Some of the most pleasant and rewarding birding I've had for some time yesterday, not least because at Bank End I met and had the good company of Andrew 'Wagtail' Cornall.
Walking a short stretch along the sea wall towards Cockersand we found 5 Clouded Yellow flighting and pausing briefly on the marsh, a stunning migratory butterfly. Other butterflies seen along the stretch, 6 Painted Lady, 7 Red Admiral, and conveniently round figure estimates of 50 Small Tortoiseshell, 30 Large White, and 10 Common Blue.
Along with AC, I also enjoyed the sight of 5 Yellow Wagtail on the marsh amongst the sheep, an adult Mediterranean Gull flying inland from the Cocker Estuary, and 3 Buzzard soaring overhead, seen as two together and a single bird.
I then paid a visit to Conder Pool to count 18 Greenshank, just one short of my all time peak count of 19 on 20 August last year, also an adult Mediterranean Gull was with Black-headed Gulls, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, a Common Sandpiper, 10 Little Grebe, and five sightings in as many minutes of 2 - possibly three - Kingfisher. Also seen, 5 Wigeon were on Conder Pool....Is it really that time of year.
A wander to Saltcote Pond to see a Migrant Hawker, Blue-tailed Damselfly, and Common Darter, then along the canal towpath Glasson-Conder Green, a distance of little more than 1/2 mile to count 21 Migrant Hawker in 45 minutes, 6 Brown Hawker, 2 Emperor Dragonfly, and 2 Common Darter. Butterflies, 5 Speckled Wood and a Red Admiral....And a good time was had by all!
The Clouded Yellow.
The Clouded Yellow is a migrant visitor to the UK, it originates from Africa and Southern Europe, and varies in number year to year. In the extreme, in 1947, an estimated 36,000 of this stunning creature appeared in this country, and in fact in more recent years, there has been evidence of the species successfully over-wintering in the south of England, though the majority of Clouded Yellows perish in the UK winters....The individuals I saw yesterday were the most vibrant yellow I've ever seen.
Pete - Really am jealous I have never seen a Clouded Yellow
ReplyDeleteWhat a good tally of birds, sad the Wigeon are here already!, all too soon don’t know where the year has gone.
Great to see you are getting out and about.
Ian
What a fabulous day, Pete! Like Ian, I am jealous of your Clouded Yellow sighting, However, I have seen one once - on 10th October, 2014 on the Isles of Scilly. I seem to remember that there were two in the same field but I only got a record shot of one - they were a long way away!
ReplyDeleteBest wishes - stay safe - - Richard
Ian....Still showing today (Thursday). Your best opportunity to get the Clouded Yellow on your list awaits you at Bank End.
ReplyDeleteThanks for keeping in touch with B2B Ian and Richard....Pete.