July full patch walk

Date: 26/07/2016

Location: Patch Walk- Newton St Loe

Weather: Cloudy and grey

Other Species: 
Coal Tit, Bullfinch, Swift, Barn Swallow, House Martin, Buzzard, Black Headed Gull, Yellowhammer, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Green Woodpecker, Song Thrush, Raven, Nuthatch.36 sp.
Butterflies
Gatekeeper,Small Skipper, Essex Skipper, Ringlet, Small White, Large White, Peacock, 
Red Admiral, Holly Blue,Comma.11 sp.

Observation: 

Started out through Bath Mill with very little along brook a few butterflies on dog track mainly Gatekeepers and Ringlets but number low.

Walking up on to fields a few Yellowhammers about, but no skylarks or Whitethroats heard.

Swifts buzzing overhead, farmer was harvesting far fields lots of Wood Pigeons and 2 Buzzards also.

Just before Seven Acre saw a couple of Skippers Essex and Small.

While standing watching Red Admirals around 5 on edge of Seven Acre saw at least 3 Holly Blues on Bramble, 2nd brood.

Red Admirals looked fresh saw around 7/8 on the full walk. Sun was trying to come out but not long enough so most butterflies didn't stop for long.

Out through village Martins and Barn swallows zooming in skies, 

just after church saw 2 Green Woodpeckers feeding in grass.

At lake nout new Mute Swans still with 7 Cygnets, plenty of mallards and this inquisitive Grey Wagtail juvenile. 

But also no Grey Herons ! But the return of 2 Black Headed Gulls not seen on lakes since 07/03/2016 breeding i suppose ?

Out past second lake saw this feather ? anyone ID ?

On Ponds by Football pitches 2 Emperor Dragons and 2 Common Darters, Little else but this pale Buzzard calling for mum or Dad.

As you can see very pale against the equally pale and grey skies !

That ended walk with the walk up over hill to Park Farm and along 12 O'clock lane with nothing to add. 

Ended on 36 bird Species and 11 Butterflies.

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Butterflies On The Mendip Hills

Date: 21/07/2016

Location: Mendips - 3 Sites

Weather: Started Warm, Broken Cloud, Ended Drizzle + Cloudy

Other Species: 
Marbled White, Small Skipper, Larger Skipper, Essex Skipper, Red Admiral, Small Heath, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Green Veined White, Dark Green Fritillaries, Small Copper, Gatekeeper, European Peacock, Chalkhill Blue, Grayling, Common Blue, Small White, Comma - 18 Species 

Observation: 
With a hot tip on some Dark Green Fritillaries headed down on to the Mendips and within 10 mins spotted a couple plus many Marbled Whites and an assortment of Skippers Large, Small and Essex. Main target today were Dark Green Fritillaries, Chalkhill Blues and Grayling so 10 mins in was doing well! 

A great looking Small Copper, seen 2 at Priddy.

But Dark Green Fritillaries take the best butterfly award today ! 

Stunning things as are most Fritillaries..

Wouldn't really stay still as cloud was incoming and sun was disappearing.

But end total was 5.

Turned around and a stunning Emperor Dragonfly (Anax imperator) was perched up! 

Saw a few Dragonflies today Common Darters mostly. But the Emperor being one of UK's largest at 78mm or 3" is a monster!

On the damp ground there were many Green Veined Whites grouped together taking minerals from soil.

Always a bit of grass in the way but Marbled Whites mating. The Marbled Whites were the most abundant here.

Right next year tick, was the Chalkhill Blue so headed the 4 Miles to Draycott Sleights, very cloudy now! But on arriving seem to be only person there, soon spotted a few Chalkhill Blues around 10 or so mostly hiding in grass.

A few other things about, the Silver Y Moth, wonder why it's called that?

A few Stunning a very colourful Peacocks, the fly amazed and probably wished he was a bit more colorful!

Wandered up and down slopes hoping for a clear shot, did bump into some more people also looking but eventually managed a perched Chalkhill! 

Nice next tick was Crook Peak about 7 miles away, it's now raining mmmm not promising!

Rain sort of stopped on arriving, so headed up towards top of Crook's Peak scanning hillside for Grayling but now a bit windy also. Got 3/4 way up just as it flattened out and a Grayling!

One shot and flew! 

So hard to see their camo is amazing against the rock, although this shot he does stand out a bit, luckily!

20 mins of searching about to give up and spotted another with passenger! Trombidium breei the small parasite does not impair flight although a greater number of them can kill the Butterfly. Have seen them before mainly on Marbled Whites.

So 3 year ticks mission accomplished!! My year total now stands at 44 with 4 more to get this year being Clouded Yellow, Brown Hairstreak and Silver Spotted Skipper year ticks and Wood White (second brood) being a new tick.

 I hope to end year on 48. With 2017 being my 50th year my target is the big 59! :)

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13 Species of Butterfly, Plus Close-Up Little Owl!

Date: 11/07/2016

Location: Patch - Newton St Loe

Weather: Cloudy + Windy At Times

Other Species: 
Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Bullfinch, Chiffchaff, Buzzard, Skylark, Yellowhammer, Whitethroat, Grey Wagtail, Barn Swallow, House Martin, Swift, Blackcap, Treecreeper, Little Owl - 35 species
Butterflies:
Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Marbled White, Large Skipper, Small Skipper, Essex Skipper, Red Admiral, GateKeeper, Green Veined White, Comma

Observation: 
A wet weekend for me so Monday morning and no rain I had to go for a wander round patch! Opened front door and Male Bullfinch looking splendid on tree. Out through Bath Lodges and it was very quiet not much until fields although a few butterflies despite weather. On fields usual stuff Whitethroat still dwindling numbers only 1 bird heard. Village normal's here as well .

Then crossing Bath Spa Drive and on to Butterfly Alley! 

I know it finally lives up to its name a single Essex Skipper!! 

Not sure a fly species answers on a postcard please! 

But the Essex Skipper first of the year on patch.

On to Lakes lots Mallards, seem to be doing very well this year, normal Coots and Moorhen also Mute Swan still with 7 Cygnets although they were on Lower Lake today but moved up to Upper while I was munching my Apple. Carried on, no Spotted Flycatcher today but Bonus! As I was going through kissing gate turned around to close gate and.......

A Juvenile Little Owl! 

Never seen them here before but made my day as he sat about 2 meters from me! 

A real surprise.

Look at those feet, amazing very large for such a small chap.

Carried on around towards Park View Farm still smiling and heard a familiar noise a Greater Spotted Woodpecker appeared from around pole, and Blue Skies now! Whoohoo

Down past Pennsylvania Farm not much on his feeders but a few House Sparrows, Then at bottom of lane a Gatekeeper also a first of year and taking Butterfly patch list this year to 21.

 2 more to see, Small Copper and Clouded Yellow on patch. Finished walk with 13 species of butterfly and 35 birds. Plus some cracking shots of our Little Owl!

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Fontmell Down & The SSS

Date: 12/08/2015

Location: Fontmell Down

Weather: Temp Rising all day to 25c - but some cloud and gusty wind. 

Other Species: Brimstone, Large White, Meadow Brown, Chalkhill Blue, Commom Blue, Small Skipper, Silver Spotted Skipper, Clouded Yellow, Small Heath, Dark Green Fritillary, Brown Argus, Small Blue, Small Copper.

Observation:  Up over Spread-Eagle Hill, blue skies and a full car park ! Waited 10 mins and a space opened up so headed off in search of Silver Spotted Skipper. Seemed to be two groups of people on opposite hill but carried on alone searching with nothing. Saw lots of Chalkhill, Common Blues and Brown Argus then a Clouded Yellow with wings open but missed the shot !

The wind was a little gusty and the butterflies were not posing for long.

More Chalkhill Blues than anything else on lower slopes.

5 or 6 Small Copper's around

Then after speaking to the other groups who were BC-Somerset  BC-Dorset  they found our first Silver Spotted - Camera Bad Setting ! Doh !

After another hour searching backwards and forwards along hill 10 or so hands seem to waving at me ? I rushed over and in a jar they've found another! After it was released it disappeared completely! A tricky thing to find on Fontmell may try again in week or two .

  

A Pretty Chalkhill on Knapweed 

Back towards car park now and down little track, the old Quarry on left always a good bet for Small Blue. Feeding on Kidney Vetch

And finally Brimstone Male

I Checked on Google Earth to see how far I walked, 5 miles, felt like 20!

But with nice people stunning views and some beautiful butterflies a Great Day was had!

Thanks For Looking !

Draycott & Priddy Mineries

Date: 28/07/2015

Location: Draycott Sleights then Priddy Mineries

Weather: Windy some sunshine later

Other Species Butterflies: Silver Washed Fritillary, Dark Green Fritillary, Small Copper, Marbled Whites, Meadow Browns, Ringlets, Red Admiral, Small White, Large White, Large Skipper, Small Skipper, Chalkhill Blue = 12

Observation: 

Sunny spells forecast but wind not good for butter-flying :( but headed to Draycott Sleights anyway saw around 6/7 Chalkhill Blues all hiding in grasses not really posing so headed up slope came to this Silver Washed Fritillary had another wander round but still to windy, wind was gusting at 15mph.

Thought maybe Priddy Mineries would be better, it was a bit,so headed into Stockhill Wood first and saw this lovely looking Large White.

Bit further on surprised to see this large skipper in the woodland .

Dark Green and Silver Washed Fritillary's Soaring through the glades. Also birds saw Goldcrest and Coal Tit and unknown bird of prey calling thought maybe kestrel.

Out on to the Mineries path, windy again. But this Small Copper stopped briefly.

Lots of mostly Small Skippers with Marbled Whites, Burnet Moths, Meadow Browns making the numbers

I really liked this shot, thought he was smiling I was as well ! :)...I'am now ! :)

Last thing of the day Common Darter landed on path, Nice :)

Thanks For Looking :)

Wet Village Walk - Newton St Loe Patch

Date: 5th July 2015 - 12PM
Location:  Newton St Loe Circular

Observation:  With 1/2 of NSL-Birding suffering with a bad neck, we stayed local and wandered out the Village in the hope we would miss the incoming storm (which was due to start at 2pm!) Through the campsite, it was busy once again with workmen but its due to finish in around 6 weeks, so should start to see wildlife returning soon we hope! On the Dog Walk, there were abundant supplied of butterflies and bugs, the majority being Small Skipper (first of the year for our patch) and Comma butterflies.

This year, we have seen 20 species of butterfly on our patch the record being 21 for us so not bad! The 21 species we have seen are: European Peacock, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Small White, Large White, Green Veined White, Brimstone, Small Skipper, Large Skipper, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Comma, Ringlet, Speckled Wood, Holly Blue, Small Copper, Clouded Yellow, Marbled White, Orange-Tip, Common Blue and the Painted Lady. The only butterfly we haven't seen on our patch this year is the Common Blue!

Has anyone seen more than 21 on their patch?!

The Buzzard was calling from his tree in Seven Acre Woods, as we approached (we couldn't actually find him!) he flew off and circled for a short while but landed in Seven Acre Woods as the wind started getting stronger. At the crossroads a quick, glimpse of the Yellowhammer before he hid in the hedgerow away from us (as always!).

Into the Village, it started to rain (the weather is wrong once again!) there were a few Barn Swallows and singles of Swift flying above us. In the Village junction there were alot more younger Swallows and House Sparrows grounded on surrounding wires. The rain and wind was coming in heavy and fast now, so we took a few shots of the Swallows and headed home (very quickly!).

Along the last stretch of the rain, with the rain and wind still slamming down, were some squawking young Magpies in the tree, they flew off before we could see what they were squawking at! This ended our walk and arrived home VERY wet and cold!

Weather:  Cloudy, Sunny Intervals, Warm - Incoming Storm

Other Species: Buzzard, Yellowhammer, House Sparrow, Barn Swallow, Swift, Crow, Magpie - Of Note

Butterflies: Small White, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Gatekeeper, Small Skipper, Large Skipper - Of Note

Thanks For Reading !