Kings Langley Patching (20th-26th June)

I've been keeping a close eye on my Herts patch recently, visiting the fields behind the KL School and Barnes Lane about three times a day (mostly thanks to dog walks).  Red Kites have been even more evident than usual with a total of 7 circling over one single field and 3 landing on the KL School playing field on one visit alone.  Pied Wagtails have had a rather successful year with fledglings littering the short grassy playing field.  A juvenile Mistle Thrush on the same field also confirmed breeding and I located an active Green Woodpecker nest in Kings Langley Common Wood.

Green Woodpecker chick

Down at the canal I found a fledgling Grey Wagtail being attended closely by at least one parent bird and Moorhen chicks certainly aren't in short supply.  The local Mute Swan pair now have 3 fast growing cygnets and the long-staying Cetti's Warbler is still bursting into song every 10-15mins at the canal section opposite the Kings Langley Fishery.  I haven't seen any local Kingfishers in the past two visits so I assume they are breeding or have set up territory just outside patch limits, seems I'll have to venture a little further in future.  Other highlights from the 26th June included a flyover Peregrine heading northwards along the canal towards Hemel Hempstead for its evening roost, 2 Lapwing in the mown field near Hunton Bridge and a third heading south along the canal.  Foxes have been making regular appearances and I've scarcely gone a day without seeing them.  However, the mammal highlight goes to a stunning Badger which I saw on my walk back home through the farmland being the RSSKL as one trotted across the path directly in front of me (this represents my first ever patch record of one)!

KL Patching (19th June)

Had a short walk around patch with Theo.  Highlights included a good number of Skylarks singing in the corn field along Barnes Lane, Yellowhammer, Whitethroat, Red Kites and some hirundines.

STE!!! (17th June)

I was kindly given a lift down to the STEagle in Sussex by Jonathan Holliday and although I had barely been home for a day I jumped at the opportunity and was on the road by 2:30am.

Arriving on site, we heard a brief snippet of what sounded like a Woodcock followed later by 2 Nightjars uttering the last of their churring song before dawn broke.  The long wait then began and although we didn't expect to see the target bird until 7 or 8am we set ourselves up and waited for it to emerge from it's roost.  The hours ticked by with no sign until a brief opening in the clouds warmed our backs and suddenly there it was!!! The SHORT-TOED EAGLE circling right over our heads having sneaked up behind us!  We enjoyed good views as it explored the area of heathland in front of us before perching in a tree for a short while.  Further views were a little sporadic but after bagging the bird with relatively little hassle, we were happy to head back.  A singing Woodlark was also of note as were a couple Siskins and redpoll sp. (most likely Lessers) flying overhead calling.

 

Short-toed Eagle

 The twitch

With the rest of the afternoon off, I ambled back through the KL patch logging a couple of species of interest including 2 Little Owls, 1 Lapwing, 8 Ringlet (my first of the year), 10 Large Skipper, 4 Marbled White, 17 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Peacock, 1 Speckled Wood and 1 Meadow Brown.

 Little Owl

Falmouth Farmland (15th June)

Whilst checking the moth traps up at Dan's fields, I was lucky enough to encounter the local Barn Owl as it headed back to it's box.  3 Ravens were also about and the usual 2 Garden Warblers continued singing from the hedgerows.  Also life ticked Azure Damselfly!

 Azure Damselfly

I spent the rest of the day sat in the train on my way back home to Herts.  The short section of the railway track running past Dawlish Warren is definitely one of my favorite parts of the journey as it's the most scenic with good views over the sea.  I was totally surprised however, when I saw 2 dolphins leap clean out of the water whilst I was speeding along in the train!  Judging on their size, I would opt towards Bottlenose but the views were all too brief to be certain.

Midnight hike (12th June)

My flatmate felt like going on a midnight hike so without hesitation we decided to do exacty that.  Getting dropped off at Helford Passage we spent the next couple hours walking the 13km back home between the hours of 12am and 4am.  On our way there, I saw my very first live Badger running across the road in front of the car, followed later by a second scuttling away as we came along the coastal footpath.  I also heard a total of 5 Tawny Owls (2 juvs, 2 females and 1 male).

Marsh Frits (9th June)

Had a great day down on the Lizard in the company of several Marsh Fritillaries (a lifer!).  There is honestly no better way to spend a day than watching them at close range crawling all over the vegetation, egg laying and chasing rivals around the boggy fields.  Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries added to the highlights as did discovering a Fox Moth resting in the grass.  2 Cuckoos were also about and a Fox made a brief appearance.

 Marsh Fritillary

 

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary

 Southern Marsh-orchid

 Heath Spotted-orchid

 Meadow Brown

 Small Heath

 Four Spotted Chaser

 caterpillar sp.

 Garden Tiger caterpillar

Pygmy Shrew

 orchid sp.

male Fox Moth

Mothing at Pennance Point (7th-8th June)

Spent the evening mothing at Pennance Point but made a short visit to the neighbouring golf course whilst waiting for the time to pass.  Saw a total of 4 Foxes strolling around the greens and caught my very first Elephant Hawkmoth!!

See the links below to a full write up of moth species from that night:

samuelmothing.blogspot.co.uk/pennance-point-7th-8th-june/trap1

samuelmothing.blogspot.co.uk/pennance-point-7th-8th-june/trap2