Dull Upper Wings of Green Hairstreak
Buzzard
Cuckoo
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Stonechats, Juv [left] and female (c) 2022 Jane Robinson
Female Stonechat
Record Shot of Male Stonechat
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Stonechats
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Stonechats (c) 2022 Jane Robinson
Tormentil (c) 2022 Jane Robinson
Heath Bedstraw
Sheep Sorrel (c) 2022 Jane Robinson
Cranefly Sp. (c) 2022 Jane Robinson
Drinker Moth Caterpillar (c) 2022 Jane Robinson
Scented Mayweed (c) 2022 Jane Robinson

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