Friday 30 April 2021

Bluebells in Beesby Wood.

We pulled up into the parking space at the end of the Valley Wood expecting it to be full but there were only Brian and Heather parked up waiting for us.  Perhaps the cold weather was keeping people away.  Although cold, again only 10C, it was quite bright with mixed sun and overcast and still that bitter north easterly off the sea.  The countryside is now beginning to look lush despite the lack of rain.  The paths are bone hard and well worn now following the high footfall during lockdown.  Dog's mercury was in flower and carpeting the Valley Wood  floor.  Judging by the well worn tracks leading from them the badger setts in the wood seemed to be quite active; good news.  We continued along the valley over fields now full of sheep towards Beesby Wood.  As we approached the air was heavy with the scent of bluebells and wild garlic.  The garlic is now in flower and the bluebells are as good as I have ever seen them here.  Wood anemones were still hanging on as well so the wood looks magnificent.  The badger sett here is very large and very active and as we stood by it we watch a couple of tree creepers spiralling up neighbouring trees.

While the ladies returned via the Valley Wood, Brian and I completed the round walking passed Stock Furlong which is aso full of bluebells.  The scrubby area adjacent to Stock Furlong, I am told, was rich in orchids last year: early purple, pyramidal and bee.  I saw no sign as yet but will return shortly for a thorough look.  There was an abundance of dandelions in flower, though and a good crop of cowslips.  We continued down into the Wold Newton Valley under dramatic skies and were soon back at the car.

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Thursday 29 April 2021

Green Hairstreaks at Donna Nook

 Although dull to start the day the sky brightened as I drove south down the coast road to Donna Nook.  It was very cold, though, 0nly 9C and the biting wind off the sea made it even colder.  On the landward side of the dunes it was more sheltered, though and I soon found the green hairstreaks in the usual spot.  Only two, though although another 3 were seen elsewhare.  Even so 5 is a very low number and I wonder if the very cold spring is holding things up.  According to the met office it has been the coldest April since 1922 and we have only 25% of the rain we would normally expect.  On a brighter note I heard my first cuckoo of the year.  Once I had fill my memory card with the hairstreakes I went for a walk up to Pye's Hall where the sluice has been removed as part of the mitigation project.  There has been a lot of change since I was last here pre-covid; the big tides are obviously flooding the new marsh now and there is much standing water.  The area looks very promising.  I heard curlew and saw egrets and redshanks.

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Wednesday 28 April 2021

Butterflies in the Woodland Burial Ground.

 After a dull and cold morning the sun came out in the afternoon and things warmed up, although the brisk cold NE wind the 9C feel much colder.  I was pleased to find my first speckled wood of the year and a chiffchaff was calling in the cemetery.  Bluebells and  forget me nots were in flower as well as cow parsley beginning to open up.  The undergrowth was springing up rapidly now.  I looked for signs of the white helleborines as I left the cemetery but, as yet, could see no sign.

  • small white 4
  • Orange tip, male - 1
  • Speckled Wood 4
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Monday 26 April 2021

Summer Vistors on the Horsefield.

 What a difference a couple of miles and 200 miles makes.  We left the lake district with a temperature of 17C and arrived home to 7C and it has not climbed above 10C all the next week and the keen NE winds staright off the north sea have increased the wind chill factor.  Our plants had taken a battering from cold and frosts in the week that we had been away.  It was time, however, to get back to the Horsefield to see what changes there had been.  Nearly the first bird that I came across was a male whitethroat singing lustily from the thick bramble hedge separating the site from the agricultural land we cross to reach it.  I enjoyed a pleasurable hour following this bird  and a meery dance it led me. I did, however, mange one or two images.  I shall try again soo.  The other arrivals were the linnets which had arrived mob handed.  Unlike the whitethroat they are only partial migrants and they spend the winter foraging on the salt marsh where food is more plentiful.

It was a bright and sunny day bit with a searing easterly wind.  While we had been away the hedges had greened up as the hawthorn has come into leaf.  Cow parsley is just beginning to come into flower and there is a heady scent from the rape crop that is now in flower.  There is still some blackthorn blossom but the hawthorn is poised to take over.

Species seen:

  • Wood pigeon
  • Starling
  • Blue tit
  • House sparrow
  • Crow
  • Magpie
  • Great tit
  • Yellowhammer
  • Reed bunting
  • Whitethroat
  • Skylark
  • Linnet
  • Blackbird
  • Robin
  • Dunnock
  • Pheasant
  • Peacock x1
  • Green-veined white x6
  • Small tortoiseshell x5
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Dunnock
Green-veined white
Green-veined white
Green-veined white
Green-veined white
Linnet
Linnet
Linnet
Linnet
Whitethroat
Whitethroat

Friday 23 April 2021

Lake District, Day 7. The River Kent.

 We had a lazy day on our last day doing some tidying and gentle packing ready for a quick(ish) getaway on the Saturday.  Having done those jobs we decided on a walk along the river Kent for an hour or so before returning for tea.  It was clear, bright, sunny and warm at 19C.  It was beautiful wandering down the river and we saw dipper, pied and grey wagtails and goosander.  I was surprised and pleased to photograph a colour ringed grey wagtail and on returning home enjoyed a flurry of correspondence with some people from Cumbria Birders and Heysham bird observatory.  The bird was ringed as a 1st winter bird at Middleton Nature Reserve near Heysham on 31.8.20.  Apparently it's their first recovery from the River Kent and had travelled 38km.  It has been posted in the Heysham Bird Observatory report for Monday 26th April.  Click this link to see more. 

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Dipper
Dipper
Goosander
Goosander
Grey Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
Colour Ringed Grey Waytail
Colour Ringed Grey Waytail
Colour Ringed Grey Waytail
Mallard Family