A Few Local Butterflies

On Sunday, I was inside catching up with homework, updating the blog etc. and I needed a break, so I agreed to a short family walk around 'The Heath', hopefully, to see a few butterflies. Just before our departure, I spotted a Comma which fluttered through the garden without stopping (a garden butterfly tick). Along Green Lane and Mill Road, Large Whites were everywhere, a few Meadow Brown fluttered around and a Comma wouldn't sit still.

Large White

As we walked past the pig fields and further along the track to the set-aside field, we saw a flock of around 20 Black-headed Gull (much more than the 2 two weeks ago), 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Comma (showing very well), Red Admiral (not seen by me) and even more Large White.

Comma

Ringlet

Upon reaching the set-aside field (a small section of a field left to be wild), we saw more Meadow Brown, Large White and Ringlet, my first patch Gatekeeper of the year, Essex Skipper (which was my target species for the day), Cinnabar moth caterpillar, two Red Soldier Beetle, Musk and Creeping Thistle (according to my mum who learnt about thistle on Saturday) and a dragonfly sp. we flushed that zoomed away and out of sight.

Essex Skipper

Cinnabar moth caterpillar

Red Soldier Beetle

The rest of the walk had a Painted Lady, more Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Large White and Ringlet and a Crab Spider.

Gatekeeper

Crab Spider

A Few Bits and Bobs From The Sailing Boat On Thursday

Sailing at Horning on Thursday evening provided some decent bird and dragonfly interest. Firstly, a Marsh Harrier flew in fields alongside the road between Coltishall and Hoveton which is a patch lifer (although I've had a probable over the house and I regularly see them just outside of the patch at Horning)! Next, on the way up to Hoveton Little Broad, a Grey Heron investigated someone's patio, a Reed Warbler sung from the reeds and a few Dragonflies zoomed around the entrance to the broad with at least one of them being a Broad-bodied Chaser. On the broad, a pair of Common Terns chased off another pair investigating the broad which is the most I have seen on the broad before (I often see 3 individuals though). Also, 2 Marsh Harrier flew over and the undoubted highlight was a flock of around 20 Godwit sp. which flew over (probably Black-tailed), which is the closest I have seen them to home. All in all, not a bad night, and there was some good wind for sailing too.

Even More Butterflies and Dragonflies!

I took a shortish break from my revision on Sunday to take a quick walk around my butterfly walk but not quite as far as on Friday. The first butterfly was a Red Admiral on Green Lane and this was swiftly followed by a wonderful Comma which is a patch first for me (after starting my butterfly list on Friday) on Mill Road. After that, I glimpsed a Meadow Brown on the margins of the pig field just before Heggatt Hall and then just past Heggatt Hall, I had a Green-veined White (thanks to James on BirdForum for the ID) as well. The footpath to 'my' patch of brambles had a pair of Cinnabar Moth, Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshell and a Silver Y (thanks to Lewis on BirdForum for the ID). Upon reaching 'my' brambles, I saw a second Comma, a Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Small Tortoiseshell, Painted Lady and Red Admiral. Overall on my small walk, I saw 7 species of butterfly with 6 of them on 'my' brambles. Not bad!

Red Admiral

Comma

Green-veined White

Meadow Brown

Painted Lady

Ringlet

Small Tortoiseshell

Cinnabar Moth

Silver Y

The only dragonflies were 2 Black-tailed Skimmers. I spent at least 10 minutes trying to spot one of the Black-tailed Skimmers settled to confirm the ID but it was easily worth it to see it perched on a twig in the sun.

Black-tailed Skimmer

Black-tailed Skimmer

Avian highlights were a Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Black-headed Gull and double figures of Stock Dove on the pig field as well as a Stock Dove singing near Heggatt Hall (again) and 2 Grey Herons flying high over the river valley. Also, the Rook and Jackdaws presumably nesting in the trees just past Heggatt Hall were creating a racket as per usual.

Stock Dove (and Jackdaw)

Lesser Black-backed Gull