Mating Butterflies

The butterflies in the garden were very 'busy' today despite strong winds and very overcast conditions. I hope this means our local population will eventually increase!

We also had a fleeting visit from a White Plume moth. Perhaps it mistook the overcast conditions for evening. Sadly it came and went too quickly for my camera, but what a stunning sight! It could have been Tinkerbell from Peter Pan...

Latest Lepidopteran Garden Sightings

We had a short burst of sunshine yesterday morning, and were delighted to find our first Gatekeeper of the year in the garden.

We also noticed this moth, which I'm guessing is a Silver Y on account of the 'Y' markings, though it seemed an unusual pose for one of these insects. It was resting in dappled shade under the Silver Birch, and was tricky to photograph. 

A new flower, the mauve one below, has opened in the place where we planted the wildflower seeds given to us by Butterfly Conservation (Suffolk branch). I'm assuming this IS Corncockle rather than the yellow one, which I now think is Corn Marigold. Please correct me if I still haven't got these names sorted! I hope the weather will improve so that insects are attracted to these latest blooms.

More Butterflies...

Butterflies here in Suffolk seem to be taking advantage of the warm spells in between the wind and rain. We found a sheltered bramble bush and, as you can see, were able to enjoy these Gatekeepers. I am halfway through In Pursuit of Butterflies by Matthew Oates, and am on a fast learning curve. I am thoroughly enjoying all his literary allusions, too. 

Butterflies at NT Oxburgh Hall

The Big Butterfly Count finished on 7 August, although records can still be submitted until the end of the month. We did a count on 6 August at NT Oxburgh Hall, and you can see the results in the chart below.

We were particularly thrilled to see the Painted Ladies drawing nectar from the Heliotrope in the parterre garden.

NT Oxburgh Hall, Norfolk - parterre garden

This is our list, but, of course, we continued to see other butterflies (which were not counted) after the allocated 15 minutes. The photos below the chart show a mix of the counted butterflies and the ones that escaped the survey.

Painted lady

NT Oxburgh Hall, Norfolk

Brimstone in the flower border

Plants on which to feast the eye

A Comma in the wood

These magnificent Large White larvae were feasting on the Nasturtiums

Peacock on the Buddleia

Gatekeeper, to match the wall

We also saw a large moth, which I shall try to identify before posting its photo. Watch this space. I have posted it on iSpot, but think I have now worked out what it is ...

Tree Following for July and Early August 2016

 Welcome to my Tree Following post for July and early August 2016. 

These tree posts form part of a wider project initiated by Lucy Corrander from the Loose and Leafy blog and continued by Pat at The Squirrelbasket. 

I am based in Suffolk, UK, where I have been keeping an eye on a Silver birch, B. pendula. I have added in a small Cherry sapling, Prunus avium Sylvia, for my second tree.

You will find the other Tree Follower links by clicking through to the Mr Linky button here ... so do take the chance to have a look at the new posts!

* 

Every so often something inspires me to write a short diary post about my trees, so here is one about the Silver Birch ...

Diary for 21 July 2016
Time: 12.46 (afternoon)
Conditions: warm, dry and cloudy

I looked out and saw the mother Magpie with her single offspring. They made their way together to the base of the feeder on the Silver Birch and began pecking around beneath it, giving out the occasional squeaky call. Suddenly a Jay flew in, and landed on the coconut and proceeded to feed. After a few moments, perhaps disturbed by the Magpies, the bird flew off over our fence towards a large oak tree that borders the local nature reserve. I was about to return to my desk when I realised that the Jay had now been joined by a mate (or adolescent offspring), and the two birds disappeared together.

If we have Jays and Magpies rearing young in our neck of the woods, it can hardly bode well for the smaller garden birds, and yet the population of Blue tits and Great tits, in particular, seems healthy at the moment ...

Jay

* 

This post is largely for an odd numbered month (July), so I will only post the sightings seen since the last round-up. My next Tree Following post (August and early September) will include the complete list.

Highlights this month have included the appearance of two new butterflies for my garden record, the Gatekeeper and the Holly Blue. The Gatekeeper made a beeline for the patch of garden around the Cherry Tree. The Holly Blue was spotted in the same patch - but, not surprisingly - on a Holly. I do not expect that my chosen trees had anything to do with its arrival in the garden, but I include this butterfly because it touched down within a metre of the Cherry.

We experienced a 'flying ant day' - pictures here.

Gatekeeper

Holly Blue

The season is turning fast. Daylight gives way to dusk at about 8.30pm. The first leaves on the Silver Birch are turning yellow. The seedhead catkins are a rich brown.

First of the turning leaves, Silver Birch, August 2016

Silver Birch (and part of the bird feeder)

Silver Birch seeds caught in spider's web on a post

Silver Birch - seed cases, August 2016

Cherry tree, 5 August 2016

Cherry tree, holed leaf, 5 August 2016

The patch around the Cherry has been weeded, and the little tree has had a growth spurt. I suspect a Leafcutter bee is taking rounded chunks out of its leaves. I rather fear that wasp season is about to begin, and last year we had a few hornets, too ...

Avian sightings

• TFb1   Great Spotted Woodpecker (a male)
• TFb2   Great tit (several, often on feeder) 
• TFb3   Long-tailed Tit (large family, including juveniles)
• TFb4   Blackbird (several)  
• TFb6   Blue tit (several frequently on feeder, including juveniles)
• TFb7   Robin (the feisty Robin has put in frequent appearances)
• TFb8   Magpie (several)
• TFb9   Wood Pigeon (up to ten perching around the feeder area)
• TFb10 Dunnock (two)  
• TFb14 Jay (two)
• TFb21 Chaffinch (one, 5 August 2016)
• TFb23 Collared Dove (a pair, one pecking directly underneath the Silver Birch)

Mammal sighting

• TFm4 Grey Squirrel  [Jan/Feb 2016] [Feb/Mar 2016] [Mar/Apr 2016] [Jul/Aug 2016]

 No new mammals this month.


Insect sightings

• TFi7   Large White Butterfly [July 2014] [Jul/Aug 2016]
• TFi15 Marmalade Hoverfly [July 2014] [Jul/Aug 2015] [Jul/Aug 2016]
• TFi22 Green bottle flies [August 2014] [May/June 2015] [Jul/Aug 2016]
• TFi23 Ants [August 2014] [Apr/May 2015]  [May/June 2015] [Jul/Aug 2015] [Sept/Oct 2015 Acer negundo] [Jun/July 2016] [Jul/Aug 2016]
• TFi28 Unidentified Moth [Nov/Dec 2014] [Feb/Mar 2015] [Jul/Aug 2015] [Sept/Oct 2015]
  [Jan/Feb 2016] [June/July 2016] [Jul/Aug 2016]
• TFi39  Gatekeeper Butterfly *New* [Jul/Aug 2016]
• TFi40  Holly Blue Butterfly *New* [Jul/Aug 2016]

And finally ...

MY PREVIOUS TREE FOLLOWING POSTS

• June 2016 to July 2016
• May 2016 to June 2016
• April 2016 to May 2016
• March 2016 to April 2016
• February 2016 to March 2016
• January 2016 to February 2016
• December 2015 to January 2016
• November to December 2015
• October to November 2015
• September to October 2015
• August to September 2015
• July to August 2015
• June to July 2015
• May to June 2015
• April to May 2015
• March to April 2015
• February to March 2015
• January to February 2015
• November to December 2014
• October to November 2014
• September to October 2014
• August to September 2014
• July to August 2014 
• June to July 2014
• May to June 2014 
• April to May 2014
• March to April 2014
• February to March 2014

Nature Reserves (3): Dunwich Heath and Minsmere

We failed to notice any particularly unusual birds, but we were able to notch up 21 Gatekeeper butterflies at Minsmere during the allocated 15 minutes for the Big Butterfly Count. They were out in the intermittent sunshine, enjoying the brambles.

I also saw a single Red Admiral ...

... and this unidentified Dragonfly. It was very active and finally settled high up a tree. I was leaning back as far as possible and using my zoom ... hence the wobble and poor quality photo! I think it is a hawker of some kind.

Our most unusual sighting of the afternoon at Dunwich Heath (National Trust), and indeed a first for me, was this Gorse Shieldbug nymph. I believe it is related to the Stinkbug family. Incidentally you might be interested to see a Red-legged Shieldbug in the Cabinet of Curiosities here. You might also like this British bug guide to hemiptera.

(Piezodorus lituratus)

I think the last bug I saw in nymph form was in Pylos ... here. 

We also noticed a few lively Cinnabar Moth caterpillars on the ragwort ...

... and what seemed to be a Brown-tail Moth tent on the heath ...

Previously noticed here at Spurn Point

And finally, a photo to help you find your bearings if you are not familiar with these two superb Suffolk wildlife sites ...

Butterflies and Moths (10): At Sutton Hoo

This is the Sutton Hoo site, looking down towards Woodbridge ...

I think this is a Meadow Brown ...

I thought this was a Small Heath, with circle round 'eye' mark ... but I'm not sure the lower wing patterns match up.

A Meadow Brown among the Harebells

I think this is a Gatekeeper, with the two 'spots' in the eye-like wing marking

... and here with its wings closed.

This is the beautiful Small Copper ...

... and this is what it looks like when its wings are closed. See lower image here.

Here's another ...

... and another!

I saw a single Painted Lady.

A red-spotted caterpillar ... as yet unidentified!

You never quite know who you will meet around the corner at Sutton Hoo!

Seriously, I was thrilled to see a good number of butterflies, particularly since I haven't noticed many this year. I must go again soon, and do the Big Butterfly Count.

Oh, and I also some Skylarks and other creatures ...

Skylark hovering ...

... and one taking off.

There were one or two Damselflies ...

... and other insects, like this Sulphur Beetle

... and I mustn't forget the Grey Squirrel.