On a dragon hunt in Thursley on a wet day!

Firstly - my apologies to my regular visitors/friends that I haven't responded to your comments on previous posts. This was due to being away for a few days unexpectedly.

Yesterday, I'd arranged a day out with Frank (The Early Birder) to go Dragon hunting; to see them and take pictures. It was just a tadge under 2 years ago that I'd been to Thursley Heath for the first time (with Pete) and am amazed that I haven't been back before this!

As I picked Frank up (yes - I was driving; Frank was navigating so we didn't lose our way :D ) it was, shall we say, a heavy drizzle. Undeterred we took stock and decided we'd start at the new RSPB Reserve at Farnham Heath. This is adjacent to the Rural Craft Centre - which was very much closed - so no drinks or loos available!! Pity really it would have been good to investigate the centre.

There were many bird feeders around the back of the Visitor Centre and the first bird espied was a juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Many, many pine woods; and it was great walking through the woods full of very high conifers. I was amazed at how extensive the area is!

During our fairly lengthy but very enjoyable walk around the heath, the following were seen

(and thanks to Frank for his better memory than mine)

Tree Pipits (Adult + 3 juvs)
Jay
Stonechat
Great Spotted Woodpecker (on feeder)
Wren
Blackbird
Butterfly - Meadow Brown

From there we headed off to Frensham Great Pond (they had loos there!) and a much needed cuppa coffee. We also sat and had our picnic lunch (only got chased by the rain back to the car once!). Unfortunately this recent week there has been an extensive fire at Frensham and the acrid smell of smoke was much evident. It was so sad to see the swathes of blackened ground where the fire had been. :( (Thursley Heath had also been victim of a fire in July of 2006 and although, in the main, the evidence was much less apparent than when I was there 2 years ago, the charred remains of fallen and, still upright, tree trunks were there for all to see.)

We didn't wander but from our (rather damp wooden bench) but as we ate our lunch, we watched the birds on the water and saw:

Canada Geese
Black-headed Gull
Common Terns (two diving for fish way out on the water)
Great Crested Grebes (two of them)
Coot (loads!)
Crow
Mallard

From there, onto Thursley Common where we were the second car in the car park (another was a white van with the driver having lunch). It was very quiet and very little flying about - or even sitting still for that matter. Although the following list would suggest otherwise, we were there for some time and the sightings were very spaced out.

Redstart (Male + juvs) (lifers for me so I was well chuffed :D )
Stonechats
Chaffinch
Canada Geese
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Magpie
Mallard
Cormorant
Grey Heron
Crow
Woodlark - brief flight view.
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Green Woodpecker
Dragons
Keeled Skimmer
Black-tailed Skimmer
Damsels
Blue-tailed
Butterflies
Large Skipper
Gatekeeper - wings closed.

And Cinnabar Moth Caterpillars - in their dozens!


As we looked out over the lake (near to the car park) I was very surprised to see that the Mallards were eating the Water Lily flowers!!

A Keeled Skimmer

One of a family of Canada Geese

It was damp throughout the day and many cobwebs were covered in water droplets looking like jewels.

There was much of this yellow-flowered wildflower about

(If anyone can ID it I would be grateful)

Edit: Frank has confirmed that this is Bog Asphodel (Narthiceum ossifragum)

Equally this plant which had finished flowering.

(I agree that this looks like a "finished" orchid of some kind)

And this must be Cotton Grass of which there was much about.

In the distance a Roe Deer came into view.

A large skipper sat trying to catch some sunlight

and a Gatekeeper refused to open its wings.

There is a "field" in amongst all the heathland, and said field was covered with Ragwort - the Ragwort in its turn, was covered with Cinnabar Caterpillars - dozens and dozens of them. Hopefully because of the amount of food provided a goodly number will pupate and turn into the day flying Cinnabar Moth. It would be lovely to see these moths!

And with that we braved the traffic and we returned. A lovely day out in good company - thanks Frank.

Fluttering..

A bitty day today but I wandered across to Fairmile Common in the hunt for butterflys.

Several bees around and the heather was in full bloom

I think this is a Meadow Brown but something about it's markings doesn't ring true for that.

What I was hoping to see was a Silver Studded Blue flutter. What I found was (I'm sure) plenty of small Blues!

This flutter was very battle-scarred... must have been in several fights.

So - if anyone can help with ID. It was very small which, with its markings leads me to Small Blue..




Called in at Painshill and bumped into someone I've got to know there. There are at least a couple of Badger setts - it would be lovely to see the Badgers but the Park is closed at the times they would be about.

This Dragon had one wing missing.

and a Black-Tailed Skimmer (?) sunbathed on a broken branch.

Just a short outing today but good to get out and about.

Young Jays..

The day started with a resolution. The ironing had to be done!! If it wasn't I was in serious danger of running out of clean clothes!! I don't like ironing! In fact I don't like housework of any kind..... ;)

However, I stationed myself by the window so I could birdwatch while undertaking this horrendous chore. I was well rewarded.

Lots of squabbling amongst some Greenfinch little ones. A couple of young Goldfinch then joined the crowd under the apple tree.

BUT... there was loud screeching and calling from high up in the Holly Tree (this must be about 40 feet high). At the top of said tree were three Jays (Garrulus glandarius). One a parent and two youngsters.

The parent left and...

a young one dozed..

one opened a sleepy eye..

and decided to have a wash and brush up

its sibling at the top wouldn't come into view for quite some time..

but then gazed around looking bleary-eyed

In the lower branch again, the first youngster was having a look around

After a while, it moved to a higher branch. By this time its sibling had gone to join Mum in one of the tall oaks nearby.. she'd been calling.

After a while, it had another preen; showing off its colourful plumage.

And then it helped itself to one of the many green holly berries. I was interested to note, that having collected the berry in its beak it then placed the berry on the branch and held it between its two feet whilst it pecked at it to eat.

And yet another youngster. This Great Spotted Woodpecker has been coming every day for over a week now and often comes several times a day. The peanuts are disappearing quite fast.



And after all that excitement and taking loads of pictures it was back to the chores. But they got finished in double time after that;)

Birding? at Barnes.. or Insecting....

There was a cooler breeze today which was very welcome. I headed off for Barnes (London Wetland Centre) this morning and stayed most of the day.

The Common Terns were coming over to fish but only occasionally coming close enough for a picture. Lovely birds and I think one of my favourites!

It't that time of the year when it goes rather quiet in terms of birds and there weren't many about today. Didn't even see a Blue Tit!!

But the Insect world made up for the lack of birds. It was cloudy earlier on but as the sun came out so did the Dragonflies.

Now, I think this is a Black-Tailed Skimmer and possibly a young one. It stayed still for some time just moving occasionally from one perch to another.

If anyone can confirm (or otherwise) my IDs for these and the flutters below, I would be grateful :D

Along the same stretch which is abundant with wildflowers, flutters were.... fluttering.

A large Skipper?

and a Meadow Brown?

and something had been busy spinning this protective web.

Six-Spot Burnets were everywhere and emerging in great numbers. In the main they were on very thin grass (and this is where the breeze became a nuisance ;) )

this one made for a pretty picture.

Out on the scrape were two Little Ringed Plovers on nests and one male - who was rather busy ;) There were reports of two Tawny Owls out by the main gates, but when I looked later on I didn't see them.

A fairly lazy day spent with like minded individuals who's company I enjoyed greatly. Thanks guys!