Brockholes Nature Reserve LWT - 24th July 2011

I spent 3 hours in the sunshine wandering around the reserve with Howard Prescot looking mainly for the White-letter and Purple Hairstreaks that are seen in small numbers at this time of year. Though the sun was out there was no sign of them on this visit but there were many other species flying across the reserve.

  Comma

 Green-Veined White

 Red Admiral

Meadow Brown
Including the above there were also Peacock, Gatekeeper and Speckled Wood also Small and Large Skipper have been reported recently.
With the variety of flowering plants across the reserve is wasn't a supprise to see a great number of bumble bees including the 2 shown below.

 Red-tailed Bumblebee

Buff-tailed Bumblebee
Dragonflies and Damselflies were around in numbers including 6+ Brown Hawkers as well as those shown below.

  Common Darter

Female Empreror Dragonfly oviposting

I believe the bottom photograph is of a newly emerged Common Darter as the wings are much more transparent. Whilst I was looking for the White-letter Hairstreak I came across this Common Toad amongst the undergrowth and quite a way from any of the pools.

Common Toad

Brockholes Nature Reserve LWT - 15th August 2010

The plan was to head out to Hesketh Out Marsh RSPB but just before we left a text came through from Mike saying the Purple Hairstreak were showing at Brockholes Nature Reserve so off we went. Walking towards the Oak tree where they had been spotted at the edge of Boilton Wood we spotted several other species of Butterflies some being a first time for Reece. I've always had a mild interest in butterflies and could probably have named a dozen or so species but this year as you can probably tell by the increased postings on the blog I've increased my knowledge and the amount of species I've seen. The one thing that has amazed me though is the size of some of the butterflies as shown in the photograph of the Small Copper below. I spotted it when passing some Ragwort and Reece was shocked at both how I'd picked it out and how small it was.

ABOVE SMALL COPPER BELOW WORN FEMALE COMMON BLUE BOTH ON RAGWORT

There were 5 or 6 people observing the Oak tree where the Purple Hairstreak had been seen but as we arived none had shown for 20 minutes but it wasn't long before one made an appearance. They were quite distant and being a small butterfly with a wingspan up to 40mm I couldn't get in close as I usually do. Unlike most species they feed on the honeydew of Oak trees so they are hard to spot as they spend most of the time in the tops of the trees.

They fly between the begining of July to the first week in September and I'm hoping we have another sunny day so I get the chance to try and photograph them again. Other species on the wing included Common Blue, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Speckled Wood, Comma, Small White and Green Veined White.

TOP SMALL TORTOISESHELL BELOW COMMA BOTTOM SPECKLED WOOD

Dragonflies were also flying and none more than the Common Darter. Both the males and females were showing well across the reserve and were quite happy to remain perched as we both photographed them. No such luck with the Brown Hawker which never seems to land though a female was seen oviposting on the fishing pond but none of my photographs were any good to show. We also saw a Southern Hawker and a Migrant Hawker but again with them being on the wing photos were near imposible. Not forgeting birds we saw a Green Sandpiper fly from one of the smaller pools and a Little Egret was seen on pool No 1 but not by ourselves.

ABOVE FEMALE COMMON DARTER BELOW MALE COMMON DARTER

Brockholes Nature Reserve - 24th July 2010

Okay I thought I'd start the post with this juvenile Robin as I haven't posted much about birds lately on what started out as a birding blog and it looked kinda cute sat amongst the undergrowth. More about birds later, the reason for this trip down to Brockholes NR was again to try and see the White-letter Hairstreak. The sun had been out all morning but by the time I managed my visit it was still warm but the sun was behind a mass of white cloud so spotting one was going to be difficult. The caterpillar feeds exclusively on the leaves of elm and the butterfly feeds on the honeydew in the canopy of elms only occasionaly coming down to feed on brambles or thistles in the warmth of sunlight. On my walk up to the area they had previously been sighted I counted 20+ Meadow Browns amongst the grass as well as several Gatekeepers, Small Tortoiseshell and Green-veined White. As I approached the brambles several species were feeding and taking in the warmth and while l scanning through them a single White-letter Hairstreak flew from the bottom of the brambles and perched on a high branch.

ABOVE AND BELOW WHITE-LETTERED HAIRSTREAK

Other species on the Brambles including those already mentioned were Coma, Peackock and Small White.

ABOVE PEACOCK BELOW COMA

BELOW SMALL WHITE IN FLIGHT AND 2 GATEKEEPERS

Bill and Mike joined me but as Mike arived the White-letter Hairstreak flew back into the woods not to return on our visit.

Text had been coming through over the last few days about a Hobby that has been hunting around the M6 end of pool No1 so this was the next stop with the hope of seeing my first one of the year. Nick Green (who later spotted an Osprey breifly over the Ribble) and several other birders were watching the Hobby as it sat on the top of a lamp post. I managed a few record shots including a poor one in flight but it was just to far for my 300mm lens.

ABOVE HOBBY ON ITS REGULAR PERCH AND BELOW POOR FLIGHT SHOT

Once the Hobby flew off I spotted a female Common Darter which thankfully stayed around while both Mike and I photgraphed it.

TOP, MIDDLE AND BOTTOM FEMALE COMMON DARTER

A single Small Skipper few from under the undergrowth, the first I'd seen but not much different from the Large Skipper I photographed a few weeks ago here.

ABOVE AND BELOW SMALL SKIPPER