Odds and Ends from Week of 18th August

Its been a very busy week at work but I did manage to get out and about a little. On Wednesday 20th I made my fourth visit to the Isle of Wight where I have been assisting with the wardening of the Bee-eater nest on the National Trust Wydcombe Estate. It was a fantastic day and the Solent crossing was mirror calm giving great views of Hurst Castle and the Needles. There was little to be seen but for a handful of Common Tern and a Whimbrel in the mouth of the Lymington River.

The Needles and Hurst Castle

The Bee-eaters were performing very well and during my stint from 09:00-13:15 I saw the final one of the four chicks fledge leaving the nest empty for 45 minutes before, in short succession, two chicks returned to the nest and entered staying there to be fed by the adults until I departed the site. It was fantastic to see the two adults, two first summer birds (the nest helpers) and four fledged chicks in the area. Unfortunately, the birds were always a little distant for photographs, but I managed this record shot of one of the adults in flight.

Adult Bee-eater

There seemed to be a great deal of antagonism between the Bee-eaters and Swallows with the later often attacking the former while occasionally the Bee-eaters would retaliate and pursue the Swallows.

Bee-eater and Swallows

On my way back I decided to go for a short walk at Beaulieu Road Station. Typically for this time of the year it was fairly quiet. A flock of around 30 Crossbill in Larches at Bishops Dyke included a number of juveniles.

Juvenile Crossbill

The local Stonechat are now looking a little scruffy as they moult and I noticed that someone had got their hands on at least one of the birds and clamped some rather unsightly coloured rings on its legs.

Male Stonechat

I then made a short stop at Shatterford Bottom where one of my favourite British flowers, the Marsh Gentian grows. This is a rare and localised species in the UK with its strongholds in the New Forest and Dorset.

Marsh Gentian

Close-up of internal tube of Marsh Gentian

On Friday 22nd I spent the day working in Gosport where the amazing sight of thousands of Autumn Lady's Tresses growing on the lawns of the site greeted me. While not spectacular this is a splendid little orchid who's flowers grow around a spiralling stem recalling twirled plats. The plant flowers in August and September and the basal leaf rosette can be found right through the winter.

Autumn Lady's Tresses

Isle of Wight Weekend

Sarah and I spent the weekend on the Isle of Wight visiting my family. Early morning starts allowed a little birding and some visits to some old haunts. Saturday 1st March was a beautiful still and spring-like day and I visited Newtown Harbour and the Western Yar at Yarmouth. The spring weather sparked a great deal of pre-breeding activity with many of the wildfowl displaying and Black-headed Gulls calling and mating.

Newtown Harbour (Simon Colenutt)

There was a nice (albeit a little distant for photography) gathering of Mediterranean Gull off the boathouse and these were in high spirits giving their distinct and far carrying 'Keouw' calls and walking around pigeon chested chasing off any Black-headed Gull that approached too closely.

Mediterranean Gulls (Simon Colenutt)

Most of the Mediterranean Gull were in near summer plumage as can be seen below where five birds from a flock of 12 are present.

Mediterranean Gulls (Simon Colenutt)

Whereas the Black-headed Gulls seemed to show a greater variation in their progression to full summer plumage as the image below shows with the central bird in near full breeding dress while the uppermost bird shows no sign of progressing from winter plumage. The other birds show a range of plumage stages between the two extremes. A first winter bird is present to the right of centre.

Black-headed Gulls (Simon Colenutt)

A walk to the Needles produced excellent views of Raven and Peregrine and my first butterfly of the year, a Peacock.

Needles (Simon Colenutt)

Back at my Dad's house the first Frog spawn of the year had appeared and based on its condition looks to have been laid in the last few days.

Frog Spawn (Simon Colenutt)

On Sunday another early start and inspired by Saturdays weather I was convinced that I would find my first Wheatear of the year but it was not to be. A seawatch from the lighthouse in strong south-west winds produced little but for three Common Scoter, two Kittiwake and 12 Red-throated Diver moving east. The bushes were devoid of any migrants, not even a Chiffchaff to show for my efforts. The only excitement was a close view of a hovering Buzzard but the light levels were not high enough to get a decent shutter speed and the image below is on the soft side.

St.Catherine's Point (Simon Colenutt)

Buzzard (Simon Colenutt)