Westhay - Draycott Sleights - Priddy Mineries

Date: 21/05/2015

Location: Westhay - Draycott Sleights - Priddy Mineries

Observation: I've been without my 400mm lens, Been dodgy for a while but gave up completely 2 weeks ago, sent it of to Colchester Cameras £202 quid later its back !! Seems sharper too! So this morning more butterflies on the cards ! But thought i'd let the day warm up a bit first so headed to Westhay, heard Booming Bitterns x2, Cuckoo x1 saw lots of Swifts, a distant Marsh Harrier to try lens on, didn't try on Swift's thought i'd just depressed! So Marsh Harrier it was, distant through the reeds but better!

Lots of Common Blue Damselfly about & Common Blue Butterflies

And this Four Spotted Chaser

A flypast Hobby the sound of strimmers (clearing grass in front hides). So back to van it was and Draycot Sleights, never been before was worried about parking but no problems.

Headed up over slope seeing Common Blues, Small Heath, Orange Tip + Small Copper also Dingy and Grizzled Skippers, wind at this point was picking up and the Skippers & Heaths. Chased anything that landed making pictures difficult. 10 species seen.

Did see this little chap just before I left think its a Tiger Beetle, correct me if I'm wrong!

Apparently if Usain Bolt had a race and the beetle was Usain's size the Tiger Beetle would run 9 times faster  !! 200mph + !! Wow, Also at top speed they go blind, the beetle not Usain!

Thought Priddy Mineries would be less windy, not really headed across towards pond.

 Small Heath was it, on pond there must have been 1000+ tadpoles !

 After scouting with Binoculars for a Cuckoo calling, and not seeing, went over to Stockhill and through woods not much here on returning to van this Downy Emerald landed briefly never seen by me before and a nice end to day :)

Weather: Blue Skies, 16c, Some Wind  

Other Species: Whitethroat, Buzzard, Bittern, Hobby, Reed Buntings, Reed Warblers, Blackcap, Goldcrest, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Marsh Harrier, Cuckoo, Kestrel

Butterflies: Common Blue, Orange Tip, Red Admiral, Brimstone, Small White, Large White, Small Heath, Small Copper, Peacock, Comma, Dingy + Grizzled Skippers.

Thanks For Reading 

Check back soon as off to Bempton Cliffs for a few day back Wednesday :)

Puffins...Guillemots.....Gannets........ :)