An Orange-tip, a Dragon and Bluebells at Sutton Hoo

This is just a quick post: I couldn't resist adding the Orange-tip photograph. Doesn't the butterfly look stunning on the Bluebell?

Orange and blue are complementary colours, on opposite sides of the colour wheel, so where does camouflage come in? Obviously it doesn't, but I wonder why...

I am sure the dragon had more to do with the Sutton Hoo Anglo-Saxons than with St George, but there it was waiting for us to find in the wood on 23 April! 

More Butterflies at RSPB Flatford Wildlife Garden

Some days ago we paid a return visit to Flatford RSPB Wildlife Garden, hoping that there would be some butterflies about. A couple of male Orange Tips flitted past us almost immediately, followed by a magnificent male Brimstone. 

We always find the bank to the right of the photo (behind the picnic table) a good place for insects, and once again this proved to be the case. 

A female Orange Tip - these proved easier to photograph than their males counterparts.

Sadly we failed to see any Holly Blues. Blue butterflies are among my favourites...

A Peacock in the Ceanothus

A bee on the Alliums.

There were several Cardinal Beetles about, including this one on one of the log piles.

You can see the small white comma on the outer wing above, giving these butterflies their name.

Before heading home, we wandered down to the bridge at Flatford.

Just as we were leaving we noticed this well camouflaged but iridescent beetle (below). We certainly seem to be on the cusp of 'insect season': there were dancing Mayflies in the Flatford garden and we had a Cockchafer banging on our window at home last night. I saw my first 2017 damselfly in the garden yesterday afternoon. Speaking of firsts, it has been lovely to hear the cuckoo on two occasions, but I have yet to see my first bat...

RSPB Garden, Flatford - Insects Emerging

We paid a short visit to the RSPB Wildlife Garden in Flatford, home of the artist John Constable.

It was not particularly sunny, and there was a breeze about, but we managed to spot a few insects.

The photo above shows a corner of the dedicated Wildlife Garden, and the photo below shows the scene from the bridge above the Stour, including Bridge Cottage, in the care of the National Trust.

One of the volunteers in the garden helped us to see an Orange Tip egg, which you can just make out as a golden yellow dot on this stem of Jack-by-the-Hedge (aka Garlic Mustard).

You can see a close-up Orange tip butterfly egg here.

I saw one adult Orange tip, but failed to photograph it.

We noticed a couple of Peacocks in a sheltered spot.

I believe the creature above is some kind of parasitoid Wasp.

I was admiring the rosemary when I noticed this Rosemary Beetle. What a fine-looking insect, but what a pest (do check your lavender, rosemary and sage: you can report your own sightings here). We came home to find one of these beetles on our lavender bush...

There was a Queen wasp (something like Vespula germanica?) on the wooden planks.

Despite one or two less welcome visitors, it was a joy to see the emergence of a variety of insects.

Tree Following - April to early May 2016

 Welcome to my Tree Following post for April and early May 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 really enjoy following the Silver Birch B. Pendula and have added in a small Cherry sapling, Prunus avium Sylvia, for my second tree.

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

* * *

What a difference a month makes, though the last four weeks have been a complete mix of snow, sunshine, hail, strong winds, lashing rain, heat and cold. Admittedly we spent a few days in Yorkshire, where we felt the more extreme temperatures in the chilly range.

Both my trees have suddenly come into their own, showing signs of new green growth.

Green growth at last! 5 May 2016

The Silver Birch is bursting with new leaves.

Silver Birch catkins

The catkins are swaying in the breeze and looking long in length and plentiful in number. There are also a good number on the ground.

Beneath the Silver Birch

As I type, there is a swarm of small insects - flies of some sort - hovering around the branches, which suggests to me (as if I needed any more proof) that the sap is well and truly rising. I believe the tree has grown a bit taller, too, shooting new branches skywards.

The tiny Cherry tree has some small leaves. It also has buds ...

Cherry tree, showing signs of blossom (above and below)

... and blossom!

I am reminded of Housman's well-loved poem which we used to recite on May Day in my Junior School in Kent. We also washed our faces in the dew. Once these activities had been completed, we would take our coloured streamers and dance in formation (well, we tried to dance in formation) around the maypole. Happy days in the Garden of England!

Every other month I post a full list of species seen in the immediate vicinity of my trees. On in-between months like this one, I simply record the wildlife seen during the previous four weeks. I had been wondering for ages when I would see my first Orange Tip of the season as the species is an early one, and I have already seen Small Whites (along the Humber estuary), Small Tortoiseshells (at Rievaulx Abbey in Yorkshire) and a Brimstone (not far from home). Well, today was the day! A male Orange Tip fluttered under the swaying branches of the Silver Birch about an hour ago.

Orange-tip butterfly (one I took last year)

So here is the full list for the last month ...

Avian sightings seen since the last TF post are shown in yellow. There have been no new birds this month.

• TFb1   Great Spotted Woodpecker (a male and female)
• TFb2   Great tit (several, often on feeder) 
• TFb3   Long-tailed Tit (large family, including juveniles)
• TFb4   Blackbird  
• TFb6   Blue tit (several frequently on feeder)
• TFb7   Robin (the feisty Robin has put in frequent appearances)
• TFb8   Magpie
• TFb9   Wood Pigeon (up to ten perching around the feeder area)
• TFb10 Dunnock (two often found feeding below the feeder)  
• TFb11 Starling(a couple)
• TFb13 Goldfinch - I had the joy of watching one plucking seeds from a dandelion head.
• TFb20 House Sparrow - four at once! A record. 

Long-tailed tits

Mammal sightings include ...

• TFm4 Grey Squirrel (on the Silver Birch) [Jan/Feb 2016] [Feb/Mar] [Mar/Apr][Apr-May]

Insect sightings include ... 

• TFi4  7-spot Ladybird [April 2014] [October 2014] [Apr/May 2015] [Jul/Aug 2015] [Sept/Oct 2015] [Mar-Apr 2016] [Apr-May]
• TFi10 Orange tip Butterfly [May 2014], [Apr-May, first of year seen 5 May 2016] 
• TFi16 Shield bug [July 2014] [Apr/May 2015] [Apr-May - awaiting more specific ID] 
• TFi29 Rosemary Beetle [[Sept/Oct 2015] [Apr-May - on lavender]
• TFi34 Woodlouse [Mar-Apr 2016 - very close to my insect hotel]   
• TFi35 Unidentified flies [Mar-Apr 2016, round Silver Birch leaves]  
• TFi36 Bee-fly [Mar-Apr 2016, at base of Cherry tree]

7-spot Ladybird, at base of Cherry tree

Bee-fly at base of Cherry tree

Woodlouse

 Arachnids

• TFa4  Nursery Web Spider Pisaura mirabilis  (see here) [Mar/Apr 2016]

Pisaura mirabilis

  

* * * 

MY PREVIOUS TREE FOLLOWING POSTS

• 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: RSPB Wildlife Garden, Flatford Mill (Constable Country)

We went off in search of some sunshine after a grey cloudy spell, and having checked the forecast carefully, were delighted to find the Stour Estuary around Flatford Mill basking in a glorious summer day. The RSPB Wildlife Garden above was burgeoning with new greenery. Listings on the board included a grass snake in the water, and there was a good show of Orange Tip butterflies in the air.



It was very difficult to photograph the butterflies as they were active and airborne nearly all the time. I managed to get a 'quick pic' of this female Orange Tip as she came to rest momentarily, presumably for some nectaring.
 

You can see the distinctive shadowy markings on the outside of the wing in the photo above. It is only male Orange Tips that have the distinctive amber markings on the inside of the wings.

There were a few ragged Peacock butterflies along the tow-path, and we also saw a couple of Small Tortoiseshells.

This is Flatford Mill (above) ...

... and it is easy to imagine Constable living in this area and drawing inspiration from the scenes that were so familiar to him.

The ducks were flapping about, but we didn't see any ducklings. There was a bit of rivalry between these two!

Another 'Manky Mallard'!

Nature Reserve Notes (4): Round Up of Sightings for May 2012

Photo Medley for May 2012 (a day early!)

Nature Reserve Notes: a list of species recognised (or discovered!). I saw many more insects and plants that I have not (yet) identified. I am only listing each species once unless I see several at a time or unless I see an unusual specimen.

Mammals

1] Grey Squirrel, 13 May 2012

Birds

1] Moorhen, 13 May 2012
2] Jay, 13 May 2012
3] Dunnock, 13 May 2012 ~ Total 3
4] Wood pigeon, 13 May 2012

Insects

Beetles
1] Lily Beetle, 13 May 2012

Ladybirds
1] 7-spot Ladybird, 13 May 2012 ~ Total 37! 

2] 14-spot Ladybirds, 13 May 2012 ~ Total 2

3] Harlequin Ladybird, Harmonia axyridis succinea, 13 May 2012

4] Unusual 7-spot (possibly damaged), 27 May 2012

Bees
1] Buff-tailed Bumblebee, 13 May 2012
2] A kind of ?Carpenter bee (on a wooden post with bore holes), 13 May 2012

Butterflies
1] Holly Blue Butterfly, 13 May 2012
2] Orange-tip Butterfly, 13 May 2012
3] Gatekeeper, Small Heath*, 27 May 2012 ~ Total 2
4] Green Hairstreak, 27 May 2012

*My thanks to the Kirkstall Creatures Great and Small blog for setting me on the right track here!

Molluscs

1] A green Brown-lipped Snail, 13 May 2012
2] Slug, 13 May 2012

Plants

1] Alkanet, 13 May 2012
2] Forget-me-not, 13 May 2012
3] Stinging nettles, 13 May 2012
4] Blackberry brambles, 13 May 2012

Home Patch (14): Butterflies

Red Admiral, seen 24 May 2012

Male Orange Tip on a Pansy, seen 26 May 2012

I had already seen a male Orange Tip in the garden, but this was my first Red Admiral. I expect there will be plenty more when the Buddleia comes into flower! I also caught a glimpse of a small blue butterfly, probably a Holly Blue, but it didn't hang about.

Home Patch Butterflies ... to date (I am only counting pretty definite sightings)

• Orange Tip
• Red Admiral

Nature Reserve Notes (1): From Butterflies to Beetles

We took advantage of the dry afternoon and ventured out to explore a local nature reserve in Suffolk, UK. The photographs below show some of the flora and fauna we noticed. We heard a lot of birdsong from the canopy, but saw surprisingly few birds. I will add the Ladybirds in a separate post, to make it easier for the those at the UK Ladybird Survey, who may like to compare my photos with my submitted records. 

I had been puzzling over this creature as it didn't seem to fit the ID marks of a Cardinal Beetle. I believe it is a Lily Beetle, as it was shorter and somewhat rounder than a Cardinal and it was marked with dimples. If you follow the link here, you can click to hear the Lily Beetle's alarm call.

I was hoping that we might see a mammal of some kind. The bushy tail here belongs to a Grey Squirrel, who was too shy to show his face. We were told that there were deer about, but we didn't see any. We did however see this spider, which i have not been able to identify ...

Readers of this blog will know that I saw my first Orange-tip Butterfly of the season a couple of days ago. On our nature reserve walk, we saw one or two more ...

This one had just landed on a clump of Alkanet.

It (or rather 'he' since the female Orange-tip does not have orange markings) closed its wings more tightly, revealing the fine mottled patterning on the outside.

This butterfly foxed me for a moment. It didn't quite seem to be a Common Blue, my first thought, but I am guessing that it is a male Holly Blue, since these small butterflies are often seen early in the season and have almost white wings (with dark speckles) on the outside.

© David Gill 2012

© David Gill 2012

I have thrown a link to this before, but I can't resist the opportunity to add that you will find Robert Frost's delightful poem, Blue-butterfly Day here.

Nature Reserve Notes: a list of species recognised (or discovered!). I saw many more insects and plants that I have not (yet) identified.

Mammals

1] Grey Squirrel, 13 May 2012

Birds

1] Moorhen, 13 May 2012
2] Jay, 13 May 2012
3] Dunnock, 13 May 2012 ~ Total 3
4] Wood pigeon, 13 May 2012

Insects

1] Lily Beetle, 13 May 2012
2] 7-spot Ladybird, 13 May 2012 ~ Total 37! 

3] 14-spot Ladybirds, 13 May 2012 ~ Total 2

4] Harlequin Ladybird, Harmonia axyridis succinea, 13 May 2012

3] Buff-tailed Bumblebee, 13 May 2012
4] Holly Blue Butterfly, 13 May 2012
5] Orange-tip Butterfly, 13 May 2012
6] A kind of ?Carpenter bee (on a wooden post with bore holes), 13 May 2012

Molluscs

1] A green Brown-lipped Snail, 13 May 2012
2] Slug, 13 May 2012

Plants

1] Alkanet, 13 May 2012
2] Forget-me-not, 13 May 2012
3] Stinging nettles, 13 May 2012
4] Blackberry brambles, 13 May 2012

I must keep an eye out for the trees next time. I noted one interesting conifer along the way ...