RSPB Minsmere: Green Hairstreak and Other Delights

Green Hairstreak butterfly. We saw two of these.

The sun finally put in an appearance this last Thursday, and we headed off to Minsmere with a picnic lunch. This small selection of photos will perhaps give an indication of the wide variety of species that co-exist on the site, despite the proximity to the new and controversial Sizewell C site.  

We noticed our first Large Red Damselfly of 2024 in our garden yesterday. We didn't see any red ones at Minsmere, but we spotted this rather fine Blue-tailed Damselfly in the pond below the visitors' centre.

 

There were a couple of terns at the water's edge. Is this a Common Tern? I believe this is its breeding plumage; but, as ever, please correct me by leaving a comment.

 

 

It is always a joy to see the unmistakable Avocet, the bird on the RSPB logo.

 

 

I think this is a Sedge Warbler. The new boardwalk was alive with birdsong. 

 

 

The photograph above (complete with Spider Crab, presumably the result of somebody's beach-combing activity) shows the seaward extremity of the Minsmere site, with the Dunwich Heath coastguard cottages up on the northern rise in the distance. 

 

 

Yes, it's definitely breeding season! 

 

 

We passed signs informing us that the Minsmere adders were waking up. We did not see any snakes on this occasion, but we saw a couple of Common Lizards. Just as we turned to head back to the Visitors' Centre, a Bittern flew over the reedbeds, too quick to catch on camera, but a joy to behold.

 

A Bristly Caterpillar and Two Common Darter Dragonflies

This was really going to be a post about dragonflies, but since I have seen so few, I have decided to write about the quiet corner near the river Orwell where we have been keeping an eye out for wildlife. We saw the rather large Cinnabar moth larva in the photo above a few days ago. It was the only one we could find.

We have watched a few Common Darter dragonflies, largely perching on bare branches above the bramble bushes. 

Is that a bit of twig hanging down in the photo below?

I have missed seeing the odonata we usually enjoy, but despite the lockdown (or perhaps because of it) there have been some surprise wildlife sightings along the way.

In other news: we are excited to report that David saw a (second) Common Lizard in the garden at the weekend. I am about to inform our local Wildlife Trust. I had rather assumed that the first had been deposited by a bird, but now we have two sightings, this seems less likely.

Purple Hairstreak in my Garden Butterfly Survey Records for July 2020

I am glad to report that, despite numerous overcast days, my Garden Butterfly Survey numbers for July were considerably up on my June figures. 

We have been particularly delighted to see a Purple Hairstreak and two Brown Argus (verified on iSpot) in the garden for the first time since we moved here to our Suffolk home some eight or nine years ago. The Purple Hairstreak, like the two Green Hairstreaks earlier in the year, did not stay long. The photo above was the only one I managed to take; but I'm pleased to have a record shot, especially as this was my first sighting ever of the species, despite looking (hard!) in the Wood of Cree in the Galloway Forest and around the oaks at Suffolk Wildlife Trust's Carlton Marshes in previous summers. 

Please bear in mind that for the Garden Butterfly Survey the largest number of a species seen on a given count is what shows up in the chart, rather than the total number of butterflies seen in the whole month. Our number of Small Whites, for example, seen and recorded in the garden through the month greatly exceeds 14, but we never saw more than 14 at a time. Likewise, we actually had two Brown Argus sightings, but these are recorded as '1' because we saw one of these butterflies on two occasions, rather than two at once.

In other garden news: we saw a Common Lizard in the garden for the first time. I wonder if there are more about or whether it was attracted by the ants or the long grass.

First 2019 Lizard Sighting (for us) at NT Wicken Fen

We had another good day out at NT Wicken Fen last Saturday, and this time the reserve was a bit quieter.

You never know what you will find in the water around the reedbeds: we have watched Grass Snakes and Caddisfly larvae in the past. But on this occasion it seemed to be the turn of the snails, as you can see from the photo above - snails and what I think is a Water Strider. I know virtually nothing about freshwater snails, but I think the two small flat ones, at the end of the penultimate yellow line, may be some kind of Planorbidae or Ramshorn snail. As ever, please let me know in the Comments if you can confirm this or correct me.

Aside: the difference in size between the tiny snails and the large central one brought to mind the giant sea snail in Dr Dolittle!

Strangely, and with the exception of House Sparrows, we didn't see many birds. We would probably have missed the female Mallard below, but the drake's iridescent plumage caught my eye. It is always a joy to hear the yaffle of the Green Woodpecker.

We had hardly arrived in the car park before a male Brimstone butterfly started flying up and down along the edge of the hawthorn hedge. We saw several more during the course of the afternoon, largely in the area of the Woodland Walk. Sadly, these beautiful Brimstones were too quick for my camera. The Peacock butterfly below was not in such a rush... 

We noticed it perching on a reed. You can just make out the wind pump in the background.

Further into the reserve, in the Woodland Walk, we encountered more Brimstone butterflies, fluttering up and down the hedgerow. We also noticed a resting Comma, one of the first I have seen this year...



Ladybirds, largely 7-spots, were showing well throughout the reserve (and in the car park).

We noticed a couple of Bee-flies, but, as usual, they rarely stayed still long enough for a photo...

The trees were showing wonderful signs of spring...

... and there was new growth in the reedbeds, too.



Do you think these are fresh stems of phragmites?

I love the watery reflections and the contrast between the dark peat (you should see the molehills!) and the golden reeds.

I apologise for the quality of the spider photo above, but I include it because I am intrigued by the bundle the spider is bearing (prey or offspring?), and also by the abdominal marks: are these marks meant to look like eyes, to warn off predators? You would, of course, only see them when the spider was dangling. The shape on the left is a reed.

Zoom shot of Common Lizard camouflaged against the bark of a tree

Our greatest thrill of the afternoon came when we noticed our first Common Lizard of 2019.  These lizards, despite a name that might indicate otherwise, need protection. You can read about their status here.

All too soon the light started to fade, but we weren't quite ready to leave.

Above: David enjoying a spot of reedbed relaxation!

Below: Lesser Celandine emerging from dead leaves.

*

Muntjac in evening sunlight

An Afternoon at Snape and Aldeburgh

The forecast was not very promising, but when we reached Snape Maltings yesterday afternoon the sun appeared and it was sufficiently warm for a small Common Lizard to venture out of the reedbed. Lizards are not only wary of humans but they are also protected under law, so this photo was taken with my zoom lens extended. The camera has focused on the thorax: what intricate designs these lovely reptiles have.

I have no idea whether the skin patterns are entirely for camouflage in this species or whether colour and appearance play any part in mating rituals. You can read about some Aegean Wall Lizard research on this topic here.

The photo above shows Snape in the hazy sunshine. 

Some creature, possibly a deer, has carved out a private path through the reeds.

Humans can walk through the reedbeds in the direction of Iken on this slatted boardwalk.



The light was very strange at this point, but the iconic tower of Iken Church, dedicated to St Botolph, was very prominent on the far side of the water.

Hawthorn, also known as May, blossom was bursting into flower. We left Snape, and since the afternoon was still dry, we moved on to Aldeburgh ... 

... where we were greeted by this rather fierce Herring Gull.

I am not sure what the blue line signifies, but this is where the gull chose to stand on patrol.

I saw a couple of people eating fish and chips in a car as we left, so perhaps the bird knew that it was in exactly the right place for its favourite snack.

It began to look as though the promised rain was on its way. In fact, we somehow seemed to avoid it, so perhaps the storm broke out at sea.

It is always a joy to see the emergence of summer flowers, and the Aldeburgh area has some unusual coastal varieties. This was the first Sea Campion I had encountered in 2018.

David walked on towards the martello tower. We could see Orford lighthouse in the distance and the eerie defence 'pagodas' on Orford Ness.

This was the view on the landward side of the path. This water-bound area, just south of Aldeburgh and around the river Alde, is known as Slaughden. It was once a vibrant commercial centre. The tide has already claimed so much of this fragile maritime environment.

Oystercatchers were calling on the landward side of the path,

 ... and a Mute Swan was doing a spot of preening. Look at the size of that webbed foot!
Meanwhile, out at sea ...

... the beautiful head of a seal was bobbing up and down. The photo above was the best my camera produce as the seal was quite a way out in the deeper channels and the light was very stormy.

Back home in the garden, it was good to see a variety of Soldier Beetle I had noted in May last year.

There were several Dandelion clocks on the lawn..

... a sign, I would like to think, that the settled sunny weather ...

... will return before long.