Sunday 8th July 2012 - Shenstone

Today was another one of those changeable weather days and with a spell of sunshine early afternoon I decided to pop to Shenstone to look for butterflies.

I started by undertaking my regular 'invert' walk around the Butts Lane area.  This proved very productive as I noted 14 Ringlet, 6 Meadow Brown, 2 Large Skipper, 1 Comma and 2 Small Tortoiseshell.  A Small/Essex Skipper was also observed but was too flighty to confirm id.

A Narrow-bordered 5-spot Burnett and 2 Cinnabar Moths were also noted.  The Ragwort buds/flowers were were seemingly covered in the black & yellow caterpillars of the latter.

Other highlights included seeing my first patch Common Darter dragonfly of the year that was along the public footpath and recording an Ichneumon wasp that I hadn't seen before, Ichneumon sarcitorius.

On concluding the Butts Lane walk I headed over to Stanklyn Lane to check out the path at the edge of the 'beet field'.  I still call it that even though there is no beet present this year.  This is an area where I recorded Brown Argus last year but, as with Butts Lane, there was no sign.  The only butterflies recorded were a single Small Tortoiseshell and a Meadow Brown.

This area wasn't a complete loss as I recorded 4 Spotted Longhorn Beetles (Rutpela maculata) on the umbilifer flowers and a new one for the patch, a  Black-striped Longhorn Beetle (Stenurella melanura).

It was now time to head back home and watch Andy Murray give is all to be beaten by the brilliance of an inform Roger Federer.

Comma

Small Tortoiseshell

Cinnabar Moth

Cinnabar Moth Larvae

Ichneumon sarcitorius

Longhorn Beetles (Rutpela maculata) & (Stenurella melanura)

Saturday 7th July 2012 - Monkwood & Grimley

Today was Bev's day off and we had been contemplating going for a walk but the weather couldn't seem to make it's mind up as to what it was going to do.  In the end we thought "blow it!" and decided to go for a wander anyway.  I suggested to Bev either visiting one of the local butterfly reserves and in the end we decided on Monkwood.

During the walk we realised that, despite the dull conditions, many butterflies were still active.  During our circuit we observed no fewer than 15 White Admirals.  Ringlets and Meadow Browns were both numerous.  Large Skippers were now in fewer numbers than my previous visit 9 days ago. Strangely we only saw one Speckled Wood.  A single Comma was also noted. 

Day-flying moths were also well represented with 6 Silver Y and many Yellow Shell observed during our walk.

The recent wet weather had caused the path at the rear of the reserve to become a quagmire and in places the brook there had burst its banks and flooded.  Needless to say after persevering through the sludge for most of the path we took advantage off taking a rather overgrown ride that eventually joined on to the main ride.  unfortunately I lifted a large bramble branch out the way and it swung and hit Bev in the face leaving her with a scratched and rather swollen cheek...ooops! I thought I was going to be sleeping in the dog house tonight but she actually laughed about it and said "if we meet anyone else they will think you have been hitting me".  Ah well, at least I wouldn't bump into anyone I know or so I thought!  I bumped into not one but two separate people actually, first a butterfly enthusiast I know called Lloyd and then later Mark P...whats the chance....doh!

The reserve is also a good place to see Odonata and along one ride we ride we encountered a ♂ Emperor Dragonfly and a ♀ Common Darter.  At the ponds there were 3 Broad-bodied Chasers (2♂, 1♀) present.  Also of note were Beautiful Demoiselle, Azure and Blue-tailed Damselflies.  Bev then called me over to see an interesting looking damselfly that was perched on some vegetation.  It was only an Emerald Damselfly, the first I've seen in the county.  I knew that they occur here but there was no sign last time.  In fact there was only this one today.  I texted Mark to let him know as I knew he was on a mission to see Emerald Damselfly at the mo.  Little did I know that he was already here to try the ponds for the said species.  I had to chuckle when I received a text back letting me know.

The wood was fairly quite in terms of bird activity but we were treated to the calls of a Tawny Owl.  A Marsh Tit was also heard calling during the walk.

From the reserve we walked just down the road to the common land known as Monkwood Green.  Here there were good numbers of Marbled White butterflies present.  We also noted 2♂ Common Blues chasing.  As always the green was chuffing with both Six-spot and Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet moths.

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On the way back home we decided to pop a couple of miles up the road to Camp Lane pits, Grimley.  On arrival we were saw an immature Hobby hawking over the north end.  This was no surprise considering the sheer numbers of Common Darters that were now present.  Black-tailed Skimmers were observed but in much smaller numbers than my last visit.  The highlight was again seeing a Red-veined Darter.  This time it was posing at rest on the branch of a sapling, I knew this was a good photo opportunity and edged closer.  I focused my camera and was just about to get the shot when it flew up to chase off a Common Darter and I couldn't relocate it....another time!

White Admiral

Large Skipper
(photo by Bev K)

Emperor Dragonfly (♂)

Emerald Damselfly
(poor record shot taken through binoculars)

Marbled Whites

Addendum:

I was just sat down with Bev this morning looking through some of her excellent macro shots from our recent visit to Monkwood, when I discovered that she had only photographed a ♀ Emerald Damselfly!  The photo is too good not to share...I only wish I had seen the damselfly in question!

Emerald Damselfy (♀)

(photo by Bev K)



Thursday 5th July 2012 - Captains Pool, Dunclent & Hartlebury

There was a rare occurrence today, it actually felt like summer.  Buoyed by the sunshine and blue skies I decided to have a few hours out looking for inverts. 

Captains Pool
My first port of call was 'on patch' and I paid a visit to Captains Pool to see what dragonflies and damselflies were present.  On arrival I quickly forgot about the Odonata (for a while at least) as I was greeted by the sight of 2 adult Common Terns performing well over the pool.  I watched them for about 10 minutes or so before they flew off heading North.  10 minutes later they returned and proceeded fishing for a similar amount of time before heading North again.  I am informed by Tony that this is a pretty much daily occurrence which leads me to believe that they are nesting at a nearby site.  More investigation required!

Also of note bird wise were 3 young Great Crested Grebe chicks that were travelling around on the parent's backs.  The chicks were first noted by TS on the 3rd of July and is welcome news as they were unsuccessful with their first brood.  A Cormorant, 8 Swifts, 2 House Martins and a immature Swallow were also noted at the pool.

In terms of Odonata there was a profusion of Azure Damselflies with many of them seen 'in cop'.  Blue-tailed Damselflies were also in good numbers but the only dragonfly noted was a single ♂ Broad-bodied Chaser.

The following butterflies and moths were also observed along the causeway:  2 Commas, 2 Ringlets, 1 Silver Y and 2 Cinnabar Moths.   Small numbers of early instar Cinnabar caterpillars were present on the Ragwort.

A Golden-bloomed Grey Longhorn Beetle and a 2-spot Ladybird of the melanic form (f. quadrimaculata) were also noted along the causeway.

Common Tern (record shot)

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2-spot Ladybird (form quadrimaculata)

Dunclent
From Captains I headed over to the nearby Pools at Dunclent to see if the Captains Pool Common Terns were nesting there.  The pools are actually due east of Captains but worth a check as they are the next closest  bodies of water with islands on.  It soon became apparent that the islands at the pools were over vegetated and the terns were definitely not nesting there.  Looking at the OS map they seem to be flying north over part of the town towards Podmore pool so perhaps that should be a place to check another day.

This walk wast a loss though as I did see a cracking Blood-vein moth along a tree-lined section of path.  A Small Tortoiseshell butterfly, a Ringlet and 3 Cinnabar moths were also noted.

What was also nice about this walk was seeing all the stunning blue Cornflowers that were in bloom amongst the cereal field behind Heathy Mill Farm.  A sight that you don't see often enough these days!

Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus)

Blood-vein

Hartlebury
The final site that I visited was the grounds of Hartlebury museum to check if there was any sign yet of the Scarlet Tiger Moths.  Today I was in luck and counted 5 Scarlet Tigers.  This was welcome news as I wasn't sure how they had fared with this odd summer we are having.  A great way to round off a good day.  Pity it's going to rain again tomorrow!

Scarlet Tiger Moth

Tuesday 3rd July 2012 - Upton Warren

With the prospect of another dull and potentially damp day I decided to pop to Upton Warren NR for a bit of birding.  Over the past few week there has been varying numbers of Mediterranean Gulls with a peak of 11 birds being seen on site (which is a new county record).  On the day I visited there were only 4 Mediterranean Gulls (2 adult & 2 2nd Summer) present but it was still good to see them all the same.  Now don't get me wrong I'm certainly not a "Larophile" (although I know a few!), but I can appreciate the beauty of a summer plumage adult Med Gull.  The all white wings, black head, deep red bill with yellow tip...there is just something about them.  Don't believe me then look at the photo below.

Also of interest at the flashes were 13 Avocets (8 adults & 5 juv), 2 Little Ringed Plover and 1 Common Sandpiper.

From the Flashes I headed over to the Moors Pool.  Along the causeway the Bee Orchids had miraculously survived the recent flooding and a single Pyramidal Orchid was in bloom too.

On one of the islands there were 2 adult Oystercatchers attending to 3 chicks.  A further 3 adult Oystercatchers were seen chasing and piping over the pool.  Also present was a single adult Common Tern.  Four Bullfinch (2♂ & 2♀) were using the feeding station.

All in all it was a very enjoyable change of scenery.  It was also good to have a natter with old friends and new faces.  I will have to not leave it so long before my next visit there.

Mediterranean Gull

Bee Orchid















Pyramidal Orchid

Click on YouTube logo to enlarge

Sunday 1st July 2012 - Back on patch

After the 'away days' of the past couple of weeks I decided it was about time to start working Shenstone again.  The weather was rather windy but it was dry and the temperature was mild.

I arrived at the patch early afternoon and decided to walk the Stanklyn Lane fields.  The set aside near the pylon looked absolutely stunning but sadly was lacking in wildlife with only a single Meadow Brown butterfly observed.

The gallops field was far more productive with a further 7 Meadow Browns, a Small Tortoiseshell and a Silver Y recorded.

Stanklyn Lane was very quite in terms of birdlife although a single Yellowhammer and a 'wheeting' Willow/Chiff were noted.

I then headed over to Butts Lane to walk my usual circuit.  There was a greater presence of the patch's avian inhabitants here with 10 Skylark, 8 Linnets, 2 Stock Doves, 1 singing Chiffchaff and a Common Buzzard observed.  2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls flew over heading ENE.

A few butterflies were also present including 2 Large Skippers, 2 Meadow Browns and a Ringlet.  The highlight though was a rather stunning Six-spot Burnett moth that was perched in the set-aside.  I also saw a single Lime-speck Pug moth but unfortunately the wind was blowing too much for a photo of this small moth.

It was good to get back on the patch and see what was about.  I will try and visit more regularly with autumn bird migration approaching.

Stanklyn Lane set-aside

Click on image to enlarge

Silver Y

Six-spot Burnett