Tuesday 28th June 2016 began as a fine day - maybe the only chance for weeks to come to see more butterflies and dragonflies after a series of overcast days since 19th June and very little sun since the last full record on 6th June (see previous blogs). Hence another full record - just in case…
The sun was hazy with rain forecast for later and indeed the clouds soon appeared. Grasses were dying down slightly now and mud on the riverbank vegetation indicated the recent high level of the river after torrential rain in the thunderstorms with spectacular lightening strikes of the evening of the 22nd June - a forecast of things to come!
Plenty of wild flowers were forging ahead - Lesser Stitchwort appearing from the long grass, spires of Purple Loosestrife, Bird's foot Trefoil, Periwinkle, ground ivy, White clover and Rosa canina but above all a spectacular increase in Meadowsweet both on the river banks and large amounts flourishing in the wild field in the soggy ground. Walking along the field, the shoulder high flowers gave a sweet scent to the air.
Azure damselfly male on pond vegetation, one of several drifting from leaf to leaf in the sun - they seem to drift in the air rather than fly and prefer small sheltered ponds with plenty of vegetation.
Nearby a Banded Demoiselle male flew across the path - quite different - these are more aggressive and are strong flyers, exploring large areas away from the river. Two female Beautiful Demoiselle dragonflies were also seen, near the larger pond.
Many small moths were flying up from the long grasses which provide shelter for both moths and butterflies during heavy rain. They drop down the stems of grasses, as low as possible and close up, waiting for the sun to reappear. It was good to see so many Meadow Brown butterflies today as everyone is reporting a very bad year for butterflies in general so far.
Here is a Meadow Brown butterfly nectaring on a Bramble flower on the river bank. They prefer long meadow grasses and can be seen flying low amongst the vegetation.
Many birds were still very vocal, song thrushes (10) singing strongly - most will have second broods as the damp conditions have provided plenty of food for adults to feed their young. The birds nest low down in dense undergrowth here and the adults can often be seen carrying food just across the river or from the grass into the hedgerows. Wrens (13) too were very active and singing loudly, maintaining their territories along the river bank. and a single dunnock was seen foraging under a mossy root. Blackbirds (17) could be heard in full song, their voices echoing along the banks whilst young blue tits could be heard calling from branches, asking to be fed by their parents which could be seen foraging in the willows close by (14). Young yellow-faced great tits were seen in a conifer with adults foraging in the adjacent Willows (7) and a single goldcrest was very active in the same conifer. Only three robins were seen today, one of them a speckled young robin - they are still on the riverside but most are hiding and moulting - soon the numbers of birds seen and heard will be greatly reduced as most will be undergoing their seasonal moult to gain fresh strong feathers for the winter, or in the case of migrants for their long journeys to their southern wintering grounds.
Unruly young magpies (4) were seen chasing each other in the trees whilst a green woodpecker flew quietly across, silent at this time of the year. House sparrows can always be heard, all year round here in their sparrow hedges, fortunately uncut this summer - about 20 in this one colony and many more in other hedgerows and bramble thickets further along, impossible to count. Only one chaffinch was seen and no greenfinches.
Goldfinches (40) are doing very well this year, most singing together in groups in the field maples, oaks and thickets, the young still to acquire their characteristic red faces (adult plumage).
Woodpigeons (17) and carrion crows (5) were foraging on the grass, with more flying in to the damp 'scrape', now with plenty of vegetation around it ,whilst a few herring gulls flew overhead and a jay could be heard cursing in the old oak on the bank nearby.
Warblers were still singing, with five loud chiffchaffs in various locations and five blackcaps, three males singing very loudly in different Willows along the river course, one very close to me. One garden warbler was singing too, also in a Willow and last but not least, three common whitethroats were seen, again one pair in and out of the long grass and bushes and one singing in a thicket.
Back to the spectacular insects on the river: to summarise:
Meadow Brown butterflies were numerous, Speckled Wood butterfies, Small Skippers, Small Tortoiseshell butterflies and a fresh and brilliant Comma butterfly.
Azure damselflies at least 5, Beautiful Demoiselle damselflies - 3 males, 1 female and 1 immature (one chased by a Meadow Brown butterfly)
several Banded Demoiselle damselflies males chasing and two females.
The most important was a fine close -up view of an immature White-legged damselfly (Platycnemis pennipes) warming up on a hazel leaf on the river bank, in the sun.
Hedge Woundwort (Stachys sylvatica)
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