Holly Blue

Holly Blue on Comfrey:

Barred Warbler dip, Little Stints at Pagham

The five Little Stints were still at Pagham breech pool this morning as were three Curlew Sandpipers and whilst there I heard of a Barred Warbler at Hayling...after thinking it over I decided I would go (despite I must say some sage advice not to!). Had a great run over there for a change with little traffic but, long story short, no sign of the bird in two hours looking. On the plus side, excellent numbers of Small Coppers in the area.

Little Stints, 4 & 5:

Curlew Sandpipers:

Yellow Wagtails:

Wheatear:

Small Copper:

Thorney Island

After a look at Pagahm & Medmerry this morning failed to produce any Ospreys I went over to Thorney Island for a look there-alas with the same result, zero Ospreys. Not much else but but was nice to see a smattering of Small Heaths & Holly Blues about the area.

Small Heath:

Holly Blue:

Thick-lipped Grey Mullet, North Wall:

Spot Fly

Spotted Flycatcher, one of two, in the garden today, same time roughly as last year.

Emu? Shorely sum misteak?

A nice Mint Moth was on the mint today and a Small Tortoiseshell was on the buddleia. At North Wall a gentleman who told me a Grey Heron was an Emu and was pretending to shoot everything with his walking stick, it's a funny ol' world!

Nothing moving!

More birders than birds at Selsey Bill this morning, hopes of decent birds or decent views of birds not materialising. A few Balearic Shearwaters past at distance,  which I missed, and a few Common Scoters and Common Terns were it for me. Nothing at Church Norton either, just a couple of Green Woodpeckers & Whitethroats with a summer plumage Grey Plover on the mud. Highlight of the day was a rather brave Painted Lady at CN, butterflies save the day again!

Clouded Yellows

A look at North Wall was fairly uneventful for me this morning, missing both the Ruff & the Little Stint so I went over to Medmerry where there were at least six Clouded Yellows on the wing by Easton viewpoint-fabulous!!

Clouded Yellow:

...a few m & f Common Blues too:

 a Common Sandpiper:

and a Sitochroa palealis, thanks to JE, RN & SF for the ID:

Bumped into SH and some of his moths and other details from around the area are at selseybirder.blogspot.co.uk

Brown Hairstreak

A quick look at the breech pool at pagham this morning found the Little Stint & Ruff still present and a couple of Common Terns dropped in but couldn't find much else of interest, possibly not helped by breaking the scope on the way down to the wall. Scope now fixed again though, JB Weld works every time! Sponsorship welcome 😉

And so it was back to Steyning for Brown Hairstreak next. After about two hours I eventually found one in the smaller Ash to the right of the style and after another hour or so it came lower enough for a poor record shot; did give decent bins views though. Another was seen well and low down at the top of the slope but alas not by me and a quick check later on only produced a Wall or two and a Common Blue of note. Apparently over grazing of some of the Blackthorn here by the Dexter cattle has ensured this will be a poor year for Brown Hairstreaks but we shall see what we shall see in the next week or two, it may pick up.

Brown Hairstreak:

Marsh Mallow

A few from the last week or so...

Viper's Bugloss at a windy North Wall, Pagham:

Greenshank, White's Creek:

Spotted Redshank x 3 on the Breech Pool:

Common Sandpiper:

Yellow-legged Gull which got up, messed and went back to sleep with its back to me!:

Marsh Mallow, Coperas Point:

Home

Working all day and night which is usual for Tuesdays, 5-9 not 9-5! Anyway it was great to see at least 15 Willow Warblers, a Garden Warbler or two, a Painted Lady, a Small Tortoiseshell and numerous Red Admirals around the holding today, shows the value of those "weeds", well that's my excuse! We now have two beehives full of bees on site so it will be interesting to see how they fare over the next year and if they make a difference regarding pollination.

Painted Lady:

Steyning Downland

A Dartford Warbler at Selsey Bill this morning (with thanks to OM for the text) nearly had me on my way down but alas work got in the way so instead I had to make do with a quick look for Brown Hairstreaks at Steyning on my way back from deliveries.

Unfortunately this was unsuccessful which was fairly surprising bearing in mind they are out & showing well at other sites, notably Shipton Bellinger in Hampshire; I think they do seem to be getting later at Steyning so we shall see what happens next Friday. Interestingly, there was a notable temperature drop along the lower blackthorn hedge compared to the trees in bright sun, perhaps this is responsible. Maybe they don't drop until the temperature gradient has evened out?

There were Speckled Woods, Meadow Browns, Gatekeepers, Small Whites, a Brimstone, a Holly Blue or two, a Blackcap and some lovely Willow Warblers around the blackthorn and a couple of Buzzards over but that was about it (I didn't have the time to venture up the hill for Wall).

Chantry Hill & Steyning

As the Least Sandpiper in Devon had done a bunk and I'm planning on Swampy at Minsmere next week I stayed local today. A 1/2 hour look at Medmerry was rubbish with only a couple of Green Sandpipers and a Common Sandpiper of any interest so I went off butterflying...here's where it gets good, dear reader!

Let's face it it's been a poor year for most species of butterflies but today Chantry Hill near Storrington was laden with species, pride of place going to a pristine Silver-spotted Skipper and a Small Copper. Other species, takes breath, were: Brimstone, Marbled White, Dark Green Fritillary, Brown Argus, Chalkhill Blue, Small Heath, Peacock, Common Blue, Small Skipper, Green-veined White, Large White, Small Tortoiseshell, Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown with Red Admirals and Commas along the SDW! Eighteen species!

Pushed my luck and in a quick look at Steyning didn't get Brown Hairstreak on the year list but a confiding, if tatty, Wall made up for it and was #19 for the day. Update, forgot a worn Ringlet at Steyning, #20!

At Chantry Hill I was also lucky enough to come across the nationally scarce Chalk Carpet moth, the ID of which I am indebted to Sean Foote of @MothIDUK, the power of twitter strikes again!

So what started out as poor ended up as pretty darn good day! 😀

Roesel's Bush Cricket:

Small Skipper:

Small Tortoiseshell:

Chalk Carpet moth:

Small Copper:

Common Blue, abberation, "blue" female:

Common Blue:

Chalkhill Blue:

...and friend!

Small Heath:

Silver-spottted Skipper:

Comma:

Wall:

...and nearly the open wing shot, nearly!

Harrier sp.

As I was driving past East Dean near Goodwood today I espied a ringtail Harrier sp. gliding along the downs and then far too quickly out of view; not a good enough look for a positive ID but definitely a Harrier of some type. I note Bob Eade and party also had one in the East today.

Whinchats

Not a lot today as time was limited but nice to see the three Whinchats at the back of the Breech Pool at North Wall, Pagham Harbour today, terrible photos to follow! Also two Spotted Redshanks on the pool but nothing else for me in ten minutes!


Spotted Redshanks:

Whinchats: