Sentry Duty

Today apart from 4 Small Tortoiseshells which were on the Buddleia, there was this Boeing E-3 Sentry, commonly known as an AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) which flew over the house at just after 4:00pm. We do get some interesting aircraft in these parts.

Boeing E-3 Sentry

Same aircraft but different angle.

The Butterflies Are Back

With a drop in the temperature it is quite amazing how this has increased the number of butterflies visiting the garden. As well the minimum temperature having to be around 11°C for it to be warm enough for butterflies to fly, if it gets to hot, butterflies get too warm and have to stop flying to cool down. So for the moment at least the temperature is just right and I think that goes for most of us homo sapiens.

So this weekend I have had Large Skipper, Gatekeeper, several Small Tortoiseshells (with a few worn ones), Peacocks, Red Admirals, Green-veined White, Large White, Small White, Comma and today a pristine male Brimstone, all visiting the garden and in particular the Buddleia.

Brimstone

Peacock

Small Tortoiseshell

Other visitors to the garden today were lots of Honey Bees, White-tailed Bumblebees and overhead 2 Swifts, the local pair of House Martins and fly-by Swallow.

Bee sp.

Bee sp.

A Very Early Morning Start

With Dawn getting up at 3:45am to go to work I managed to get up myself and head off to Nightingale Wood. I arrived just as the sun was coming up at around 5:00am. I'm not sure what I was expecting when I stepped out of the car, but apart from a couple of Song Thrushes and a the sharp trill of a Wren, that was all I heard, until I headed off towards Brook Meadow. En route there were a lot of Blackbirds feeding along the grass verges of the paths and every now and then a Robin would fly down from the bushes, grab something in its beak and fly back again.

The sun starts to rise

As I approached Brook Meadow I could hear the squealing of Water Rail to the right of the sign. Wherever they were they well hidden and though I could hear them I never got to see them. As I made my way round to Marston Brook a Grey Heron took off from around the pond, no doubt annoyed that I had interrupted his breakfast of frogs and  toads that inhabit the water there.

To the right of the sign were Water Rail squealing.

Following the brook down to the River Cole the mist was just coming off the fields and as I reached the river I could see on the other side of the meadow that the mist was quite intense around the pool. As I walked along the bank of the river a couple of Common Whitethroat scolding me as I dared to invade their patch and as I looked through the gap in the wood where the sun was just coming up a Cuckoo called in the distance.

The mist rises along the River Cole

In the distance as the sun rose a Cuckoo called

Past the pool a Willow Warbler was singing and was just one of 6 I heard this morning. Here's a recording I made of it below.

Willow Warbler singing

It wasn't just the bird singing either as all around the wood there were Roe Deer, Muntjac and Foxes calling. As I left the river behind I headed back towards the main wood. Along one of the tracks which takes you past the aerial, there was a large bracket fungi growing at the base of an Ash tree.

At the base of an Ash tree a Shaggy Bracket - Inonotus hispidus

A Shaggy Bracket in pristine condition

Further along the track the sun caught the old Oak tree on my left and lit it up. To the left of it a Roe Deer was munching away on top of the mound, but soon disappeared as I approached. In the bushes along this track there was another pair of Common Whitethroat which also scolded me as I walked on past. At the top of the track there's a T-junction, to the right takes you to Rove's Farm and to the left back towards the cottages, eventually that is. As I turned left I could hear a Treecreeper calling and sure enough up another Oak tree was one high up in the upper branches. This individual had a ring on its right leg, no doubt ringed by Graham or Phil Deacon.

The Oak tree lights up as the sun hits it

A Roe Deer

Treecreeper

With a ring on its right leg

Off up the tree never to climb down it.

Around by the cottages the sun had woken up the Swallows and four youngsters were flying around with the parents and then landing on the telephone line for a breather. They weren't the only ones using the wires as a male Linnet alighted on them and then flew off as the Swallows flew over his head. At the far end of the telephone lines a Grey Squirrel was perched on the top of the pole. He had a bit of a scratch and then shot down onto the track before disappearing into the Hazel trees. In fact in total I must have counted at least 14 squirrels that were all munching away on the Hazel nuts throughout the wood.

Barn Swallow

Soaks up the sun

You can just make out a Grey Squirrel on the telegraph pole.

A quick scratch and then he was off.

Also on the wires a male Linnet

As I made my way back to the car park a Buzzard was on the telegraph poles again just past Roves Farm. This is the second time I've seen it sitting there, and just like the last time it flew off as I got a bit too close. At the car park a Sparrowhawk shot over the trees and disappeared into the wood, much to the surprise of the Bullfinches and Goldfinches that were feeding on the thistles. I didn't see him take a bird, but he must have given them a fright.

Birds recorded: 2 Grey Heron, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Buzzard, 2 Pheasant, Water Rail, Moorhen, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, 1 Collared Dove, 3 Swift, 2 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 5 House Martin, 6 Swallow, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, 2 Garden Warbler, 5 Common Whitethroat, 6 Blackcap, 14+ Chiffchaff, 6 Willow Warbler, several Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, several Treecreeper, Wren, 2 Jay, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Bullfinch and Yellowhammer.

No butterflies or dragonflies seen, or indeed any insects.

Mammals seen and heard: 14+ Grey Squirrels, dozens of Rabbits, 2 Roe Deer, Muntjac and Fox.

Bits and Pieces

It was a bit of a shed clear out today and in between breaks it was good to see 3 Peacock butterflies on the Buddleia plus a Small Tortoiseshell. later in the afternoon I was alerted to the sound of gulls calling and on two occasions it was due to Buzzards flying through.

One of two Buzzards overhead today

Also of interest were these 6 aircraft heading west around 4:00pm. I have absolutely no idea what they are. The closest I could get were Russian Lavochkin La-9's, but I couldn't be 100% sure.

A display team!

Possibly Lavochkin La-9's

Update on these aircraft, they are most likely Yak-52 aircraft, which were at Yeovilton Air Day. However it was my understanding that the display team was the The Yakovlevs Display Team which is made up of 4 aircraft. But there were six Yak's, which would be the Red Star Yak Display team and they weren't at the Air Day as far as I know. Very confusing, but I'm sure some one will let me know!

The Big Butterfly Count

Well it could have been big, but unfortunately only 4 butterflies so far today in the back garden, with my first Gatekeeper of the year, 2 Large Whites and a Peacock butterfly. Maybe more later today.........

Gatekeeper on the leaves of the thorn-less Blackberry

A Large White showing one spot

Still one black spot

And now 2 black spots

A Peacock on the Buddleia

More on the Big Butterfly Count can be found

Here

Bangers, Burgers and a Walk in the Wood

With all of us off work this afternoon, and the weather looking pretty good we set off to Savernake Forest for a BBQ and a walk afterwards. The weather was just right, though a bit of drizzle did greet us, but that soon cleared and the weather was a mixture of sunshine and cloud. The BBQ was a resounding success, though you can't go wrong with just bangers and burgers in a roll. And once it was all gone and cleared up it was off for a short walk around the Forest.

Nearly done

and plenty to go around.

From the BBQ area at Postern Hill there are several walks into the wood and looking at the map we chose one that took us anti-clockwise and was about a half-mile walk past the White Road Oak and back to the car park. En route I came across lots of Ringlets, Meadow Browns, 3 Red Admirals, several Green-veined Whites, 4 Large Whites and a couple Gatekeepers.

White Road Oak and the track heading east

White Road Oak 

Gatekeeper

A Black Slug was seen crossing the path and Dawn had an unexpected hitch-hiker in the form of a Forest Bug, that made her jump when it landed on her arm and started running up it. Safely removed I placed it on a log and took a couple of photos. Also on the path, Dawn found a dead Shrew.

Black Slug

Forest Bug

Sadly a dead Shrew on the path

Though the weather was good, this Meadow Brown seemed quite content to hide away in the canopy, where a few Grey Squirrels were collecting Beech Mast, and as we approached the car park a Red Admiral landed on the Welcome Board to the site.

A Meadow Brown takes refuge in the tree canopy

A Grey Squirrel with beech mast

And a Red Admiral settles on the Welcome Board

En route from Swindon to Savernake 2 Red Kite and 8 Buzzard

Birds recorded: 4 Sparrowhawk 1 adult and 3 juveniles, Wood Pigeon, 2 Swallow, Robin, 1 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Treecreeper, Wren, Jay, Jackdaw, Chaffinch and Goldfinch. 

Butterflies recorded: Ringlets, Meadow Browns, 3 Red Admirals, several Green-veined Whites, 4 Large Whites and a couple Gatekeepers.

Other invertebrates: Black Slug, Soldier Beetles, Sawflies, Hoverflies and a Forest Bug

Mammals: Grey Squirrels and a dead Shrew

Misty Morning

Another early walk today. I dropped Dawn off at work and made my way to Nightingale Wood. There was heavy dew when I arrived just after 6:00am and the air was very chilly. It was that cold, not even the Roe Deer were out and as I made my way down to the hide a Brook Meadow, I was quite surprised that there weren't any in the meadow either. In fact I didn't see a single one in the 3 hours I spent walking around.

In the meadow there were 2 Reed Buntings calling and I could just about make out a Willow Warbler singing. Close to the hide a Common Whitethroat was calling and on the feeder a juvenile Great Tit came down of the Willow to have a look and immediately flew off when he realised there was nothing in the feeders. Just before I left a Green Woodpecker shot across in front of the hide yaffling as he did so.

A cool start to the morning as I headed down to Brook Meadow

The early morning view across Brook Meadow

On the Roves Farm track, a Fox crossed over and stopped and stared at me. He then moved closer to the tree line and then started calling at me. He was obviously not happy that I was there, so after a couple photos and a short video I moved on down Marston Brook and left him in peace.

This Fox was just off the Rove's Farm track and wasn't happy to see me.

This is him having a go at me.

Looking across the field towards the River Cole, it was quite evident that the sheep had been brought back to the field with this years offspring. And as I got closer to the river the mist started to rise off it as the sun got higher.

The early morning mist rises off the River Cole

In the meadow I spotted a Great Spotted Woodpecker preening himself and as I watched it, I realised a Buzzard was in the tree with it. Having spotted me, they both decided that I was bit too close to them and flew off.

The Buzzard spots me and is off

The Great Spotted Woodpecker has a preen

before seeing me and flies off too........

Around the pond a Moorhen called out and a couple of Reed Warblers were heard singing. In the surrounding woods there were plenty of juvenile warblers especially Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs.  Beyond the pond I walked past the felled trees and in amongst them was a juvenile Robin.

In the recently cleared woodland a juvenile Robin looks for food.

Leaving the wood and pond behind, I made my way back towards the main wood and as the temperature really started to rise then more and more butterflies started to appear, with Small Tortoiseshell, Skippers, Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns and Red Admirals out in good numbers.

Small Tortoiseshell

Skipper feeding on the nectar

Gatekeeper

In the main wood I came across which I believe is a Southern Hawker which kindly alighted high up in the trees, so that I could at least get a photograph it.

I'm sure this a Southern Hawker

A bit further around and to the west of Roves Farm another Buzzard was spotted this time sitting on a support frame between two telegraph poles. Unfortunately with the sun behind me it wasn't long before he spotted me and he was gone to.

Another Buzzard and yep he's spotted me and is soon on his way

Along the path there were more Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs collecting food, with the occasional break for a song.

A male Blackcap in good voice 

As was this Chiffchaff

As I got close to the car park, something caught my eye in the long grass. As I stopped a juvenile Fox appeared and was seen sniffing around the cars before spotting me and shooting off into the hedge. Around the car park there were a few Drone Flies and my second Marbled White of the morning.

A juvenile Fox scavenges around the car park

I don't know if its just me, but this seems to be a very good year for the Drone Fly. There are good numbers around at the moment.

Not many Marbled White's today, but this one kept still long enough for a photo.

Birds noted: 2 Buzzard, Pheasant, Moorhen, 2 Black-headed Gull, 5 Lesser Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, 1 Collared Dove, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Skylark, 1 Swallow, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Reed Warbler, 2 Garden Warbler, 3 Common Whitethroat, 10+ Blackcap including juveniles, 13+ Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Treecreeper, Wren, 1 Jay, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, 1 Starling, Chaffinch, Linnet, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, 8+ Bullfinch and Reed Bunting.

Mammals: 2 Foxes, 2 Grey Squirrels and dozens of Rabbits

Butterflies: 5 Red Admirals, 1 Peacock, 5 Small Tortoiseshell, 12+ Small Skipper, 10+ Large Skipper, 20+ Gatekeepers, 12+ Meadow Brown, 6+ Ringlet, 2 Marbled White, 3 Green-veined White and 2 Large White.

Dragonflies: 1 Southern Hawker

Other insects: Drone Fly, Soldier Beetles