#whtiethroat

[dansnaturepictures]

09/05/2021-Fantastic Farlington Marshes: Three W birds, Painted Lady and more

We arrived at Farlington Marshes this afternoon and I loved taking in the nice familiar smells of the coast. There were some interesting cloud formations about this afternoon as a soft sun poked through as bits lifted and this looked very beautiful especially over the reedbeds. The third picture I took today in this photoset shows this. I was also delighted to take in as we arrived and enjoy it before we went too a sea of yellow oilseed rape along the bank here I’d never seen it here before. I took the first picture in this photoset showing this. As this so often does this stood out in the landscape a lot too I liked seeing it stand out against the prominent landmark of Portsdown Hill when out in the marshes. There is a field within a prominent couple of hills I always love seeing when coming here which was nice and yellow too. It was nice to zoom into one and take a macro picture as well and see some ragwort and Alexanders aka horse parsley by the car park. We looked over the lake and saw lots of interesting birds such as Shelducks with some flying. I also took the second picture in this photoset here. 

As we were stood looking over amazingly a bright Painted Lady butterfly flew in, landed in front of us on the grass for a bit and flew off towards a bush. This was a stunning moment with a very colourful butterfly. I was hoping we might be efficient and pick up a/some butterfly specie/s we needed today at this mostly bird reserve but rich in grassland too you can see butterflies I’ve learnt so much the past few years to get some into the weekend especially with the sun out now. Not knowing whether it would stay overcast or not I brought my macro lens which I use for butterflies with me though I had a feeling I’d need it today I wasn’t able to take a Painted Lady picture but I did need it eventually. But the Painted Lady was by far the earliest ever sighting I’d got of one in a year. I usually see them in June, July and August the latter was when I saw my first of 2020 here. So to see one in early May was phenomenal. We spoke to some people later on that had seen some so I think they may have been hitting this coastal location coming into the country butterflies known for their migration. It felt rewarding once more to submit my sighting to Butterfly Conservation’s Migrant watch: https://butterfly-conservation.org/our-work/recording-and-monitoring/migrant-watch there’s a few in already seemingly by the coast mostly. This sighting felt so valuable for my butterfly year getting one I usually wait a bit longer for and don’t always see in a year so this was special taking my year list to 16 keeping that tickling along nicely competing with what I’d seen at this stage in my past years like I’m doing for birds. I took the fourth picture in this photoset after walking on. 

The main bird we’d come to try and see today was a Wood Sandpiper that had been reported, and we spoke to a kind gentleman that had not seen it. We walked along to the stream bit with a bench nearby and the man went back there and neither of us had seen it. But then at the edge of the water nearer to the cottage we scanned and saw a fair few birds and the man came and picked it up and kindly showed us. It was a sensational view of this very smart and colourful wader. It was a joyful view minutes watching this bird, only my sixth ever sighting of one and like the Painted Lady my earliest ever sighting of one in a year this one I tend to see over the summer or into autumn when I do. 

As we walked on it was great to see loads of Swallows flying around some very closely overhead and see some land on a fence which I tweeted a picture of on Dans_Pictures tonight it was more great views of them this year. We had the same experience for Mediterranean Gulls with lots heard nicely and seen today I tweeted a photo of those too. There were three smashing Wheatear out in a field too we’ve had a good year for them so far. I took the views in the fifth and sixth pictures in this photoset as we walked round. 

We then looked over to the field in the telescope and binoculars to try and catch sight of the Russian White-fronted Goose which had been around. We were so thrilled that we did spot it with a Canada Goose, I was so happy to see it this is a monumental bird for us to see and one of my birds of the year so far. It was wonderful to see its sweet brown plumage, dinky size and white on the beak fusing nicely into the pink. Its only the third I’ve ever seen in Hampshire after here in 2011 and Harbridge near Blashford Lakes in 2017. It felt like a big moment I will always look back on today. Whilst watching this bird we got chatting to a very lovely couple and it was brilliant to be able to show them the bird having a lovely chat about a lot we had in common it was a wonderful moment we met some great people again today at a safe social distance. 

Also whilst watching I spotted some Brown-tail moth caterpillars on the vegetation, and we saw some more further up too. Despite since learning they are toxic I enjoyed seeing them and found them beautiful, its the first I recall seeing too. It was great to use the macro lens on these, I took the seventh and eighth pictures in this photoset of these. 

Walking on I liked seeing some vetch a very nice flower and it was nice to see a straggling Brent Goose they have all mostly migrated by now and Common Tern made a lovely sight too with a few flying on very nice to see them as always I’ve had a good couple of weeks for terns. I managed the ninth picture in this photoset of an interesting sky. 

Just before the end we made it a year tick hat trick and completed the WWW by as we had hoped by hearing they were around here with the tide out being told by other nice people and knowing they could be here seeing a Whimbrel out in the mudflats. It was lovely to get a glimpse of its slick plumage and lovely bill. We had seen one that may have been one on the grass earlier on but couldn’t quite tell. This is an unprecedented I think third year list of mine running a Whimbrel appears on and my second year running seeing them for the first time of the year at Farlington Marshes after 2nd January 2020. Its another of my birds of the year so far and three top drawer year ticks, brilliant to get that many in a day once more lately, have taken my year list to 153 back up to being the third highest number of birds I’d seen on this date behind my 2018 and 2019 my two highest ever totals going ahead of 2014 where on 5th May that year I got 10 year ticks so this did overtake this year for a few days as my year goes from strength to strength. 

I left very happy with what we had seen and when home today in a shower I took the tenth and final picture in this of wet flowers in the garden alongside another couple I tweeted tonight I have enjoyed wet flower a bit lately. This ends another packed, wild and very enjoyable weekend for me, thanks for all your support during it and I hope you have a good week. Wildlife Sightings Summary: My first Wood Sandpiper, White-front Goose, Whimbrel and Painted Lady of the year, my first ever Brown-tail moth caterpillars, three of my favourite birds the Shelduck, Little Egret and Brent Goose, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Moorhen, Coot, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Mediterranean Gull, lovely view of Lesser Black-backed Gull, Common Tern, Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Avocet, Redshank, Ringed Plover, Dunlin with those three all in a line at one point on the lake, Whitethroat, Reed Warbler, Wheatear, great views of Meadow Pipits, Linnet, Robin, Blackbird, Swallows, Kestrel hovering, Carrion Crow, Brimstone butterfly, Rabbit, fly and I heard Skylark.

[dansnaturepictures]

15/05/21-Martin Down: Blog 2 of 2-The wildlife (Lesser Whitethroat, Small Copper, Common Blue, Small Blue, Cantharis rustica, Skylarks and more)

I liked seeing an oxeye daisy that has grown in the garden always a flower I look forward to seeing out in the wild so it was interesting to see one in the back garden and it was my first of the year which was great before we went out today. I photographed it tonight which I tweeted on Dans_Pictures.

We arrived at Martin Down in a shower and walked along the hedge line at the Sillens Lane car park to try and see if we could see a Lesser Whitethroat a bird this a great place for we saw them here the last two years as they had been reported. It was nice to see lots of speedwell flowers along this path and all the way on the way a great afternoon for flowers they really were there in such abundance. I took the first picture in this photoset of one which I was pleased with.

I had a list of eight butterfly species I wanted to look for which we needed to see for the first time this year today. In the rain we knew it would be difficult but as the sun emerged after the shower finished it was pretty warm and the grass came to life. Lots of flies and little insects were suddenly on the wing which altered me to look for butterflies which excited me. Orange Tip, Brimstone and Grizzled and Dingy Skipper emerged and we got some great views of these. The bright brown skippers that we had seen here so well three weeks ago for the first time in 2021 in a boom time for us for seeing butterflies this year were very nice to see some precious moments spent with them today and we saw them in the higher bits the other side on our circular walk too. I managed the second and seventh pictures in this photoset of these. 

Looking into the vast clump of vegetation I was delighted to spot as well as Common Whitethroats which we are having such a good year for the much darker grey plumage of a Lesser Whitethroat. It was just the one very quickly but it was amazing to get a binocular view of it. I was so thrilled to see this bird with the browner backed Common Whitethroat there always good to see but nice for comparison too. This was such a fantastic bird to see, only my fourth ever sighting of one and I am happy that the rich and wild Martin Down has become a place we have a great regular chance to see them year on year. It was such a precious and valuable bird to see again one of my birds of the year. It takes my bird year list to 154 which I am so thrilled with. A top sighting today. Walking on and we got another quick sighting of a bright warm coloured butterfly and as it settled in the grass I was very pleased to see it was my first Small Copper of the year, one I had been focusing my attentions on trying to see at Lakeside and elsewhere a lot lately so it was really good to see it. I have gone a whole year without seeing these butterflies before so this quick sighting too was a relief. I took the third, fourth and fifth pictures in this photoset of a nice bush, dandelions and cowslips as we walked on.

As we got to the higher areas before going into another and heavier shower it was nice to see some Skylarks and alongside the skippers, and a great little beetle which I’ve been able to have identified thanks to kind Twitter friends and a useful guide is Cantharis rustica soldier beetle we did think it was a soldier beetle when we saw it. I took the sixth picture in this photoset of it. I don’t recall seeing one before a tenth addition to my list of beetles seen in my life and second this month. I saw one or two snails out in the weather here as well. I also heard a very welcome Cuckoo a fifth place I’ve heard them on my 10 year anniversary year of seeing them now. And special every time. I was also surprised but happy in the shower to see a Common Blue butterfly fly across the path and into the grass. My first of the year of this too and for a second spring running I saw my first not in the sunshine. Always a good one to see to let you know the year has really entered the peak spring days for butterflies. I saw a new flower for me which I took the eighth picture in this photoset of the kidney vetch too. 

Skylarks and now bright male Stonechats were entertaining us as the shower cleared and then the sun emerged again. We got some cracking views of a Skylark flying right over head which I took the ninth picture in this photoset of a really close and great view and we saw a fair few more going down the path in the sun and three together with two having a bit of an aerial battle which was interesting I’d not seen that before. We heard their most beautiful of songs so loudly too and I was so in aw of just listening to and taking in that beauty that wall of sound you so often get here. As I am increasingly doing this year I took a voice recording on my phone to remember this beautiful sound by. 

Walking along the path close to bordering farmer’s fields alongside the thick vegetation going back to the car park where the greater stitchwort carpeted it we saw a dainty butterfly flitting in the vegetation. It landed for ages and we saw it was a lovely Small Blue butterfly another key target today it was a special view again I enjoyed seeing it. I took the record shot in the tenth and final picture in this photoset today. A key butterfly for that mid-late spring period and such a strong one for here again it was my first of the year taking my butterfly year list to 19 which grows very well. I feel we have done well lately for sneaking butterfly sightings into weekends that are have had showery days so it’s quite efficient to build up my butterfly year list to a nice place despite the changeable weather. We saw a Holly Blue well a bit further along after not seeing them for a while marking eight butterfly species seen toddy which I am happy with especially for a changeable weather day as they can depend on the sun. On the way back to the car it was really good to see a Yellowhammer so well with great bright colours and see Buzzard, Fallow Deer really well and donkey on the way home via the New Forest. A very good Saturday for me, I hope you all had a good one.

Wildlife Sightings Summary: My first Lesser Whitethroat of the year, my first Small Copper, Common Blue and Small Blue of the year, one of my favourite butterflies the Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Brimstone, Grizzled Skipper, Dingy Skipper, Yellowhammer, Skylark, Whitethroat, Stonechat, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Rook well here again, Raven, Cantharis rustica solider beetle and other insects.,