NT Wicken Fen - Butterflies

Speckled Wood, Wicken Fen Butterfly Trail, 21 April 2018

Well, here at long last is a photo from me!

I have been away on my travels to the Isle of Wight (of which more in a future post), and have been catching up with deadlines since my return. But on Saturday the sun shone and we were lured over to a favourite haunt, NT Wicken Fen near Ely.

I only wish I had been able to take more butterfly photos as, to our delight, we saw the following species:

1] Peacock
2] Orange Tip
3] Brimstone
4] Comma
5] Small Tortoiseshell
6] (Almost certainly a) Holly Blue

The Comma rested with closed wings for a while, but nearly all the butterflies were on the move and very tricky to photograph. I shall post some old photos of these species at the end for those of you who live in places where the species are different.

But first, here is the Comma in a picture taken yesterday (and you can see the white comma):

The biggest surprise was the number of Brimstones on the wing, probably more at one time and in one place than I have seen in my whole life before. It was thrilling to rest on a bench in the Butterfly Trail and just enjoy the flutter of bright yellow and deep cream wings as the insects moved around the foliage.

Butterflies were the predominant creatures on our walk, but they were not the only kind of wildlife by any means. We saw a Muntjac deer, a couple of newts, a Seven-spot Ladybird and lots of water snails. There were two of these ?worms (or worm casts) in the water: I have not been able to ID them yet. And we heard our first 2018 Cuckoo.

I imagine this is a fungus, perhaps of the puffball variety.

I have posted pictures of this ruin before, assuming it was a pumping station or building linked to drainage and water levels: this time there was a sign, proving that my hunch had been entirely incorrect...

The photo below reminds me that after such a long harsh winter, it will soon be dragonfly season ...

The photo below shows a section of my favourite boardwalk, 

with the windpump to the left ...

... and the visitors' centre to the right.

The views of flat fenland seemed wider than ever 

because the reeds were still fairly short, 

so we could see for miles. 

Live and let live? Or is the spider sizing up the ladybird?

Burgeoning spring ... at long last.

It took us a bit of time to get our eye in, but we eventually noticed some movement and linked it to  what I take to be a Caddisfly larva. The peaty water was dark, and seemed especially so in the bright sunshine, so I have ringed the creature in yellow.

There was some movement and this photo was taken a minute or so later.

------------

The butterfly photos below

are OLD PHOTOS,

but they show the butterflies I failed to catch on camera on Saturday.

1] Peacock

2] Orange Tip

3] Brimstone

5] Small Tortoiseshell

6] (Almost certainly a) Holly Blue

And, as mentioned, we also saw the Speckled Wood (picture at top of this post) and the Comma (also pictured earlier in this post, with closed wings; and shown below with open wings in an old photo). 

How lovely to feel that we have well and truly entered the butterfly season. 

Can you help Butterfly Conservation with their first sightings list for 2018?

And a Nightingale sang... at Fingringhoe

'Meeter and Greeter' at the reserve

We took a trip to Essex Wildlife Trust's reserve at Fingringhoe Wick yesterday - to hear the magical nightingale song and to enjoy the ambience of this tidal site on the banks of the Roman River, a tributary of the Colne.

We had a good look in the water channels and were pleased to see this Caddisfly larva (do look at more pictures here) moving about in the bits of twig and reed. These creatures fascinate us: this insect gains high marks for recycling!

There were a few Peacock butterflies fluttering hither and thither in the burst of sunshine and resting on the sandy ground.

This is one of two Tern Islands, specially created for these pelagic birds. It would be good to see it is use another time...

What a lovely position for the new hide. As you can see, the tide was pretty high when we reached the intertidal zone.

Can you spot the singer in the leaves?




There were Nightingales, Cetti's warbler, Chiffchaff and a few Blackcaps about.

This squirrel has a choice perch, overlooking the estuary and the stretch of marsh and water that divides Mersea Island from the mainland. A solitary Goldfinch was making the most of the seeds.

This bit of recycling was done by humans: I love the way in which the feeders and old plough all sit together.

View... with sails

Insects were well provided for: this was a pretty impressive insect hotel. There were some colourful and beautifully decorated (small) ones in the shop. I know birds are better with plain houses, but does anyone know if insect ones can safely be painted? Mine are a little the worse for wear and could do with a lick of something bright.

One of the residents - and there were also two lambs skittering about.

I watched this little fellow having a good preen up in the branches

The site has 300 species of wild flower!

Wild Pansy (tiny)

There were some lovely new signs about - and more seats than I remember, which I always think is an excellent thing to find in a reserve. Some benches had glorious views over the estuary.

There has been some discussion as to the species of these birds. A reserve staff member, with RSPB book to hand, said he thought they were Godwits. A person in the hide suggested Sanderling.

I am drawn to Bar-tailed Godwits for the majority of the birds (Oystercatchers, apart). Male Godwits in breeding plumage develop a russet colour during the breeding season. As the tide came in, we watched the island disappear.  

I believe the word 'murmuration' only applies to Starlings! What would we call these wader spectacles?

A view of the watery landscape, complete with ship making headway upstream.

Not so little 'Little Egret'...

And a final note on the name. 'Hoe' refers in Old English to a spur of land. We find it in 'Sutton Hoo', 'Wivenhoe' and 'Grimshoe (Mound)', to name but three examples of its use. 'Wick' meant a trading place or farm to Anglo-Saxons and Vikings. The word sometimes appears as 'wich' (as in Sandwich or Norwich). I understand it may mean 'bay' in Nordic languages: 'wick' and 'Vik'(ing) are not a million miles apart.