Spring Butterflies

It's looking like another great butterfly year! The hot dry spring has seen several species on the wing remarkably early, including Duke Of Burgundy, Grizzled Skipper and Dingy Skipper. I rarely see any of these species before the end of April, but on Saturday morning, with the weather feeling more like mid-summer, I caught up with all three at Ivinghoe Beacon and Church End, near Pitstone Village. I found several Dukes pottering about in their usual sheltered gully near the Beacon and they posed nicely for me on Hawthorn leaves and grasses. If only all Butterflies were as easy to photograph! At Church End I counted 10 Dingy skippers but came away with taking a single shot. The newly emerged males, buzzing with sunshine were so concerned with chasing each other and battling for territory that they rarely had time to settle for more than a second. Orange Tips, Green Hairstreaks and Holly Blues are also out in good numbers and the first Red Admirals have emerged, although strangely I have yet to see a Comma, a species I would have expected to catch up with weeks ago.

Duke Of Burgundy Hamearis lucina (23/04/2011)

Grizzled Skipper Pyrgus malvea (18/05/2008)

Green Hairstreak Callophrys rubi (23/04/2011)

Dingy Skipper Eynnis tages (14/05/2008)

This afternoon I set myself the task of taking some pictures of Orange Tip, a tricky butterfly to photograph well. Orange Tips are always on the move and when they do settle, often keep their wings half closed. I have just spent an energetic hour in the late afternoon sun running up and down the Cow Parsley clad banks of Wilstone, chasing after these delicate, flighty butterflies. I managed to grab a few shots before the temperature dropped as the bank went into shade and all the butterflies suddenly disappeared for the day.

Orange Tip Anthocharis cardamines (24/04/2011)

A Cuban Interlude

I have just returned from a wonderful trip to Cuba, and it feels as if I have come back to a different country than the one I left a few weeks ago. When I left in March the first hesitant signs of spring were showing, but winter was still clinging on grimly and the nights were cold and the weather unpredictable. I stumbled out on Friday morning, eyes blurry and head fuzzy with jet lag and was astonished at how much things have changed in just three short weeks. As I stepped out of the car at Wilstone Reservoir I was greeted by a racket of Blackcaps in the hedgerows. Chiffchaffs were singing all around and Swallows and House Martins were chattering happily above me. I spent a few minutes searching through a large group of Common Terns feeding noisily over the water, hoping to find an Arctic Tern, but with no success. The sounds of spring echoed all around me, the morning sun felt warm on the back of my neck and I instantly felt the post holiday blues melt away. Over at Marsworth, Sedge Warblers were making short noisy display flights over the reed beds and a Cetti's Warbler was shouting exultantly from the bushes on the far side of the reservoir. On Saturday morning I watched at least 20 Northern Wheatear chasing each other across the rabbit scarred slopes of Ivinghoe Beacon, the air filled with their angry tacking calls. Further along the slope I was lucky to have great views of a male Ring Ouzel, feeding boldly in the open until, suddenly spooked, it disappeared into a tiny Hawthorn bush. Ring Ouzels are one of my favourite birds and each spring I look forward excitedly to seeing one of these enigmatic and shy Thrushes. This morning, wandering idly round Wilstone on another glorious sunny day accompanied by the raucous cries of the Common Terns, I heard my first Cuckoo, singing and occasionally displaying over the reed beds - a sound that sums up the joy and thrill of Spring like nothing else. If you have to come home from holiday, what better time than Spring!

But it's my blog and I'll post what I want to! This is Cuba's national bird, the vivid and beautiful Cuban Trogon Priotelus temnurus, whose repetitive deep 'toctorok' call was a constant soundtrack to my time birding in the forests of one of the most colourful and friendly countries I have ever visited.

Cuban Trogon Priotelus temnurus (11/04/2011)

The First Swallow

On Friday it was my birthday and I had the unexpected present of my first Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica of the year. I had the day off and decided to drop in at Wilstone Reservoir despite the pouring rain, in the hope of seeing a Scandinavian Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus littoralis that had been found earlier that morning. Two Chiffchaffs were cheerfully singing, a few Sand Martins were sallying high over the water and then all of a sudden there it was, a lone Swallow, hugging the surface, feeding busily. This was the earliest Swallow I can remember seeing by several days and a heartening sight, bringing with it the faint promise of summer. Frustratingly, the Rock Pipit was constantly flushed by a group of noisy ramblers and proved hard to see, so I visited the reservoir again in the evening and was lucky to have some excellent views as it fed quietly in the evening sun amongst the rocks by the jetty. The Swallow had already moved on, it's visit brief but welcome.

Barn Swallows in Autumn, (21/08/2010)

Spring

The first Swallow may not make a summer but the first Sand Martin means spring is here as far as I am concerned. I always wait with mounting excitement for the first spring migrants and today turned out to be a red letter day with the welcome sight of 6 Sand Martins busily feeding over the water at Wilstone Reservoir and a handsome male Wheatear along with a pair of Stonechats on the southern slope of Ivinghoe Beacon.

All this, and I saw my first Brimstone of the year, racing along a hedgerow in the warm morning sunshine. The fields are full of tiny tottering Lambs, Sweet Violet and Celandine are brightening the budding woods and everywhere Daffodils are exploding into flower. There's no doubt about it - spring is here!

Lamb on Ivinghoe Beacon (13/03/2011)

Ashridge Forest

Around this time of year I always spend a few mornings wandering around Ashridge Forest, in what sadly, seems to be an increasingly futile search for a Lesser-spotted Woodpecker. Ashridge used to be an excellent site for these increasingly elusive birds, but has become more and more unreliable over the last few years. Despite failing to find any Lesser-spots it is wonderful to be out in the forest on a cold bright morning with the low sun cutting through the Beech trees in thick smoky shafts. The woods echo to the drumming of Greater-spotted Woodpeckers and the songs of Nuthatches and Treecreepers. Stock Doves moan from the high branches and float lazily between the tree-tops, while nervous chattering flocks of Lesser Redpoll bounce busily through the Silver Birches. Fallow Deer relax in the golden light, soaking up what warmth they can glean from the cold sun, enjoying the peace and quiet before the joggers and dog-walkers arrive. Then it's time to leave, before the sounds of the forest are drowned out by the racket of dogs and their owners.

Early morning sun in Ashridge Forest (21/03/2011)

Brimstone

The weather was so mild and spring-like last week that I half expected to see my first Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni restlessly wandering the hedgerows. I was so excited to see my first butterfly of the year that I found myself almost willing one into existence, but in the end was disappointed and it was Indra, my wife, who spotted one fluttering along a roadside verge on the 24th of February, as she was driving home from Surrey. Meanwhile I spent the day loitering in a street in Chipping Norton trying to get a decent view of the hopelessly lost Oriental Turtle Dove that has settled in the town and caused such a sensation in the national press. Not my idea of a great birding day out but at least I saw the bird! I have been doing a bit of shameless twitching recently, having also spent a rainy day in picturesque Rainham in order to see the Slaty-backed Gull, a new bird for me. Birding really does take you to the most exotic locations!

Brimstones are always a welcome sight in the spring sunshine and seem to herald the start of the Butterfly season. Brimstones are one of the longest lived butterflies, living for up to thirteen months, although much of this time is spent in hibernation. Adults emerge on warm spring days and busily nectar on yellow flowers such as Cowslip, Primrose and Daffodils. Mating takes place in early spring, after which some individuals can live until July when the next generation appears. It is commonly believed that the Brimstone is the origin of the word "butterfly", a corruption of butter-coloured fly. Brimstones can be frustrating butterflies to photograph as they never sit with their wings open and are always on the move, rarely settling to nectar for long.

Sadly a nagging northeasterly wind has brought with it cold and wet weather, so I doubt I'll see a Brimstone for a while, although I won't stop hoping!

Male Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni, (21/09/2008)

Red-crested Pochard

A couple of weeks ago while I was wandering past Marsworth Reservoir I noticed a pair of Red-crested Pochard Netta Ruffia. The male was swimming alongside the female and energetically displaying by stretching it's head back and flicking it's bill upwards. These attractive ducks prefer to nest in lakeside vegetation, so Marsworth, which is fringed by extensive Reedbeds is ideal. Unfortunately the water is full of predatory fish and the area is also plagued by Mink, so keeping a family of downy young safe is virtually impossible.

Here are some photos taken last May and then again a month later showing the last remaining duckling from the original brood of nine.

Let's hope that they have better success this year!

Female Red-crested Pochard and duckling (Marsworth Reservoir, 14/05/2010)

Red-crested Pochard duckling (Marsworth Reservoir, 14/05/2010)

Female Red-crested Pochard and juvenile (Marsworth Reservoir, 09/06/2010)

Juvenile Red-crested Pochard (Marsworth Reservoir, 09/06/2010)

Juvenile Red-crested Pochard (Marsworth Reservoir, 09/06/2010)