June 2023

Me & Dad went to Slimbridge WWT for a couple of hours. A Male Cuckoo showed distantly from the Estuary Tower Hide. On the Knott Pond was a Little Grebe [Dabchick]. There were quite a number of Avocets with newly hatched chicks and Juveniles on both the Rushy Pen & South Lake. The Male Black-winged Stilt, which had been present since 21st May was on the South Lake all day viewable from the Discovery Hide & Hogarth Hide. A pair of Little Ringed Plovers were also on South Lake & the summer plumaged Black Tern put in an appearance as well. A Common Sandpiper showed well in front of the hide.

Common Cuckoo [Male]

Pied Avocet [Family]

Pied Avocet [Adult]

Pied Avocet [Chick]

Common Sandpiper [Adult Summer]

Black-winged Stilt [Male]

Black Tern [Adult Summer]

Black-winged Stilt [Male]

Yate 2nd June 2023

A few pics of the Common Backswimmer in our garden pond from that morning.

Forest of Dean 3rd June 2023

Me & Dad went to the Forest of Dean to look for Wood Whites. We saw at least 5 individuals that day, one unfortunately got caught by a Labrinith Spider. Other Butterflies included Common Blue & a brief Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary. We also saw Linnets, Pied Wagtails, Common Toads, Green Tiger Beetle, Brown Silver Line Moth, Beautiful Demoiselles & Broad-bodied Chasers. We finished at the Dean Forest Railway's Lydney Junction station, where 5541 was working the day's passenger services.

Wood White

Common Blue [Female]

Pied Wagtail [Juvenile]

Green Tiger Beetle

Wood White

Beautiful Demoiselle [Male]

5541 at Lydney

Broad-bodied Chaser [Male]

Yate 4th June 2023

The Moths in the Moth trap that day were Feyer's Pug, Male Cockchafer, Heart & Darts, Vine's Rustic, Waved Umber & Garden Pebble.

Feyer’s Pug

Waved Umber

Cockchafer [Male]

Heart & Dart

Vine’s Rustic

Garden Pebble

60103 Flying Scotsman, Westerleigh 7th June 2023

Me & Dad went to Westerleigh to see 60103 Flying Scotsman working a railtour from London Paddington-Cardiff Central on the outward & return journeys. 47802 proivded some assistance on the rear.

Strawberry Banks & Selsley Common 8th June 2023

Me & Dad went to Strawberry Banks to see the Marsh Fritillary. A few were still on the wing during our visit, with some freshly emerged in the last few days previously. A few Greater Butterfly Orchids were also still in flower. Large & Small Skippers were present as well. A few Small Blues were noted on site. We headed to Selsley Common, where a few more Small Blues were seen in good numbers & a single Male Forester Moth.

Marsh Fritillary

Marsh Fritillary

Greater Butterfly Orchid

Large Skipper [Male]

Common Blue [Male]

Small Blue [Male]

Forester Moth [Male]

Dark Arches

Yate & Oldbury Power Station 9th June 2023

In the Moth Trap that morning were Dark Arches, Heart & Darts, Vine's Rustic, Marbled Minor, Large Yellow Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character & White Ermine.

Me & Dad had a walk around the site at Oldbury Power Station. We saw Four-spotted Chasers, Blue-tailed Damselflies, Common Blue Damselflies, Painted Lady, Peacock Caterpillars, Speckled Woods, Swollen-thighed Beetles, Common Whitethroat, Red Admiral, Pyrmidal Orchid, Common Blue Butterflies, Emperor Dragonflies & Broad-bodied Chasers.

Vine’s Rustic

Marbled Minor

White Ermine

Large Yellow Underwing

Setaceous Hebrew Character

Peacock [Caterpillars]

Four-spotted Chaser

Common Blue Damselfly [Male]

Blue-tailed Damselfly [Pair]

Peacock [Caterpillars]

Broad-bodied Chaser [Male]

Emperor Dragonfly [Female]

Common Whitethroat [Male]

Little Avon, Sharpness & Yate 10th June 2023

On our way to Sharpness, we stopped at Little Avon to see if any Dippers were about. We only saw a pair of Beautiful Demoiselles. A Speckled Wood & Meadow Browns were seen in Sharpness. The main reason we went to Sharpness, was to see a steam railtour running alongside the Severn Estuary. 7029 Clun Castle & the newly overhauled 5043 Earl of Mount Edgecumbe were on their return of the Welsh Marches Express from Hereford to Birmingham via Gloucester, 47773 provided little assistance on the rear. Also in the marina were some Red-eyed Damselflies. The Herring & Lesser Black-backed Gull had some chicks to feed around the docks. A couple of Peregrine Falcon were seen. In the evening, me & Dad went to Yate to see the 50th Anniversary Pathfinder railtour from Weymouth-Burton on Trent. Before the tour appeared, a Fox was seen at the line side & disappeared when the Gloucester train passed through. It was later seen in the field to the right of the line. The tour was headed by class 40 D345 & tailed by 47815 Great Western.

7029 & 5043 from Sharpness

5043 Earl of Mount Edgecumbe

7029 Clun Castle

Beautiful Demoiselle [Female]

Beautiful Demoiselle [Male]

Red-eyed Damselfly [Male]

Pond Beetle?

Herring Gull Chicks

Peregrine [Adult]

D345, Yate

Dunkirk, Hawkesbury & Chipping Sodbury Common 11th June 2023

Me & Dad had a walk around Dunkirk, but didn't see much. Only Common Grey Moth, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Garden Grass-veneer & King Alfred's Cakes Fungi. In the Hawkesbury/Horton area were Yellowhammer, Corn Bunting, Four-spotted Chaser, Emperor Dragonfly & Silver Y Moth. Managed to see the Bee-orchids on Chipping Sodbury Common on our way home.

Great Spotted Woodpecker [Juvenile]

Common Grey Moth

Garden Grass-veneer

King Alfred’s Cakes

Four-spotted Chaser

Bee Orchid

Yellowhammer [Male]

Slimbridge WWT 15th June 2023

We went back to Slimbridge WWT to show Mum the Black-winged Stilt. The Common Cranes showed well through the reeds from Hogarth Hide & there was also Green Sandpipers there. The Male Black-winged Stilt remained on South Lake, but distantly through the heat haze & was still distant from the Discovery Hide. By the bridge to the Hogarth Hide were 2 Male Scarce Chasers & 2 Tufted Ducks. We had a look around the aviary. There were Ruffs, Little Egrets, Smew, Ringed Plovers, Avocets, Oystercatchers, Black-tailed Godwits & Black-winged Stilt which are all captive birds. So was the Greater Scaup in the grounds. Reed & Sedge Warblers showed well briefly from Martin Smith Hide. A few Southern Marsh Orchid were around the grounds. A Juvenile Pied Wagtail foraged in the stream in front of the Rushy Hide.

Common Crane [Juvenile]

Black-winged Stilt [Male]

Scarce Chaser [Male]

Tufted Duck [Male]

Tufted Duck [Female]

Smew [Captive Male]

Ruff [Captive Male]

Ruff [[Captive Male]

Little Egret [Captive Bird]

Southern Marsh Orchid

Reed Warbler [Male]

Daneway Banks, Swift's Hill & Pensile 16th June 2023

Me & Dad went to Daneway Banks to see the Large Blue. A Male Common Redstart perched on the fence briefly. A few Large Blues were out on the wing, inculding a copulating pair which showed very well. A couple of Greater Butterfly Orchids were also seen there. Next we headed to Swift's Hill for Bird's Nest Orchids. A few were still hanging on in flower, but most had gone over & their leaves burnt by the sun. Also had a quick walk around the site, saw some Mallow in flower, Pyramidal Orchids & common Butterfly species. We finished at Pensile Hill, with a very obliging Female Large Blue, which seemed to be egg-laying although we never found the eggs.

Common Redstart [Male]

Large Blues

Large Blue

Greater Butterfly Orchid

Bird’s Nest Orchid

Pyramidal Orchid

Large Blue [Female]

Yate 17th June 2023

Found the Caterpillar of a Vapourer Moth in our garden that evening.

Box-tree Moth

Marbled Minor

Dark Arches

Vine’s Rustic

Yate 18th June 2023

In the Moth trap that morning was Heart & Club, Marbled Minor, Dark Arches, Vine's Rustic, Tanbark Borer Beetle, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Common Plume, Miller & Small Blood-vein.

Tanbarker Borer

Heart & Club

Lesser Yellow Underwing

Common Plume

Miller

Small Blood-vein

Old Sodbury 20th June 2023

Recently emerged Southern Hawker Dragonfly in Old Sodbury that day.

Orchard Pools, Severn Beach 21st June 2023

Me & Dad went to Orchard Pools near Severn Beach to look for Red-veined Darters, but didn't find any sadly. Saw Emperor Dragonflies, Black-tailed Skimmers, Common Darters, Ruddy Darter, Cinnabar Moth & Common Blue Damselflies.

Emperor Dragonfly [Female]

Black-tailed Skimmer [Male]

Black-tailed Skimmer [Female]

Common Darter [Male]

Ruddy Darter [Male]

Common Blue Damselfly [Male]

Cinnabar

Slimbridge WWT 22nd June 2023

We went back to Slimbridge WWT to see the Male White-spotted Bluethroat. This Male had been present at Middle Point since 19th June & for his 3rd year on site. It showed very well at times, though mainly at a distance. It also sang until at least 12:00. Reed Warblers were seen as well as a Great White Egret on the estuary. Plenty of Marbled White along the Summer Walkway. A few Barnacle Geese of feral origin were on the Tack Piece from Robbie Garnett & Stephen Kirk Hides. A couple of Green Sandpipers from the Rushy Pen. The Summer Plumage Spotted Redshank was present on South Lake from the Discovery Hide, though the light was appalling. Also the long staying Black-winged Stilt was still hanging around. Along with a few more Green Sandpipers.

White-spotted Bluethroat [Male]

Marbled White [Female]

Green Sandpipers

Spotted Redshank [Adult Summer]

Black-winged Stilt [Male]

Yate, Severn Beach & Aust 23rd June 2023

The Moths in the Moth Trap that day were Common White Wave, Uncertain, Vine's Rustic, Dark Arches, Marbled Minor, Common Wainscot, Beautiful Golden Y, Small Magpie & Willow Beauty.

Patchwork Leaf-cutter Bee

Me & Dad went back to Orchard Pools, Severn Beach to look for Red-veined Darters. Again no joy. A few Common Darters, Cinnabar Moth, Patchwork Cutter-bee, Black-tailed Skimmers & Red-eyed Damselfly. No luck with White-letter Hairstreak at Aust, but plently of Marbled Whites, Comma, Small Skipper & Meadow Browns.

Common White Wave

Vine’s Rustic

Common Wainscot

Marbled Minor

Small Magpie

Beautiful Golden Y

Small Skipper [Female]

Cinnabar

Black-tailed Skimmer [Female]

Black-tailed Skimmer [Male]

Red-eyed Damselfly [Male]

Comma

7029 Clun Castle with the Whistling Ghost 24th June 2023

Me & Dad went to Westerleigh Junction to see 7029 Clun Castle passing through with the Whistling Ghost Railtour from Birmingham Snow Hill-Bishops Lydeard WSR. In the evening, we went to Filton to see it on the return journey. I found out later that it only went back as far as Birmingham Moor Street due to trespassers on the line between there & Snow Hill.

7029 Clun Castle on Filton Bank

47773 on Filton Bank

Silver-studded Blue [Female]

Silver-studded Blue [Male]

Dorset 25th-28th June 2023

25/06/23

We started our 3rd Dorset break with a visit to Morden Bog. Quite a lot of Silver-studded Blues were on the wing about the heath. A few Sand Wasps, Giant Cranefly, Stonechats & Broad-bodied Chaser were also seen plus a brief sighting of a Golden-ringed Dragonfly. We popped down to the Swanage Railway. At Swanage Station, we saw 31806 arriving from Norden. We then headed to Harmans Cross to see it arrive from Swanage & passing D6515 Lt Jenny Lewis RN. The U class then departed for Norden. After it finished its duties, 34070 Manston headed past Corfe Common running light engine to Swanage.

Silver-studded Blue [Male]

Silver Y Moth

Silver-studded Blues

Silver-studded Blue [Male]

Stonechat [Female]

Small Skipper [Female]

White-tailed Eagle [Juvenile]

Emperor Dragonfly [Male]

26/06/23

We had a walk around the local heathland looking for Dartford Warblers, but no luck this time. We did have a nice Male Emperor Dragonfly, Sand Wasps, Black-tailed Skimmer. Also two distant White-tailed Eagles in Poole Harbour.

We went to explore Hartland Moor. There were loads more Silver-studded Blues, Small Copper, Keeled Skimmers, Silver Y Moths, Small Red Damselfly & Small Heath on the wing. Some Beewolf Wasps were digging holes in the sand by the road. We then headed to Corfe Castle to see 31806 arriving in from Swanage.

27/06/23

The following morning, we received some bad news that the Reptile Survey walk was cancelled due to the leader having been taken to hospital. As you need a special licence, nobody else was available to lead it. We had a cup of tea in the cafe, which cheered us up a bit. A Female Essex Skipper was perched on the wall and Blackbirds, Goldfinches, Robins & Siskins were by the feeders.

Sand Wasp

Small Copper

Silver-studded Blue [Male]

Small Red Damselfly

We made our way to Durlston Head Country Park to look for Lulworth Skippers. We saw slightly more Lulworth Skippers around there, than we did of Small Skippers. A couple of Great Green Bush-crickets were found in the grassy meadows. A few Six-spot Burnet Moths had also emerged on the wing. The Seabirds of note were European Shags, Common Guillemots, Fulmar, Herring & Lesser Black-backed Gulls. A Rock Pipit was feeding on some of the seedheads. A Peregrine flew past a couple of times below the viewpoint. We went back to Hartland Moor to look for Southern Damselflies, but no joy. Had a very nice Brown China-mark Moth. A Female Sika Deer and her Fawn ventured out to feed in the fields in the evening light.

Silver Y Moth

Small Heath

Bee Wolf Wasp

Lulworth Skipper [Female]

Lulworth Skipper [Male]

Lulworth Skipper [Female]

Lulworth Skipperb

Great Green Bush-cricket

Six-spot Brunet Moth

Rock Pipit [Adult Summer]

Common Guillemot [Adult Summer]

Common Guillemots

European Shag [Juvenile]

Peregrine [Adult]

Sika Deer [Female & Fawn]

Keeled Skimmer [Male]

The Globe, Durlston Head

We then headed to Dancing Ledge NR to look for the Puffins. Plenty of Insects about around the cliff meadows. Lulworth Skippers, Marbled Whites, Six-spot Burnet Moths, Satin Grass-veneer & Meadow Browns. We managed to see 2 Puffins on the sea distantly with Common Guillemots. We went back to Hartland Moor & was surprised to find a Female Reeve's Pheasant by the road, which it is of course a captive bird. We went back to look for the Southern Damselfly, but nothing. A Dock Shieldbug was found by the roadside on one of the bushes. Also some more Silver-studded Blues around the heath. We had a phone call from Arne letting us know that they had found someone to take us on the survey tomorrow morning, which was great news!

Blackbird [Male]

Essex Skipper [Female]

Goldfinch [Adult]

In the evening, we went to Poole Quay to catch the boat for a trip around Poole. This trip was arranged by the Birds of Poole Harbour volunteers to celebrate their 10th Anniversary. An Adult Mediterranean Gull was flying & wandering around the quayside with the Black-headed Gulls. During the cruise we saw 5 Common Sandpipers, Mute Swans, Little Egrets, European Shags, Lapwings & a Marsh Harrier. One of the regular Ospreys around the harbour 022 performed very well during the evening. He did a couple of fly passes overhead, hovering & diving into the water. He then took his catch back to the nest to feed the chicks. Staying with the Raptor theme, we had very good views of the Juvenile Male White-tailed Eagle, the Juvenile Female was still present but was just slightly out of view. A couple of Common Eiders were seen in the harbour. To end the evening's cruise, as we got back to Poole the local Peregrine showed up and was perched on one of the cranes in the harbour.

Marbled White [Male]

Lulworth Skipper

Lulworth Skipper [Female]

Six-spot Brunet Moth

Puffins

Satin Grass-veneer

Dock Shieldbug

Reeve’s Pheasant [Captive Female]

Silver-studded Blues

Mediterranean Gull [Adult Summer]

Common Sandpipers

Peregrine [Adult]

Lesser Stag Beetle

Mediterranean Gull [Adult Summer]

Osprey [Male]

28/06/23
We went on the RSPB Reptile Survey Walk with Reptile expert Howard Inns, who is licenced to handle the Reptiles. The first Snake we saw was the one I have been wanting to see: a Smooth Snake. This is Britain's rarest Snake species & is found only in Dorset & Hampshire. Unlike Adders & Grass Snakes, they do not have a ridge going along their back, hence the name. Next Reptile we saw was a Female Adder briefly as it slid off into the undergrowth. Our 3rd Snake was a young Grass Snake. This was probably the one featured on Springwatch as it was under the same tin and the same age. A few Harvest Mice nests were found under some of the tins. A Female Common Darter was also seen. A Grey Gorse Piercer was found on one of the bushes. As were a few Stonechats and Dartford Warblers heard calling. We continued our tour of the reserve with Richard, one of the volunteers told us about the history of Arne RSPB. A Female Common Kestrel perched on the farm building. A few Ringlets & Gatekeepers were in the meadow. I saw a Turkeytail Fungi & Bracket Fungus. Also Male Large Red Damselfly, but not as many Dragonflies about like last month.

Smooth Snake

A return visit to Hartland Moor was made in the afternoon. The Dragonflies & Damselflies included Keeled Skimmers, Four-spotted Chasers, Azure & possible Female Southern Damselfly. We saw a Mottled Bee-fly, but no Heath Tiger Beetle. There were still a few Sand & Beewolf Wasps by the roadside verges. We headed back to the Swanage Railway at Corfe to see 31806 arriving at station. A Green Nettle Weevil was nearby on a railing. We had a lovely few days in Dorset, thanks goes out the Birds of Poole Harbour volunteers for organizing the special boat trip & volunteers at RSPB Arne for rearranging the RSPB Reptile Walk for us & Howard Inns & Richard for taking us around.

When we got back home, we found two Box-tree Moths in the garden: a light & a more unusual dark form.

Adder [Female]

Grass Snake [Juvenile]

Harvest Mouse Nest

Grey Gorse Piercer

Stonechat [Male]

Common Kestrel [Female]

Large Red Damselfly [Male]

Ringlet

Keeled Skimmer [Female]

Keeled Skimmer [Male]

Keeled Skimmer [Female]

Mottled Bee-fly

Sand Wasp

Azure Damselfly [Male]

Bee Wolf Wasp

Green Nettle Weevil

31806 near Norden

Grass Snake [Juvenile]

Box-tree Moths

Slimbridge WWT 29th June 2023

We went back to Slimbridge WWT to see the Black-winged Stilt & the White-spotted Bluethroat.

A few Green Sandpipers were on the Rushy Pen. The Summer plumage Spotted Redshank showed very well on the Rushy Pen all day. As did the Male Black-winged Stilt. The Male White-spotted Bluethroat remained at a distance during our 3rd visit. It also remained on site until 4th July.

Green Sandpiper [Adult Summer]

Spotted Redshank [Adult Summer]

House Martins

Spotted Redshank [Adult Summer]

Black-winged Stilt [Male]

Black-winged Stilt [Male]

June 2023