Monday, July 24, 2023

Sunday update.

Monday 24th July 2023.


The Barn Owl at Bedhampton. Photo by Ollie Crabbe.

No birding was done yesterday apart from what was in my back garden that included the usual House Sparrows, Starling, Swifts and Goldfinches. A few butterflies went through the garden including Red Admiral, Small White and Holly Blue’s and annoyingly, I never had the moth box on overnight either due to incorrect forecast of rain overnight. In fact, I am getting a little fed up with the inaccuracies these so-called weather Apps come up with. As the comedian Robin Williams said, ‘If you want to know the weather forecast, stick your head out of the window!!!’


This juvenile Spotted Flycatcher was one of several broods in the New Forest. Photo by Pete Appleton. 

It was more of a family day yesterday as I took our Isabelle on top of Portsdown Hill to fly our kites. There is nothing wrong with her hearing either as she heard several Grasshoppers calling, when I couldn’t!! However, other birders I know were out doing their thing, including Emma and Matt Parkes, who went to one of the best butterfly haunts in Dorset, Alner Gorse Butterfly Reserve, near Sturminster Newton. There, they saw three species of Hairstreak: White-letter, Brown and Purple Hairstreak as well as the ‘Valenzina’ form of Silver-washed Fritillary. They were even rewarded with a superb Magpie Moth.


Magpie Moth at Alner Gorse Butterfly Reserve. Photo by Emma Parkes.

Geoff Farwell took a trip down to Farlington Marshes where he recorded the following: 20 Avocets, 11 Greenshank, 2 Green Sandpipers (not seen one this year yet!), Common Sandpiper, Marsh Harrier and 2 Ravens. A Great Green Bush-cricket was heard near the seawall too.


Also at Alner Gorse, this superb Brown Hairstreak. Photo by Emma Parkes.

An adult Roseate Tern, which going into winter plumage spent some time on the South Scrape at Titchfield Haven yesterday, seen and filmed by some of the ‘Lazee Birders’ and Oliver Crabbe found the Bedhampton Barn Owl in its roosting hole yesterday also. There was no further sign of the Black-winged Kite yesterday, so it will be interesting on where it gets located next?


No comments:

Post a Comment

A trip to Blashford Lakes.

Saturday 21st December 2024. The Kingfisher in front of the Ivy South Hide this morning. The weather was looking very grim at first light t...