Sightings – August 2010

Selsey Common (30 August 2010, contributed by Peter Fitchett)

Among the late summer species seen today were: Autumn Lady’s Tresses, three Adonis Blues as well as some Common Blues and Meadow Browns. There were plenty of Carline Thistles and Harebells in bloom. See Peter’s pictures below.

Gloucester (26 August 2010, contributed by Andy Jayne)

Two Peregrines on Gloucester Cathedral today.

Coombe Hill (26 August 2010, contributed by Mike Smart, Dave Pearce and Graham Smith)

There is a little more water in the Long Pool and a small puddle on the scrapes. The main beneficiaries of rainfall seem to be the crows with a mixed flock of 500 Jackdaws and Rooks on the grass, looking for insects brought to the surface by the rain. Otherwise, 120 Mallard and 5 Teal, plus a single Green Sandpiper on the Long Pool. Two Wheatears and a Whinchat from the Grundon Hide. Lots of Chiffchaffs (20+ maybe) calling from vegetation with one burst of song. At least 50 Swallows plus an odd House Martin hawking for Swallows low over the grass.

Upham Meadow, Twyning (25 August 2010, contributed by Mike Smart)

4 juvenile Yellow Wagtails and 100+ Swallow hawking low over grass.

Ayleburton (23 August 2010, contributed by Andy Jayne)

Aylburton Warth this evening produced one Little Egret, three Ringed Plovers, one Snipe, 11 Curlews, three Common Sandpipers, ten Turnstones, an Oystercatcher, three Yellow Wagtails, five Whinchats, six Wheatears and 50 Ravens moving west to roost.

Meadow Brown Butterflies (17 August 2010, contributed by Juliet Bailey)

After what seems to have been a crash in the population at home, I have at last seen some Meadow Brown butterflies at Selsley Common, Crabtree Hill and Standish.

Witcombe (17 August 2010, contributed by Gordon Avery)

There was a male Firecrest by the cottage today. It was with a tit and warbler flock feeding around the garden. There was some brief song as well when it was perched in one of the leylandii trees.

Cotswold Commons (17 August 2010, contributed by Juliet Bailey)

Autumn Ladies Tresses Orchid is now coming into flower.

Guscar Rocks and Aylburton Warth (16 August 2010, contributed by Mike Smart)

It was rather quiet at high tide today. There were 4 Oystercatchers, 2 Common Sandpipers, 700 Curlew; also 4 Yellow Wagtails, 1 immature Wheatear and 5 Meadow Pipits.

Aylburton Warth and Walmore (15 August 2010, contributed by Andy Jayne)

Today’s sightings at Aylburton included a juvenile Little Ringed Plover, four Ringed Plover, three Dunlin, a Greenshank (heard only), a Common Sandpiper, a Tree Pipit, three Yellow Wagtails, two Wheatears and 20 Ravens.

At Walmore there were two Snipe, two Redstarts, a Whinchat and a Nuthatch (only my second ever Nuthatch here).

Coombe Hill (10 August 2010, contributed by Mike Smart and Les Brown)

All the hayfields have been cut and are being grazed by cattle, which should improve hay meadow vegetation and create good conditions for breeding waders next year. The whole reserve is very dry and the scrapes in front of the Grundon Hide have been dry for a month now. Most of the ditches have dried out. The only open water is in Long Pool with good viewing from the Long Pool hide. The 2 Mute Swans on the canal have lost their lone remaining cygnet. 19 Greylags flew out and 20 Canadas flew in. Also, 2 Teal but 1 Green Sandpiper was the only wader present. A steady visible migration of Swallows to thesouthwest, probably 100 in all. Three or four Willow Warblers singing, at least one Chiffchaff singing and lots of juvenile Chiffchaffs calling.

Beachley Point (9 August 2010, contributed by Ivan Proctor)

Seven species of ladybird were seen today at Beachley Point. Three 18-spot Ladybirds were beaten from pines and one Cream-spot from oak along the road leading to the electricity pylon. The verge here produced one each of Seven-spot and 14-spot. Sweeping in the grassland between the Point and the Wye Bridge produced six more 7-spots, two 22-spots and single 16-spot and 24-spot. The grassland here usually produces many more 24-spot ladybirds than this. Birds were few and quiet but Linnets and Oystercatchers were both heard and there were about a hundred Black-headed Gulls out on the estuary. A Brown Rat ran across the access road.

Wigpool Common (5 August 2010, contributed by Juliet Bailey)

Despite the dry summer, there is still wet mud at the Wig Pool, attracting a Green Sandpiper.

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