Sunday 26 July 2015

Tech Free


 Decided to have a tech free (almost) month. Deactivated Twitter, No Blog posts until September (Well they are getting a bit repetitive.) and limited phone use. I will still post any rarities somewhere (Bought some first class stamps!).


Little Egret (wanting to be a GWE)


Work at Hauxley may yet turn this reserve around.


It's that time of year again ... yuck ducks.


It is also the time of year when waders become problematic. Rule 1: if it looks a little bit like a Dunlin, it's a Dunlin. Rule 2 if you think you've found a rare wader, it's a Dunlin.





It's not a Dunlin? Rule 3: don't follow the rules!



Sick BH Gull did not appreciated the attention of the Little Egret.

Monday 20 July 2015

Returning Already?


Colour-ringed Little Egret


Yes 'Autumn' migration s underway. Waders are moving Knot, Whimbrel, Dunlin, Common Sandpipers and Greenshank all in evidence. If only there was some 'quality' mud for them.




Little Egrets are now so common they don't get all the attention they deserve. This one had a few stabs at the sick gull before leaving it alone.


This one has nice yellow legs, however, the grey lores and pale iris mean it is not a Snowy Egret.




Smaller birds are feeding-up before they depart. This one sheltering from the rain under an Umbrella/Umbellifer.




Believe it or not this is a Whitethroat. Obviously a very tired adult and lacking the expected feather condition. A few weeks of good feeding and I'm sure it will look a lot smarter...


... like this fresh Juv..



Looking at the leg colour Chiffchaff methinks.


Yellow Shell
Camptogramma bilineata sp



Vollucella pellucens

The larvae of these scavenge in Bee and Wasp nests (threy're not thought to be parasitic).

Friday 17 July 2015

End of Term


An early dispersing Whinchat at East Chev.

A good time of year to look for something different. Young birds dispersing, early birds migrating (at least six  summer plumage Sanderling  on the beach), Swift numbers dwindling and a few more Butterflies on the wing.




















Teasel


Barred Straw



Gold Spangle
Couldn't get much light on it as it hid on a Teasel Leaf


Yellow Ring DTC


The adult (Sandwich Tern) feeding it had a white ring (possibly ETA)


This adult Sandwich Tern (back) had red ring KAN



Tortoiseshell


Dark Green Fritillary


Common Centaury


Marsh Helleborine


Wednesday 8 July 2015

Bugs, Babies and Bonny Flowers ... part 1


This colour-ringed Redshank is probably one ringed on the Humber (awaiting reply from ringer).


Curlew chicks Druridge (Budge Fields)



Stonechat


Sawfly
Rhogogaster picta





Think this may be Giant Knapweed?


Silver-Y
Autographa gamma





Ruby-tailed Wasp
Chrysis ignita
One of the cuckoo wasps (kleptoparasite), lays its eggs in the nests of other wasps. Tiny little thing (less than 1cm) but stunning to look at.



Common Blue


Latticed Heath
Semiothisa clathrata