Minsmere's Butterflies...

On Monday I again visited the RSPB's Minsmere reserve. As you arrive you are confronted by a vast bank of buddleia bushes that, at this time of year, are full of butterflies. After studying these with one of the volunteers to see what could be found I rather got a taste for it and spent most the rest of my time there trying to photograph as many species (some I knew, some I didn't) as I could find. I apologise if I've got the identification of any of them wrong, I'm still learning them! So here we go...

So we shall start with the whites. First, possibly the most obvious, the large whites that were all over the buddleia and pretty much everywhere else.

Then a small white:

And finally a green-veined white:

Now for some other common ones. The splendid peacock:

The small tortoiseshell:

A comma:

A painted lady:

Meadow brown with wings both open and closed:

Gatekeeper again with wings open and closed:

I think this one is a grayling:

A speckled wood:

No jokes about small policemen, a small copper:

What I believe to be a common blue, both wings open and closed:

A brown argus:

A few pictures of a purple hairstreak (a first for me):

What I think is a small skipper:

There were dozens of these around as well. I'm led to believe that they a silver-y moths:

Finally, I have no idea what this is, clearly not a butterfly and more of a beetle, but amazing!

That was everything from Minsmere. I'll finish with a picture of a clouded yellow that I took down in Kent but I've seen in quite a few places this year. Must be a good year for them because I had never seen one before this summer.

 

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Summer Year Ticks (part 2)...

So having managed to see and tick off seven new birds for the year in the space of three days I had a feeling my luck was probably going to run out and I would see many an empty lake or silent tree for the remainder of the summer.

 

30/07/13 - RSPB Minsmere (again)

Having had a productive session at this wonderful reserve a few days previously I decided to try again and maybe catch up with the sandpipers that had defeated me last time. I arrived early and again tried to see the stone curlews near North Wall. Again this ended fruitlessly and I was becoming convinced that my luck had expired.

I got to East Hide at a reasonable time and was again confronted with numerous spotted redshanks and black-tailed godwits and sat next to them, two curlew sandpipers!

Nice to see them showing some of their brick-red summer plumage. Further scanning through the waders revealed similar species as on the last trip with good numbers of green sandpipers around. At the back of East Scrape I saw a sandpiper feeding that appeared to have a speckled back and bold eye-stripe - a wood sandpiper? As I got it in the scope I was pretty convinced it was but it flew off seconds later - very frustrating!

A look out to sea having left the hide was well worth it when a whimbrel flew south and a sandwich tern flew towards the scrapes with a sand eel in its beak.

I set off along the seasonal wader trail with little expectation after the previous visit. I was chased along the path by a very large flock of goldfinches that were feeding in the thistles.

I got to the furthest pool and at first glance it appeared devoid of wader activity. A few geese and ducks loafing around but very little else. I set up the scope anyway and scanned around. Just as I got to the western end (which was fairly well obscured by reeds) a saw a sandpiper moving in some low vegetation. A quick repositioning of the scope and it had disappeared. I then found a couple of common snipe in the same area and then the mystery sandpiper reappeared, this time with a friend. It was a wood sandpiper, as was its friend, and then his friend in turn. Three wood sandpipers all together! What a result. I continued to watch them with the snipe until they all took to the air due to this chap marauding through the pool.

The rest of the visit was uneventful as far as new birds go but there were still fabulous views of four bitterns, marsh harriers, bearded tits and Cetti's warblers to be had. At the centre I asked about the stone curlews and met the very helpful Ian (who I have communicate with before from the RSPB Sandwell Valley twitter account). He gave me some tips, one of which I tried as I left the centre. To my amazement standing right there were two stone curlews - amazing! They we a little far away (in the rain) for the camera so here is an attempt with the proper camera and an attempt at phone-scoping them.

31/07/13 - Christchurch Park, Ipswich

Having completed the depressing task of saying goodbye to the ever-wonderful Beth at the station in the evening I thought I would quickly sneak into the park before closing and have a brief look for Mabel, the obliging tawny owl.

As you can guess from the snow, this photo was not taken this July! This is another one I took of her a while ago - she wasn't home on this visit. I quickly looped around the pools hoping for a mandarin and, as the light was fading along with my enthusiasm, one appeared. I had no camera so I had to make do with my phone in bad light.

02/08/13 - Melton

Dad and I decided to go for a brief afternoon visit to one of our favourite areas, The river Deben at Melton. This area is usually great for waders and this visit did not disappoint. Over the course of the visit we saw dozens of oystercatchers, at least 40 curlews, a couple of common sandpipers, ringed plovers, dunlin and lots more. Greenshanks put on a good show as they chased invertebrates in the water.

However the greenshank was not the year tick from this visit (it would have been a week earlier before the first trip to Minsmere). The tick came in the form of that most sort after bird - a turtle dove. Having earlier commented to dad how it would have been nice to find one in a fanciful manor I was looking at doves in dead trees when one with a particularly pink breast caught my eye. It was miles away and only just identifiable but the very pink breast combined with a very patterned back led me to believe that this was in fact a turtle dove. It was much to far away to photograph unfortunately but I look forward to hopefully getting that opportunity some time in the future.

 

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Summer Year Ticks...

So July roles in August and birders everywhere seem to turn to insect spotting owing to the birds just "sitting in trees and bushes going tweet". With birds seeming elusive at best I didn't hold out much hope of finding much on my trip to Suffolk to see the family. I had however overlooked the fact that early wader passage had begun!

27/07/13 - Upper Hollesley Common + Melton

On my first day I took a brief stroll around Upper Hollesley Common. I was hoping to fill a gaping hole in my year list with a bird that I know breeds there. Yellowhammers should be an easy find but they always seem to escape me. I also had vague hopes of finding some dartford warblers or some crossbills - both of which I had seen there previously. After a certain amount searching I had heard a number of yellowhammers and a single dartford warbler but had thus far failed to see anything except butterflies. Finally one popped up and sat singing for a while - first year tick of the trip!

On the way home from the common I had a quick stop at Melton to have a look at the tidal mud flats but much to my horror, despite the possibility of an early wader passage, there was virtually nothing with long legs evident! Some consolation was this nice showy reed warbler.

28/07/13 - RSPB Minsmere

My first trip to this flagship RSPB reserve for a number of months and I was seriously excited about the prospect of some of the waders that had been mentioned on various websites. When I arrived I headed straight past the North Hide for a scan across the field behind the visitors centre where stone curlews had successfully bred this year for the first time in three years. Alas they were nowhere to be seen and I was keen to start searching the scrape so I vowed to try again later in the day. I arrived in East Hide and was greeted by the sight of 30+ spotted redshanks along with copious numbers and varieties of other waders.

In a single scope view I was treated to views of spotted redshank, common redshank, dunlin, knot, turnstone, lapwing, avocet and black-tailed godwits - crazy! Elsewhere on the scrape were green and common sandpipers, ringed plover, a brief visit from a kittiwake and then four little gulls.

After a long stay in the East Hide I left and headed out for a look over the sea. There was very little evident in the strong winds but a few turns were feeding and I suddenly spotted two little terns heading towards land. They flew straight over my head and landed on South Scrape. As I approached the sluice I was surprised to find what must be an early departing wheatear since I'm not aware of the, breeding locally.

It was the first time I had a chance to explore the temporary wader trail despite it being open annually. I had high hopes but I was a little disappointed not to find anything new. Everything then left the scrape and appeared on the North Levels but still nothing new. I completed the loop around the scrape with very little extras to add to the day's sightings. After stopping to refuel in the cafe I tried again for the stone curlews with familiarly disappointing results. I decided I would go for one last look from East Hide and this was rewarded with a couple more year ticks. A pair of sanderlings landed as the tide drove them from the shore and a lone sandwich tern was a nice addition.

29/07/13 - Levington Creek

Having returned from Minsmere the previous day I was frustrated to hear that I missed a series of year ticks through not being in the right place at the right time. I spent most of the day at home but I decided to head for a quick look a Levington Creek at high tide. Much to my annoyance, I arrived to find the tide was already in and there was almost nothing to be seen on the creek itself. Round the corner there was still some exposed mud and elevated areas and these had been taken over by dozens of golden plovers. As I looked through the plovers something else became obvious, a pair of whimbrels sat in the vegetation.

I had hoped to see some of these birds, it was one of the main reasons for trying Levington. The previous day there had been reports of record numbers of whimbrel past the Spurn Observatory and it was one of the birds I had missed at Minsmere.

 

Year ticks so far...

• Little Gull
• Little Tern
• Sanderling
• Sandwich Tern
• Knot
• Yellowhammer
• Whimbrel

 

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Suffolk Birding - Day 2...

So, as always when back in Suffolk, today I decided to visit the RSPB's flagship reserve, Minsmere. As you have probably noticed from previous blogs I have, in the past, been a regular visitor to this reserve but today's visit was my first of 2013. I was hoping for a flood of spring migrants but having looked at recent reports online, I knew that this was unlikely.

When I arrived I headed straight back down the approach road towards Island Mere Hide. It was a joy to walk past the work centre and towards the Whin Hill watchpoint at this time. There was nobody around and I got wonderful views of some common, but beautiful, birds. At least four green woodpeckers flew from the ground and stuck themselves to trees and telegraph poles, jays escaped silently into the woodland, great spotted woodpeckers shouted at each other deep in the trees, marsh tits 'sneezed' at me and a pair of red-legged partridges turned their heels and scampered away in an almost comic manor.

A quick reminder of winter flew over Canopy Hide in the form of a couple of redwings. Onward through the rhododendrom tunnel and more marsh tits greeted me alongside many other small woodland birds including a song thrush and these very obliging long-tailed tits.

Long-Tailed Tit - RSPB Minsmere - Apr. 2013 - Mike Ixer

Entering Island Mere hide the garganey that had been showing well recently were immediately apparent - because they were sleeping just in front! Not good for photos but a very easy sighting by garganey standards.

Sleeping Garganey - RSPB Minsmere - Apr. 2013 - Mike Ixer

Whilst waiting for the ducks to wake up a male marsh harrier gave some stunning views as it hunted in the low morning sun out to the side of the hide.

Marsh Harrier - RSPB Minsmere - Apr. 2013 - Mike Ixer

Marsh Harrier - RSPB Minsmere - Apr. 2013 - Mike Ixer

A bittern flew across the far side of the mere and we got more excellent views of birds as this little grebe fished progressively closer to the hide until it was lost to view (possibly underneath us!).

Bittern (record shot) - RSPB Minsmere - Apr. 2013 - Mike Ixer

Little Grebe - RSPB Minsmere - Apr. 2013 - Mike Ixer

Finally the garganey awoke and spent about a minute wondering around before finding an even worse position, tucking their heads back and falling asleep again.

Garganey - RSPB Minsmere - Apr. 2013 - Mike Ixer

Other birds of note from the hide were the calling bearded tits and Cetti's warblers along with the teal, common snipe, mute swans, great crested grebes and other regular waterfowl.

Off to bittern hide and the walk between the two hides provided my highlight of the day. No, it wasn't another bittern or more marsh harriers, it wasn't anything unusual - it was a goldcrest! Nothing special you might say but it kept hopping straight towards me from bush to bush until it passed me by too close to photograph. I am very happy with what I did get though.

Goldcrest - RSPB Minsmere - Apr. 2013 - Mike Ixer

Bittern Hide was pretty quiet so I headed for an early lunch. Massively recommend the cheese and ham toasties! Also recommend the view - it was a finch fest...

Finch Fest - RSPB Minsmere - Apr. 2013 - Mike Ixer

From then on the birding became harder work. The wind got up and the complete lack (other than the garganey) of spring migrants became painfully apparent. Offshore there were a handful of red-throated divers fighting the wind heading north and the Scrape was full of black-headed gulls with a few others. One subtle sign of spring was the number of avocets that had returned - they all seem to disappear in the winter.

Avocet - RSPB Minsmere - Apr. 2013 - Mike Ixer

Quickly, a dampener was put on that spring feeling with a count of 10 smew! Not that seeing smew is ever a bad thing - but in April?!?

Smew - RSPB Minsmere - Apr. 2013 - Mike Ixer

The rest of the trip was fairly uneventful with turnstones, a dunlin and a black-tailed godwit being the only highlights on  the scrape and a grey plover on the levels.

All together I saw over 65 species but the second half was indeed hard work with the windy conditions. A good day.