CallumMac

[David M]

Shame about the charred landscape, Callum. The same has happened here on the Gower with 3 different parts of Fairwood Common all burned recently.

Good to see some of the more mobile species are unaffected by it.

[Neil Freeman]

I love the Pine Martins at Glenloy Lodge Callum We drove past there a couple of times on our way into the glen a few years back when we stayed in Fort William for a few days. A beautiful part of the world, would love to return again some time.

Cheers,

Neil.

[CallumMac]

Thanks David. Everything is tinder-dry at the moment up here. As much as it's nice to have a sunny holiday weekend, we could really do with a solid month of rain!

Thanks Neil. A great place to stay - thoroughly recommended.

21/04/2019 - patch butterflying

Kiplingcotes Chalk Pit

With my partner's friends seen safely back up the road, today and tomorrow were earmarked for catching up with the state of play at my several local patches. We started with Kiplingcotes. Often this site is very quiet in the early part of spring, and so it proved today, with barely a butterfly to be seen in the top meadow or the bottom of the Pit. However, as we reached the far eastern end (which has been sheltered from the cold easterlies that continue to dog Yorkshire!), something tiny and brown flew into view and perched on a seedhead.

As I watched, it was chased up by a second individual. I think this will be considered a very early record of Dingy Skippers by Yorkshire's standards.

North Cave Wetlands

From Kiplingcotes, we drove round to North Cave. A few Orange-tips and Green-veined Whites were showing interest in the blackthorn blossom along Dryham Lane, but numbers of both seem to be well down on last year. This was the first female Orange-tip I've seen this year, though, so there is still plenty of time for numbers to build.

The only other surprise was this 14-spot Ladybird, spotted (somehow!) by the very sharp eyes of my partner.

[Wurzel]

Cracking find with the Dingy Callum - things are moving on a pace at the moment as the DIngies have only really been down South for a short while From growing up in Dorset I got used to seeing fires pretty much every year and I'd go back to the same site a few years later and it was a riot of colour from the fresh heather growth so hopefully the Common will be equally as rejuvenated A few drops of rain would be a blessing though it would be best if we got it Tuesday to Friday

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Glad you saw a Dingy Callum, it makes think of last year when I was at Gait Barrows and chased one about until I got a photo
Goldie

[David M]

Well done with the Dingies, Callum. I've been looking for them all weekend with no success. Can't be long till the first Common Blues are up and about.

[CallumMac]

Thanks all I had half an inkling that they might be about but didn't really expect to see them! Common Blues were the other one I had a 'hunch' about and I was wrong about those...

22/04/2019 - Strensall Common (am)

In the morning I walked my UKBMS transect with my partner in tow, with high hopes of seeing my first Green Hairstreak of the year. That hope was fulfilled, but not to great satisfaction - a single individual flew past and promptly vanished! Otherwise there were a smattering of the common species, dominated by Specklies, but nothing to shout about.

We decided to have our packed lunches at Strensall before moving on, and I hung an EMP pheromone lure out whilst we ate. Just as I was finishing my roll, the lure worked its magic, and we spent a bit of time in the company of a delightfully tolerant male Emperor Moth!

Potteric Carr (pm)

Like Strensall in the morning, there was nothing particularly out of the ordinary at Potteric after lunch, but a couple of things posed for photographs. The biggest surprise was several separate sightings of voles feeding quite calmly in view of the footpath!

In other news, I have just booked a B&B for two nights back in Chequered Skipper country at the end of May. Fingers crossed for sunshine...

[Wurzel]

Wow Callum that is a magnificent looking moth Great set of shots especially like the last one where you actually get an idea of the scale of the butterfly It reminds me of one of the atlas moths as it almost has a snake head mimic on the hook tips of the fore wing.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

Looks like I missed the Dingies at Kiplingcotes by 48 hours, Callum! That corner is amazingly sheltered, and that's where the Peacocks and Commas were on 19th. Bad luck with not getting a photo of the Hairstreak at Strensall, but that wonderful moth rather makes up for it.

Cheers,

Dave

[David M]

Lovely Emperor moth, Callum. Is that quite an unusual one with the extensive crimson suffusion?

Good luck with your McSkipper trip. Hopefully the weather will be kind to you.

[CallumMac]

Thanks Wurzel - should probably complement my partner on that last photo rather than me though in the fashion industry, everybody knows the names of the models, not the photographers
It's a great little corner, Dave, and almost always adds a species or two to the day's list!
Thanks David. I think it's probably on the spectrum of normal colouration, but perhaps towards the 'very crimson' end of that spectrum. I like "McSkipper" - in my school days I had the nickname "McScottish" so it's a nice parallel...

On the subject of McSkippers, and with some much-needed rain here today preventing a lunchtime Walmgate Stray break, I'll pick up my trip report again...

3rd-4th April - last 24 hours in Lochaber

On the Wednesday (after a much-needed lie-in!) I decided to join my host, Jon, and a couple of other visitors for a day's guided wildlife-seeking around the region. With a poor weather forecast I reasoned I might not see much, left to my own devices! This proved to be a good choice as, with Jon's help, I managed to see much of the best that this region has to offer (outside of butterfly season!).

Black Guillemot

Red-breasted Mergansers

Feral Goat and kid

Wheatear

Great Northern Diver

Red Deer stag

Rock Pipit

A final evening with the Pine Martens ensued, but with new guests recently arrived I decided to cede the prime photographic spot in the lounge!

Pine Marten, Glenloy Lodge

The following morning I had to swing back south to pick up my partner in Tyndrum. But with the early-morning forecast set fair, I decided to get up early again and have a second look at the Black Grouse lek. Unlike on Tuesday, the lek proceeded for over 90 minutes before finally being disturbed, allowing me extended views of fighting males and even the arrival of a female. When disturbance came, I was quietly glad, since I had started to worry about the potential both for frostbite - and missing breakfast-time at the B&B!

Black Grouse

Black Grouse

Black Grouse

Black Grouse

Much of the rest of the day was occupied by travelling from Glenloy on to Aviemore - going via Tyndrum added rather a lot of miles and minutes to that trip! We had time for a walk around the RSPB's Loch Garten reserve, where we heard lots of things and saw almost nothing. In the evening we were booked in for a visit to the Speyside Wildlife hide on the Rothiemurchus Estate - hoping for more Pine Martens, but also Badgers. A single Pine Marten put in an extremely brief appearance, but we were charmed by extended views of two Badgers.

Badger

Badger

Badger

To be continued...

[Wurzel]

That is fantastic stuff Callum - terrific Tystie, marvelous Martens, a wondrous wandering Wheatear (I was surprised that it'd got that far so quickly), great Grouse and a bloomin' brilliant Brocks

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Absolutely fabulous wildlife in that part of the UK, Callum. We in the south of the country can but dream of such wonders.

[bugboy]

Just having a browse through the last couple of pages in your diary (yes I was that far behind ) in the words of Wurzel, "cracking stuff"

[CallumMac]

Thank you, chaps. I really had a wonderful week up there. Will be back for more at the first opportunity!

In the meantime... two great days with three butterflies added to my 'year list' and a big bogey bird to my 'life list'!

28/04/2019 (am) - RSPB Bempton Cliffs

This place is always worth a visit for its incredible seabird colony, which certainly lived up to expectation yesterday. It was blowing a hoolie, so no sign of any butterflies even when the sun came out! But the highlight was undoubtedly two beautiful species of owls (Barn and my aforementioned bogey bird - Short-eared) flying alongside each other, and at one point even sharing a viewfinder! Many of those visiting to see the seabirds were totally oblivious to the drama right above their heads...

28/04/2019 (pm) - Fordon Chalk Banks

This site is conveniently on the route home from Bempton. It's privately-owned open access land, but managed and monitored as a butterfly reserve by BC Yorkshire branch. It seems to be attracting something of a reputation as a reliable 'early site' for many species, and we weren't disappointed yesterday. As well as at least 20 Dingy Skippers, we found several extremely fresh Brown Argus and an equally sparkling Wall Brown - the latter two my first ones of the year.

29/04/2019 - Walmgate Stray

My usual Walmgate Stray stroll was particularly fruitful today! The patrolling Orange-tip males have finally been joined by a decent number of females, creating some nice opportunities for photos.

First approach...

Second pass...

Nearly...?

...rejected!

This particular female gave me pause for thought, as she seemed to have dark patches on her wings. Closer inspection revealed that these were actually patches where the scales have worn away entirely, leaving a translucent effect slightly reminiscent of an Apollo!

Numbers of Speckled Woods have built nicely, whereas Peacocks and Commas are all but gone. The Small Tortoiseshells are still numerous but (finally) are showing their age.

Finally, I was thrilled to see my first Small Copper of the year - and doubly so when I realised it was a lovely "blue badger"!

[Wurzel]

Love the bird shots - did you see any 'bridled' Guillemots on the cliffs? Love the way the Shortie is checking you out in the final shot On the butterfly front being up that way are those Brown Argus or Salmacis?
That really is a 'False Apollo' Callum ...I'll get me coat...

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[CallumMac]

Thanks Wurzel!

did you see any 'bridled' Guillemots on the cliffs?

I'm sure there must have been some about but none that I spotted.

being up that way are those Brown Argus or Salmacis?

At this time of year they are definitely 'southern' BA.

[ernie f]

Callum - Just catching up with your recent posts. You have been busy and it has really paid dividends. I cannot work out what was best out of:

Emperor Moth from beneath
A cute vole
Pine Marten
Badger stretching up a tree trunk
Black Grouse lek
Fulmar in flight - close shot
Courting OTips
OTip female with worn scale patches
A Barn Owl and Short-eared Owl in the same shot

On reflection I think it has to be the picture I know I will never get in my life - the two owl species on the wing at once.

[David M]

Callum, I thought your reports from Scotland were up there in the panthaeon of rare and impressive creatures to be seen in the UK, but now I find you can match it close to your home!!

That's some place to live if you can see a range of birds such as the ones you've posted....and you threw in a few desirable butterflies too!

Impeccable!

[CallumMac]

On reflection I think it has to be the picture I know I will never get in my life - the two owl species on the wing at once.

Thank you Ernie! I've had some fantastic luck over the last few weeks (long may it last!) but I think I agree with you - the only once-in-a-lifetime experience was these two owls flying side-by-side.

now I find you can match it close to your home!!

Thanks David - if the weather brightens up as forecast this afternoon, I hope to have more to add!

5th-7th April - Speyside and homewards-bound

Since it's raining this morning and the photos from my Scottish trip seem to be going down well, I'll continue with the rest of the week!

After a late night in the Speyside Wildlife hide, we decided to have a lie-in and spend the morning at the Highland Wildlife Park - particularly keen to see the 'baby' Polar Bear, who is most certainly not a baby anymore!

Hamish the "baby" Polar Bear

Alongside the range of usual and more unusual zoo animals were a few nice wild things, especially in the large marshy drive-through enclosure where the bison are kept.

Barnacle Geese, HWP

Lapwing, HWP

Rook, HWP

Redshank, HWP

Hooded Crow, HWP

Oystercatcher, HWP

After lunch we opted for a walk around Loch an Eilean, an attractive loch surrounded by Caledonian pine forest in the Rothiemurchus estate.

Loch an Eilean

Lots of woodland birds around, though mostly high up in the trees and hard to spot. At the far end of the loch, we stopped to watch a Coal Tit that had approached a bit closer. As we watched, another flew past it and landed even nearer to us: I got it in my binoculars and, after a moment of shock, whispered to L - "holy **** it's a Crested Tit!". And so, at my fifth attempt to see this enchanting bird in the Abernethy area, we were finally able to watch this individual for a good 15 minutes as it approached very close and struck a few classic poses!

Crested Tit, Loch an Eilean

Crested Tit, Loch an Eilean

Crested Tit, Loch an Eilean

Crested Tit, Loch an Eilean

For the avoidance of doubt, of all the amazing things we saw in this holiday, finally seeing a 'Crestie' was by far and away my highlight!

On the Saturday, the forecast was really grim and the idea of going for a walk anywhere quite unappealing. So we decided instead to head northwards to Fort George - a fairly impressive active military base dating back to the end of the Jacobite uprising. Although I rather liked the Romans as a schoolboy, we weren't here for historical interest, but for the fort's views over the narrowest point in the Moray Firth. The resident pod of Bottlenose Dolphins congregate here on a rising mid-tide to feast on the fish moving up-river. Not by coincidence, we arrived on a rising mid-tide, and were duly treated to a show!

First, distant views!

Bottlenose Dolphin, Fort George

Bottlenose Dolphin, Fort George

Bottlenose Dolphin, Fort George

Bottlenose Dolphin, Fort George

Besides the dolphins, other interest came from a few passing seabirds.

Eiders, Fort George

Guillemot, Fort George

Common Gull, Fort George

With (marginally) drier weather promised in the afternoon, we moved back inland to the RSPB reserve at Loch Ruthven - one of the only places in the UK to see breeding-plumage Slavonian Grebes. They were a little distant but unmistakeable and breath-taking!

Slavonian Grebe, Loch Ruthven

Slavonian Grebe, Loch Ruthven

The following morning and it was time to head for home: but with one final pit-stop planned, at the Loch of the Lowes (Scottish Wildlife Trust). The long-standing Osprey nest was in use - astonishingly we saw the pair adding yet more nesting material to a structure that must already stand two metres high!

Osprey, Loch of the Lowes

Osprey, Loch of the Lowes

Mirroring the start of the holiday, in the small wood surrounding the visitor centre were a range of nice woodland birds and two Red Squirrels.

Siskin, Loch of the Lowes

Yellowhammer, Loch of the Lowes

Great-spotted Woodpecker, Loch of the Lowes

Red Squirrel, Loch of the Lowes

Red Squirrel, Loch of the Lowes

And so concludes my trip report! A remarkable area - highly recommended for those long butterfly-free months, and pretty good during the summer as well!