Great to get out in the local area and nice to see that there are still a few Firecrests about with 2 in Quarry Lane Here and 1 in Pennsylvania Castle Wood.
The highlight of the afternoon has to go to a Marbled White butterfly. This butterfly is predominately a June, July and August Lepidoptera and I certainly cannot recall ever seeing one so late, not even in Wiltshire where I saw plenty on the Wiltshire Downs. I found it around the pool area along Quarry Lane and tried to track it as it flew up and over some hawthorns into the lane itself. I legged around into the lane but never saw it again. Such a shame!!
In the lane other than the Firecrests there were 7 Chiffchaffs, 3 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Great Tits, 3 Blackbirds and a Song Thrush. There were quite a few finches about mainly Chaffinches and Goldfinches. Not so many Linnets about though. A Fox jumped down off the bank and on realising I was stood next to it, sped off up the lane.
Onto East Weare and a couple of Red Admirals on the Ivy, but no bees or Drone Flies to be seen. Along the waters edge two Oystercatchers were making their way towards the Bill.
Much the same at Rufus Castle and St Andrews Church, very little about.
Pennsylvania Castle Wood was fairly quite, but I did manage another Firecrest here, along with Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tits and both Blue and Great Tits.
Here are a few images from this afternoon:
Firecrest number one.....
Quite a few Chiffchaffs down Quarry Lane, here are two......
........and another.
This Song Thrush has been here for a few weeks now. Probably the best shot I've got of it so far!!
