By the time I got out to Conder Green on Friday the tide was high at 11.15am, and so I left the area under water until later in the day when the tide had fallen.
Whinchat. Warren Baker @ Pittswoodpatch
I went on to Cockersands where it was excellent that I found a Whinchat on a fence post south of the abbey as I walked along the headland where I found 5 Wheatear, c.55 Linnet, a few Pied Wagtail and Meadow Pipit, up to 50 Wigeon were off Plover Scar. At and around Bank Houses, at least 60 Tree Sparrow, 3 Great Tit, Goldfinch and a Wren seen, a male Sparrowhawk moved everything in sight here, 15 Greenfinch were along Slack Lane.
On Jeremy Lane en-route for Conder Green, 3 Snipe went over flying inland, and at Conder Green an adult Spotted Redshank was seen as a different bird than the adult I saw here last Monday, also a Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, and 3 Little Egret all in the creeks. On Conder Pool, 8 Little Grebe sees the species on the increase, with a Kingfisher perched quietly on a stone just in view behind 'Tern Island'.
Butterflies.
Red Admiral. Pete Woodruff.
All my butterflies were at Cockersands, with at least 15 Red Admiral seen, 14 Small Tortoiseshell were counted on thistles in Bank Houses horse paddock with at least as many again seen elsewhere, 2 Painted Lady, and a Green-veined White. I noted 24 Silver Y moth seen with many more no doubt missed.
Butterflies in our garden recently have been a Red Admiral - photograph above - and 3 Painted Lady.
The Wall Brown.
Butterflies in our garden recently have been a Red Admiral - photograph above - and 3 Painted Lady.
The Wall Brown.
Wall Brown. Pete Woodruff.
One butterfly I've not seen this year yet is the Wall Brown, which gets its name from the characteristic behaviour of resting with wings open on any bare surface, like this one I found appropriately on a wall at Cockersands one day some time ago.
This species was once found throughout England, Wales, Ireland and parts of Scotland. Today is a very different picture, with the species suffering severe declines over recent decades. It is now confined to primarily-coastal regions but has been lost from many sites in the UK, and time is running out for me to find one in 2015.
Thanks to Warren for the Whinchat, and to Paul for the header Wryneck, found earlier in the week at Lytham St Annes and still there yesterday.
Thanks to Warren for the Whinchat, and to Paul for the header Wryneck, found earlier in the week at Lytham St Annes and still there yesterday.
I like the Wall shot Pete. This is a species I only got my first sighting of this year!
ReplyDeletePS: No Whinchats today, maybe that will be it for me until next year, its been good seeing them though :-)
Where I live, on the North Kent coast, I haven't seen a Wall Brown for around 30 years. I think that they still see them on the South Coast but I don't know in what numbers.
ReplyDeleteWarren....I think there's still time for another/more Whinchats your way yet, and an interesting comment re Wall Brown being the first you ever saw.
ReplyDeleteDerek....Another interesting comment re Wall butterfly not seen in 30 years on the North Kent coast.