Paul's Birding Diary

Saturday 29th June 2013 Large Blue, Daneway Banks, Glos - on Red Clover A successful excursion to Daneway Banks with Mark produced five Large Blues , all  roughly in the same area on the SSE-facing slopes. I am grateful for the site expertise of Mark Greaves and Anna who also showed us a Large Blue egg. Other butterflies included two Ringlets , a Small Blue , 10+ Marbled Whites , 3+ Dingy Skippers , Meadow Browns and 4 Speckled Woods . There were some nice orchids too, especially two Bee Orchids , plus Pyramidal coming into flower, and many Common Spotted . I must say thanks again to Mark (H) for finding my glasses; not sure I'll opt for the Larry Grayson-style lanyard just yet but it's an idea! Nectaring on Wild Thyme Posing nicely Another individual Large Blue egg on Wild Thyme Bee Orchid Earlier at WWT Slimbridge, with Andy too, we enjoyed the spectacle on the Rushy of breeding birds rearing their young, not least of all the three pairs of Avocets ...

Monday 24th June 2013 Common Twayblade We had a nice family walk on Leckhampton Hill where I haven't been in a while - I must go more often. I came across a little patch of charming Common Twayblade along the main path ('Twayblade' - good word), just NNE of Devil's Chimney. I remember being able to climb around the base of the chimney, a long time ago; must have given my parents kittens! Devil's Chimney

Sunday 23rd June 2013 Green-winged Teal, WWT Slimbridge I have recently returned from a week in Scotland, on Skye and Islay, so will post a report with some photos soon. I popped down to WWT Slimbridge this morning for a couple of hours ahead of  a family do for my youngest daughter Tansy's 21st (which is actually tomorrow). I was please to see the drake GREEN-WINGED TEAL had reappeared on the Rushy, in the company of a drake Eurasian Teal . Lots of action too from the three pairs of nesting Avocets . At least one pair was seen removing eggshells earlier. There was frequent interaction with the Shelduck parties, continually squabbling. Burnt Orchid, Clattinger Farm On Friday evening I was out Cirencester way so stopped off for a walk at Wiltshire Wildlife Trust's Clattinger Farm. Burnt Orchids are in full flower and can be seen in a roped-off area. Lots of other orchids in flower here including Green-winged (almost gone over), Southern Marsh , and Common Spotted ...

Saturday 1st - Sunday 2nd June 2013 Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Botany Bay Plantation To round off from my previous post: not much else to report for the end of May apart from a local Cuckoo calling early morning Thursday and Friday that I could hear from my house, a nice sound to wake up to. And so to June, and two days of beautiful warm and sunny weather.I started and finished Saturday in the Forest. In the morning with Mark our search for Firecrest took us to RSPB Nagshead, where we have excellent views just beyond the car park at the start of the trails. We noted three singing males all together. In the area between the long and short trails just up from here, a pair of Spotted Flycatchers were active, and in the same general area we also saw a female Redstart and five Pied Flycatchers , a female and four singing males. Later at Brierley unsuccessfully looking for woodland butterflies we did have good views of an overhead male Goshawk at least; also four Broad-bodied Chase...