June

We went to Hickling Broad NWT to have an explore around. Excellent wildlife seen around the reserve & here's a list of speices seen. Little Egret, Hooded Crow Hybrid, Swallowtail, Norfolk Hawker, Four-spotted Chaser, loads of Garden Tiger Moth Caterpillars & Four-banded Longhorn Beetle. We also found some Swallowtail Eggs on their foodplant Milk Parsley. My next goal now is to see the Caterpillars in July, when they emerge. Maybe next year!

Our next port of call was Winterton-on-Sea, where had great views of the Little Terns on the beach. Also Grey Seals, Common Eider & Sanderling were seen, along with some Ringed Plovers. Mum and I had a brief view of a pair of Common Cranes flying at Horsey Mill very distantly on our way back to Thorpe Market.

British Swallowtail

Four-spotted Chaser

Hooded Crow Hybrid

Garden Tiger [Caterpillar]

Four-banded Longhorn Beetle

British Swallowtail [Eggs]

Little Egret

Little Terns [Summer]

Little Tern [Adult Summer]

Ringed Plover [Summer]

Grey Seal

Common Eider [Male moulting]

Sanderling [Adult Summer]

Horsey Mill

Glapthorn Cow Pastures 11th June 2022

On our way home we went to Glapthorn Cow Pastures for the Black Hairstreaks. We saw a few on the wing, although not as many as we saw in 2019, but still lovely to see. It was a great holiday!

Latteridge 13th June 2022

While I was on my break at Organic Blooms, I photographed a Mint Moth & a Green Sawfly [Rhogogaster scalaris]

Mint Moth

Mint Moth

Green Sawfly [Rogogaster scalaris]

A couple of Little Terns visited the reserve, but no longer seem to nest on the beach. The Ringed Plovers still breed there though & managed to raise one chick. We went to the South Hide & saw lots of Black-headed Gulls [one with coloured rings], Common Terns, Black-legged Kittiwakes [pair], Mediterrean Gull & Sandwich Terns. Southern Marsh Orchids were out in full flower. A Drinker Caterpillar beside the main path. From the Bittern Hide, we saw a Bittern, Hobbies, Marsh Harriers, Common Tern & Red Deer. A couple of Rabbits were by the visitor centre. Near Westleton we saw a herd of Red Deer in the field.

Four-spotted Chaser

Sand Martins

Treecreeper being ringed

Black-headed Gull [Adult Summer]

Minsmere RSPB 9th June 2022

We spent the day at Minsmere RSPB in Suffolk. Four-spotted Chaser by the Dragonfly Pond. The Sand Martins were nesting in their traditional sand bank. We went to a bird ringing session to see 2 Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler & Cetti's Warbler being ringed. We then went to East Hide & there was Barnacle Geese, Avocets & Black-headed Gulls. There were loads of Adult Avocets about the reserve, but unlike at Titchwell RSPB there were no chicks. A Small Tortoiseshell was resting on the beach.

Ringed Plover [Adult Summer]

Ringed Plover [Chick]

Common Tern [Adult Summer]

Mediterranean Gull

Sandwich Tern [Adult Summer]

Bittern

Marsh Harrier [Female]

Drinker Moth [Caterpillar]

Southern Marsh Orchid

Black-legged Kittiwake [Pair Summer]

Bittern

Hobby [Adult]

Red Deer

Titchwell RSPB & Choseley Barns 8th June 2022

A Female Green Woodpecker was feeding on the lawn early morning in the town of Roughton.

We popped to Kelling Water Meadows to listen out for the rare Marsh Warbler, but no luck. Saw a pair of Reed Buntings. We headed to Titchwell RSPB to look for the Spotted Sandpiper. A Common Wainscot was seen in the gent's toilet block. The Avocets were foraging around the freshmarsh with a few chicks & near grown Juveniles. A couple of Juvenile Wood Pigeons were by the Parrinder Hide. The Spotted Sandpiper, a rare vagrant from North America spent much of the time showing disantly on one of the islands. A Little Tern, Common Tern, Sandwich Terns & Little Gulls were seen. The Spotted Sandpiper started to make it's along the freshmarsh, then it flew across to the island where it remained until dusk. The bird was last seen on 11th June 2022. A Spoonbill was seen on the freshmarsh for much of the day, before flying off to Thornham. A Female Common Pochard swam close to the West Bank footpath. A few Blackbirds were by the visitor centre. We went along the Fen Trail and saw lots of Red Admirals. A few Marsh Harriers flew around the reserve. A Male Common Blue was roosting nearby. Common Swifts & House Martins flew overhead. A Common Cuckoo was calling from a perch on one of the dead trees, before flying westwards. A Red Kite made an appearance. We went to Thornham Marsh, where in the creek we saw some Avocets & Oystercatcher. One of the Avocets was coloured ringed. Another Spoonbill flew over the marsh. The return route was back along Choseley Barns. On this occasion we saw a Juvenile Pied Wagtail, Red Kites, Red-legged Partridges & Brown Hares on our way back to Thorpe Market.

Green Woodpecker [Female]

European Spoonbill [Juvenile]

Reed Bunting [Male Summer]

Reed Bunting [Female Summer]

Avocet [Chick]

Common Tern [Pair Summer]

Spotted Sandpiper [Adult Summer]

Red Admiral

Marsh Harrier [Male]

Common Swift [Adult]

Common Cuckoo [Male]

Red Kite

Marsh Harrier [Females]

Avocet [Adult]

Brown Hare [Adult]

We headed to the Meadow Trail to look for another specalist insect confined mostly to Norfolk: The Norfolk Hawker. Fortunately one was using a favourite perch near the bridge & showed very well. Also Four-spotted Chaser & Hairy Dragonflies were on the wing. Although the Chaser was more than happy to perch for a photo, the Hairy Dragonfly not so. At the base of the reed was a Small China Mark Moth. On the path to the Fen Hide was a Female Black-tailed Skimmer. From the hide a Female Marsh Harrier was perched on top of a small tree. On the way back the Black-tailed Skimmer was still present & perched on the reed. Me & Dad went to look at the Tower Hide. A Garden Tiger Moth Caterpillar crossed the path. On our way, we managed to find some Male Scarce Chasers. Unlike Broad-bodied Chasers, the Males have a blacker face with blue eyes & with a black line down the abdomen. They also have paired yellow dots along ther sides of their abdomen. From the Tower Hide we saw Northern Shovelers, Gadwalls, Male Marsh Harrier, Black-headed Gulls & Mallards. A Female Common Blue Damselfly was resting on a Stinging Nettle. The Swallowtail continued to show well during the afternoon by the visitor centre. We explored the Woodland Trail. The Red Admiral was seen on the Stinging Nettle, it's larval foodplant. A few more Scarce Chasers were seen around the reserve, this time a Immature & an Adult Female. Resting on the fence was a Noon Fly. A Male Red-eyed Damselfly rested on a lily pad.

Strumpshaw Fen RSPB 7th June 2022

It was a very special day and the one I have been waiting for, the quest for the British Swallowtail. We went to Strumpshaw Fen RSPB, which is the best place to see it. We headed to the cottage at the end of Tinker's Lane to look there first. We saw Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshells [loads], Peacock & Brimstone. We heard a Cuckoo calling nearby, moments later we saw it fly over. After about an hour later, we saw our first Swallowtail minus one orange spot on it's lower upper wing.

British Swallowtail

British Swallowtail

Common Cuckoo [Male]

British Swallowtail

After our first sighting, we headed back to the visitor centre. Another Swallowtail was nectaring on flowers & gave excellent views. They are on the wing from May-July & the Larvae feed on Milk Parsley. The Caterpillars emerge later during July before going into a pupa. This indivdual had a full set of orange spots on lower upperwing.

Norfolk Hawker

Small China Mark

Black-tailed Skimmer [Female]

Marsh Harrier [Female]

Black-tailed Skimmer [Female]

Scarce Chaser [Male]

Garden Tiger [Caterpillar]

Shoveler [Male]

Scarce Chaser [Female]

Red Admiral

Red-eyed Damselfly [Male]

Scarce Chaser [Male]

Scarce Chaser [Immature]

British Swallowtail

North Norfolk Railway 5th June 2022

As it was a wet day, we went to the North Norfolk Railway. At Sheringham, class 31 D5631 was stabled in the bay platform. BR Standard 4MT 76084 ran light engine from Weybourne to Sheringham to work her first train of day. To commemorate the Queen's Platinum Jubliee Celebrations, she proudly displayed a special headboard above the bufferbeam titled, you guessed it 'The Platinum Jubliee'. We saw her depart on her first train to Holt. On our way to Weybourne, we stopped in a layby by Bridge 303 to see 90775 Royal Norfolk Regiment on her return to Sheringham. We waited for 90775 to return through Weybourne chimney first to Holt. On shed was Class 37 D6732, SDJR 7F 53809 & Class 20 20227 Sherlock Holmes. The Royal Norfolk Regiment came in first which was good, as we didn't want the view blocked by the Sheringham bound train. During the Platinum Jubliee weekend, she displayed the Elizabethan headboard although partly obscured by her coupler. No 76084 arrived on her return to Sheringham. We stayed to see 90775 depart for Holt as she was going the right way, also I hadn't seen her since 2008. We finished up at Holt, where 90775 ran round before returning to Sheringham.

As we saw an earlier report of four European Bee-eaters in Trimingham that morning, we thought we would pop along to have a look as it was on our way back to the cottage. It may have a wet and dreary afternoon, but the Bee-eaters certainly brightened the day up. It turned out towards the end of the month, that these Bee-eaters were nesting in a nearby quarry. It was quite near to where we had parked, but we didn’t realise it then.

76084 at Sheringham Station

90775 at Weybourne

D5631 at Sheringham

53809 at Weybourne Shed

20227 at Weybourne Shed

90775 at Holt

European Bee-eaters

Pensthorpe Waterfowl Park 6th June 2022

The weather was still a bit wet so we went to Pensthorpe Waterfowl Park to look around. There were loads of captive birds in the collection on site. These inculded Garganey, Ruffs in stunning breeding plumage, Corncrake, Bearded Tits, Common Redshanks, Avocets, Northern Shoveler, Black-winged Stilts, Turtle Doves, Barnacle Geese, Mandarin Ducks, Red-crested Pochard, Common Pochards & Common Goldeneye.

The old Springwatch Hut

A Male Reed Warbler was showing well singing in the reeds and a Male Reed Bunting was perched in a small tree. We checked out the Wader Scrapes. We saw Little Ringed Plover, Avocets, Black-headed Gulls & Egyptian Geese. One Egyptian Goose had some Goslings. A couple of Reeve's Muntjac Deer were seen & a Roe Deer from the hide. A pair of Great Crested Grebe were doing a half-hearted display in front of the Garden Hide. A Jay was seen briefly in the woodlands. A few Longhorn Cattle were grazing in the fields. Another Reeve's Muntjac showed very well in front of the Woodland Hide. We also saw some Juvenile Wrens, which must have recently fledged. Some Common Terns were seen from Lake Hide & were fishing in front of the Wetland Hide. The Terns were nesting on the island. A Great Crested Grebe swam past in front of the hide. I photographed another Common Scorpion Fly nearby. From the Wetland Hide we saw Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Common Teal, Common Tern, Little Egret and Great White Egret. We quickly popped to Farmland Hide but all we saw were Corvids, Stock Doves, Wood Pigeons & Red-legged Partridges. We also had a look in the Crane Enclosure. The Red-crowned Cranes were the only species on show, as the Grey-crowned & Common Cranes kept themshelves hidden. The Red-crowned Cranes had one chick. A Barn Swallow was collecting mud to make a nest in the shelter and an Oystercatcher perched on a post. We finished the day with a last look in avary. It was a lovely place to look around with lots of hides to shelter from an occasional shower.

Ruff

Corncrake

Garganey

Bearded Tit

Bearded Tit [Female]

Turtle Dove

Mandarin [Male]

Red-crested Pochard

Reed Warbler [Male]

Egyptian Goose [Adult]

Great Crested Grebe [Pair Summer]

Reeve’s Muntjac [Juvenile]

Wren [Juvenile]

Common Tern [Summer]

Great White Egret [Summer]

Red-crowned Crane [Chick]

Barn Swallow [Adult]

Oystercacther [Summer]

Reeve’s Muntjac [Juvenile]

Common Tern [Pair Summer]

Yate 2nd June 2022

Today in our garden I photographed Brimstone and Holly Blue Caterpillars, Common Green Shieldbug, Blue Mason Bees, Honeybees and Common Spotted Field Syrph Hoverfly.

Blue Mason Bee [Female]

Brimstone [Caterpillar]

Holly Blue [Caterpillar]

Common Green Shieldbug

Common Spotted Field Syrph Hoverfly

Honeybee

Blue Mason Bee [Male]

Yate 3rd June 2022

In our Moth Trap this morning were a Light Brown Apple Moth, Heart & Dart, White Ermine, Treble Lines, Common Marbled Carpet, Cockchafer Beetle & Marbled Orchard Tortrix.

Heart & Dart

White Ermine

Common Marbled Carpet

Light Brown Apple Moth

Treble Lines

Cockchafer [Male]

Marbled Orchard Tortrix

Lakenheath Fen RSPB & Weeting Heath NWT 4th June 2022

We started our Norfolk Holiday at Lakenheath Fen RSPB. We saw a Mallard Family, which kept going inside the visitor centre building. The wardens had put a tray of water outside and the ducklings enjoyed sitting in it. A few Butterflies were on the wing Small Tortoiseshells, Painted Lady, Peacock & Red Admiral. From the viewing screen we saw a Goldfinch, Reed Buntings & Great Spotted Woodpecker [briefly] by the feeders. I photographed a Tanbark Borer Longhorn Beetle by the visitor centre. We popped to nearby Weeting Heath NWT to look for the Stone Curlews. We didn't see anything, except for a Brown Hare. We then headed to our cottage in Thorpe Market.

Mallard [Family]

Mallard [Ducklings]

Small Tortoiseshell

Painted Lady

Goldfinch [Adult]

Reed Bunting [Male Summer]

Tanbark Borer Longhorn Beetle

Brown Hare [Adult]

Keynsham 1st June 2022

Me & Dad went to Keynsham to look for 2 special Insects: White-legged Damselfly & Scarce Chaser Dragonfly. We had no problem finding the White-legged Damselflies as they were quite common by the River Avon & the canal, but Scarce Chasers didn't see at all. Female White-legged Damselflies are very paleish compared to other Damselflies. The Males are pale blue with (hence the name) white legs. The same area also had Blue-tailed Damselflies & I spotted a Female of a 'Rufescens form'. I also found & photographed a Brassica Shieldbug [Eurydema oleracea] which is fond of Garlic Mustard and Horse-radish. Other Insects included Common Red Soldier Beetles, Banded Demoiselles, Green-veined Whites, Common Scorpion Fly, Cardinal Beetle, Small Tortoiseshell, Dock Bug & Green Nettle Weevil which Dad saw.

White-legged Damselfly [Male]

Banded Demoiselle [Male]

Brassica Shieldbug

Common Red Soldier Beetle

White-legged Damselfly [Immature Male]

White-legged Damselfly [Male Immature]

White-legged Damselfly [Male]

Green-veined White [Male]

Small Tortoiseshell[Adult]

Dock Bug

Common Scorpion Fly [Male]

Green Nettle Weevil

Cardinal Beetle

Banded Demoiselle [Female]

June 2022

Slimbridge WWT 25th June 2022

We went to Slimbridge WWT to see what was about. The Green Sandpipers were foraging around the island in front of the Robbie Garnett Hide & quite a good number of Avocets were seen, but none with chicks. Two Male Ruff in Summer Plumage showed very well from the South Lake Discovery Hide. Two Spotted Redshanks also in Summer Plumage were still present, but never came close. This was dispite viewing between the South Lake Discovey and Hogarth Hides hoping for a better view, which didn't happen sadly. The Sedge Warbler was singing around the grounds & showed reasonably well. The Ruff & Spotted Redshanks continued to show well from the South Lake Hide, albeit distantly. In the Rushy Pen, a Female Eurasian Wigeon was either late or early to arrive on the site. A Oysterctacher & a couple of Male Common Teal. A Collared Dove was foraging by the exit doors.

Green Sandpiper [Summer]

Avocet [Adult]

Ruff [Males Summer]

Spotted Redshank [Adult Summer]

Sedge Warbler [Male]

Collared Dove [Adult]

Yate 26th June 2022

That morning, we had a visit to the garden by a juvenile Goldfinch.

Old Sodbury & Standish Junction 18th June 2022

In the Moth Trap that morning were Green Pug, Common Wainscot, Small Clouded Brindle, Clouded Brindle, Marbled/Rufous Minor, Poplar Grey, Ghost Moth [Females are yellow, Males are pure white], Pale Prominent, Green Carpet, Heart & Dart, Double Square-spot, The Uncertain, Plain Golden Y, Straw Dot, Large Yellow Underwing, Shoulder-striped Wainscot, Beautiful Hook-tip, Common Rustic agg, Pseudargyrotoza conwagana [Yellow Spot Twist/Tortrix], Scorched Wing, Dark Arches, Purple & Ingrailed Clay.

Green Pug

In the evening, we went to Standish Junction near Stonehouse to see 45596 Bahamas head the return Cotswold Venturer from Worcester-London railtour.

Small Clouded Brindle

Marbled Minor

Poplar Grey

Ghost Moth [Female]

Pale Prominent

Green Carpet

Clouded Brindle

Double Square-spot

Plain Golden Y

Marbled/Rufus Minor

Dark Arches

Purple Clay

Ingrailed Clay

45596 Bahamas at Standish Junction

Yate 19th June 2022

In our house, we had 2 Moth species which had clinged onto the Moth trap. These were Common Wainscot & another first: Small Yellow Wave.

Latteridge 20th June 2022

While I was working at Organic Blooms in Latteridge I photographed Yarrow Plume Moths, Meadow Brown & Painted Lady [looking a bit worn].

Latteridge 21st June 2022

The following day, while I was on my break I photographed a Marbled Beauty which was resting on one of the polytunnels at Organic Blooms.

Yate 24th June 2022

Mum & Dad found this Swallow-tail Moth, while they were working in our neighbour's garden. It was discovered in a dustbin, how on earth did it get in there? My guess is it had probably emerged from it's pupae case, which was in the bin.

Small Yellow Wave

Yarrow Plume

Meadow Brown [Female]

Painted Lady

Marbled Beauty

Swallow-tail Moth

Latteridge & Yate 14th June 2022

The following day while I was working at Organic Blooms I photographed a Straw Dot, Latticed Heath, Chrysoteuchia culmella [Garden Grass-veneer], Yellow Belle & Cydia nigricana [Pea Moth]. In my bedroom that morning, I noticed a Macro Moth species perched on my wall. Later in day, I photographed the Small Dusky Wave on my Window sill.

Straw Dot

Latticed Heath

Chrysoteuchia culmella [Garden Grass-veneer]

Yellow Belle

Small Dusty Wave

Cydia nigricana [Pea Moth]

Yate 15th June 2022

In the Moth trap that day were Shoulder-striped Wainscots, Heart & Dart, Heart & Club, Mottled Beauty, Buff Ermine [male], Common Marbled Carpet & Common Wainscot.

Striped-shoulder Wainscot

Heart & Dart & Heart & Club

Mottled Beauty

Buff Ermine

Common Marbled Carpet

Common Wainscot

Lower Moor Farm/Clattinger Farm NNR 16th June 2022

We went to Lower Farm NNR to look for the Burnt-tip Orchids. There was loads of Common Spotted Orchids out in flower. About 6-7 Burnt-tip Orchids were found in the meadow. A couple had just gone over, but a few were still in flower which was good. A single Bee Orchid was seen as well, along with 3 Common Twayblades. But it was the Burnt-tip Orchids that were the highlight of the day. A couple of Black-tailed Skimmers & Speckled Woods were on the wing. It was lovely to see a few Burnt-tip Orchids in Wiltshire area.

Burn-tip Orchid

Burnt-tip Orchid

Common Spotted Orchid

Bee Orchid

Heath Spotted Orchid

Common Twayblade

Black-tailed Skimmer [Female]