Green Hairstreaks at Donna Nook

 For a change,Tuesday 9th May turned out to be potentially favourable for photographing the tiny green hairstreak butterflies at Donna Nook on the Lincolnshire Coast. Green hairstreaks are the only British butterfly to have green wings and with a wingspan of only 30mm are very small, in fact the UK's smallest butterfly is the small blue which has a wingspan of 27mm.

Roger and I arrived in the car park at the same time and were soon heading along the dunes to search for our target. Disconcertingly the sky had clouded over since leaving home but we were encouraged by the blue sky to the north from where the weather was coming and the sun soon appeared. Green hairstreaks are very faithful to territory and, as it is an annual pilgrimage for us to find these beautiful butterflies, we knew where to go. Although they can be found all along the Lincolnshire coast, their favoured location at Donna Nook is only about 50 square metres.

Nearly as soon as we reached the spot we found our first individual and as the sun warmed up and they became more active, we eventually found 10. Despite having emerged a couple of weeks previously most were in superb condition. One or two, though, were starting to look worn so we had only just got there in time.

There followed a couple of hours of delightful photography. Keeping half an ear out for birds as well, I enjoyed hearing the scratchy song of the plentiful whitethroats and my first cuckoo of the year elicited the usual thrill.

A Winter Walk at Donna Nook

 It was cloudless with a gentle westerly breeze as Heather, Brian and I pulled into the car park at Donna Nook.  Donna Nook is mostly known for the breeding seal colony that is a huge tourist attraction in November and December each year when nearly 2000 pups are born, but it is also an excellent area for wildlige generally.  There are large numbers of birds (it is still a reliable place to hear and see cuckoos), it is rich in plant life and a good location for butterflies, especially the beautiful green hairstreak. In land of the beach and mudflats are extensive areas of salt marsh and then a line of large sand dunes behind which is a large area of wetland.  This was, until recently, reclaimed farmland but the sluice controlling the chanel draining the fields was removed allowing the area to flood on high tides, especially during storm surges.  In this way it is hoped to prevent flooding of fields and coastal comunities. This area of managed realignment is particularly rich in bird life and is designed to mitigate against wild areas that have been lost to orther sea defences.

Our walk took us north along the path on the edge of the salt marsh until we crossed over the dunes at the site of the old Pye's Hall where the sluice once prevented tidal waters flooding the fields.  How times change.  Here we sheltered behind the dunes for luch before making our way back to the car park.  

We were pleased to see large numbers of lapwing and linnets, meadow pipits and skylarks were busy on the salt marsh; I wait with anticipation for these last three species to return to the Horsefield as spring kicks in. On the lagoon closet to the car park were large numbers of teal and black-tailed godwit.

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Looking towards the trees that once sheltered Pye's Hall.

The flood prevention area.

Lapwing

Lapwing

Lapwing

First Green Hairstreak Swallow and Yellow Wagtail of the Year

 On getting out of the car at Donna Nook, the chill wind struck straight through.  Although sunny with hazy cloud, there was a chill easterly wind off the sea.  While I was gathering my camera equipment Roger turned up and we were soon heading up the lee side of the dunes to the location where we usually find green hairstreak butterflies; one of our smallest and earliest to emerge, although they seem to get earlier every year.  I was pleased to have seen a swallow at Grainthorpe on the way and we soon saw two more.  Once at the spot we were heading for we soon found our first hairstreak; a brilliant, iridescent green.  It was in exactly the same bush as last year; they are certainly incredibly territorial.  We managed to find 3 altogether.  While we were photographing the butterflies, I was pleased to hear a couple of whimbrel on the coastal flood prevention realignment area of the reserve.

On my way home I called in at Covenham Reservoir to try and see yellow wagtails.  It was bitingly cold up on top of the reservoir walls but I was pleased to find 4 together.  They were, however, challenging to get close enough to photograph.  Back down in the milder climate by the car chiffchaff and blackcap were calling and 3 small white, 3 male orange tips and a small tortoiseshell were on the wing.

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Green Hairstreak

Green Hairstreak

Green Hairstreak

Green Hairstreak

Green Hairstreak

Orange Tip male

Rooks at the nest

Yellow Wagtail

Yellow Wagtail

A Very Cold Day at Donna Nook and Dipped out on the Goosander Again

 As Brian, Heather and myself crested the Dunes at Donna Nook we felt the full force of the biting westerly wind and the chill 4C temperature felt even colder. We had expansive views though of the salt marsh and estuary and across the Spurn Point and, behind us, over the rapidly developing flood mitigation area.  The recently noisy and busy grey seal nursery was now quiet and peaceful again, the adults and pups having returned to the sea.  We made our way along the seaward side of the dunes as far as the old sluice at Pye's Hall where we crossed back over the dunes to return on the landward side of the dunes.  The recent high tides had flooded the path and the whole area was busy with bird life.  The thrilling call of curlew echoed over the marsh along with the insistent and strident calls of redshank.  Egrets fed in the creeks and gulls gathered raucously.  Walking back towards the car we passed the area which, in a couple of months, will be alive with green hairstreak butterflies, but now things are still wintry despite the welcome sunshine.

On our way home we called in at Cleethorpes Country Park thinking that this might be where the female goosander was.  I had already tried unsuccessfully on the boating lake and we had no better luck today.  Not long after getting home I had a message to say that it had been showing well on the boating lake.  Ah well!!

Looking towards Pye's Hall

Big Butterfly Count at Donna Nook

 Jet needed a walk today and not wanting to take him over fields because of the problem with grass seeds we decided on the coast and opted for Donna Nook to avoid Cleethorpes crowds.  It also gave me another opportunity to carry out a Big Butterfly Count for Butterfly Conservation.

After parking we made our way through the dunes and onto the edge of the salt marsh, the seal viewing area in winter.  The difference in the habitat was amazing,: the dunes were a mass of colour from a host of flowering plants:

• Crocosmia
• Ragwort
• Rosebay Willowherb
• Sea Lavender
• Thrift
• Sea Spurrey
• Knapweed
• Spear and creeping thistle
• Common Mallow
• Dog Daisy
• Ladies Bedstraw
• Yarrow
• Field Bindweed
• Goatsbeard
• Teasel
• Meadow Vetchling
• White campion
• Weld
• Yellow Rattle
• Hop Trefoil
• Black Medic
• Ribwort Plantain
• Tufted Vetch
• Red Campion

The sea lavender on the salt marsh looked absolutely stunning; who needs lavender fields!!

The seaward side of the dunes was very windy and few butterflies were showing so we walked as far as the north end of the realignment area where Pyes Hall Sluice was taken out where we crossed through to the sheltered side of the dunes.  I began my 15 minute BB Count here:

• Small skipper 37
• Meadow Brown 1
• Ringlet 7
• Small White 3
• Gatekeeper 4

I continued to cout beyond this but small skippers were so numerous I gave up counting them.

• Meadow Brown 4
• Ringlet 10
• Small White 1
• Gatekeeper 5

We had a very enjoyable walk and the realignment area is looking reall well now with large flooded areas and lots of waders.  Nothing out of the ordinary today but looks good for the Autumn.

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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First session with the seals.

I hadn't visited the Atlantic grey seal colony at Donna Nook for a few years so it was a delight to be back today.  Despite not getting there until 10.00 am, I was pleased to get into the main car park for free rather than pay £4.00 for the overflow car park.  It was a beautiful still and sunny day and ideal conditions  for photography.  My canon gear was already parceled up ready for part exchanging at Wex for Fuji gear and so I only had my Fuji XT2 body and a 55-200 lens but this was perfectly adequate and I relished  the lightness.  Recently a chronic bad back and the after effects of open heart surgery earlier this year meant that carrying the heavy canon 500 was becoming increasingly difficult.  I am looking forward to working with the much lighter Fuji system.  All in all this was an excellent day.
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