karen's country calendar

 Having been unable to visit Woodwalton Fen last year due to a broken ankle, I decided to try this year in search of the Purple Emperor butterflies so I duly set off yesterday morning early. I got to the turning down to the centre but signs all indicated that the road was shut and a diversion was in place so I duly followed the diversion which was about 10 miles  However I was frustrated to find it was also shut that direction so decided I had better return home but as Monks Wood wasnt far I stopped off there on the way.  I was pleased I did as I had a very obliging silver washed fritillary and a sighting of a White Admiral, my first for the year.  I also met a photographer with whom I discussed my morning frustration and he told me I should have ignored the first signs as the road was only shut after the the centre!  I should have zoomed in on the googlemaps before I came which would have shown me.   I decided to have another attempt today although the sky was cloudy as the forecast w

 A visit from my sister usually means we can go out and about bird and butterfly hunting together.  Our original plans to search for the beautiful Swallowtail butterfly were shelved as it is near the end of the season and chances of seeing them were getting slimmer so we elected to visit Minsmere on the Suffolk Coast which was a first visit for my sister.  There was plenty to see although not as many waders as expected.  We did see a variety of gulls and terns with a Mediterranean gull and Kittiwake playing "Where's Wally" amongst the many blackbacked gulls and providing me with two new ticks for the year. There were numerous sand martins nesting in the purpose built bank and in the popular Bittern Hide we were treated to a several Bittern fly pasts and a view of a kingfisher perching in the water channel.  Dragonflies were also seen including an ovipositing female Emperor Dragonfly and the large green eyed brown Norfolk Hawker patrolling up and down a ditch. After Minsme

 This time of year, I usually visit Therfield Heath to see the marbled white butterflies which are in  abundance and today I wasnt disappointed.  It was a warm sunny morning and as soon as I arrived I could see many white butterflies flying amongst the long grass but only rarely settling on the few flowers amongst the grass  and usually a distance from the path so it was not easy to get close or the waving grasses were in front making focusing difficult.  However, I managed a few shots.  I also saw about a dozen Dark Green Fritillaries flying fast over the meadow or crossing the path in front of me but not close or slow enough to see clearly and certainly none showed the slightest intent of settling!   However they are usually still about in July when  I plan  to next visit to see the Chalkhill blues so hopefully I may get a photograph then particularly if there is a bit of cloud floating around to give the occasional shade. I also saw tortoisehell, large white, meadow brown, small hea

 Therfield Heath is one of my favoured butterfly spotting habitats and I usually visit three times in the summer to spot different species. Today I visited to try and see the common and adonis blues. Although it was sunny overhead there was a cool breeze and I wasnt sure how many would be about athough they are usually seen on the southern side of Church Hill which I thought would be sheltered. Having made the short walk through the woodland I arrived at the top of  Church Hill and it wasnt long before I spotted  my first Adonis Blue .  There were several flying and I managed some photos before I saw a slightly different blue butterfly which was the common blue,  I followed one specimen which landed right next to a female, which was quite handy for a photograph! Not much else about so I walked a short way up the hill near the golf course in the hope I might see some small heath butterflies which are usually abundant there but there was no butterflies about apart from  a small copper.  

 This morning was mild and calm although rather cloudy with drizzly rain about but I still met up with Paul at 630 am for our agreed warbler spotting walk around Fen Drayton Pits. Despite the weather, the birds were in full song and it wasn't too difficult to spot most of the warblers we had come to see.  This included a good view of a Cettis warbler which I had never seen close up before,  together with garden,  sedge and reed warblers,  blackcap and common and lesser whitethroats. All were seen quite easily but the dull weather and the birds not sitting still for long made photos difficult.  Nevertheless several ticks for my list.   We also heard but didnt see a cuckoo and turtle dove. white whitethroat

 A rather belated entry from outings in the Fens just after Easter which began with a local trip to Berry Fen, at Bluntisham where we saw the garganey drake we had been seeking out. Next morning we headed for Summerleys nature reserve where we found various waders and other  birds I hadnt ticked off this year including snipe and bullfinch The following day saw us driving to Welney Wetland Centre as my sister was keen to see Whooper swans and tree sparrows.   We saw both these plus some glossy ibis, shelduck, avocet, black tailed godwit, pintail, little ringed plover, oyster catcher, a couple of great white egrets and a rare glimpse of a marsh harrier having a bath at the edge of the lake. A good boost to this years rather meagre bird list so far.