SKYLARK SUE’S REFLECTIONS OF NATURE 

May 2014

Sedge Warbler at Cley Marshes



Avocet

May started on a damp, overcast note, though it was very mild. There was heavy rain in the evening of May 1st. The damp, overcast and slightly chilly weather continued for the next few days, but a trip to Norfolk on the 4th coincided with warmer, sunnier weather. My first trip to Cley Marshes was very enjoyable, there is a good visitor’s centre there, overlooking the vast area of marshland. Cley Marshes is Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s oldest reserve, and was purchased in 1926. Water levels in both pools and reedbeds are regulated to ensure the conditions are ideal for the birds, and the reed is harvested each year. By doing this, the reedbeds are kept in good condition. There are saline lagoons, grazing marsh and a shingle beach which attracts wildfowl, waders and other birds. Cley Marshes was hit by the December flooding last year; one hide was completely destroyed, and the sea water infiltrated the fresh water dykes and pools.

Shoveller

 

Female Gadwall



Oyster Catcher



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wall Butterfly

 

 

Heron

 

Marsh Harrier

We spent a long time watching a marsh harrier skimming and swooping across the marsh, and saw a skylark pouring out its unique trilling song as it rose high into the sky before spiralling back down to earth. There was plenty to be seen from the hide – we only had time to visit one, as we didn’t get to Cley till mid-afternoon. However, the avocets were beautiful and elegant, using their curved beaks to preen their plumage. Amongst the other birds that we sighted were shelduck, shoveller, greylag goose, black headed gull, pied wagtail, lapwing with chicks, mute swan and oyster catcher. A heron lumbered overhead. Glorious singing from the reed bed revealed a sedge warbler. It sung for a long time, posing between the reeds, which made it easy to get some photos – soften you hear the birds in the reeds but just can’t see them.  We also saw a Wall butterfly sunning itself on the grass.

Smew

Golden Eyes

Red Crested Pochard



Mandarin

As we drove into Pensthorpe reserve the following day we were welcomed by the call of a cuckoo, the first I had heard this year. Throughout the day the cuckoo called, often tantalisingly close but we just couldn’t glimpse him. It was a hot, sunny day and as usual there was plenty to see, including a smew that was carrying a large pebble in its beak.  On and around the lakes near the visitor centre were dozens of ducks including red crested pochards, mandarins, grebes, tufted ducks, golden eyes, pintails, Egyptian goose, coots and of course, the smews. There were also Canada and greylag geese. Wherever we looked as we walked around the reserve there was something to see – a male chaffinch in brilliant plumage singing from a tree top, a group of young long-tailed tits, their tails not yet grown,  a large cluster of young greylag goslings by the lake edge together with several adult birds, ladybirds, peacock and green-veined white butterflies. There were greenfinches, chaffinches and house sparrows by the feeders. From the hide by the scrape we spotted cormorants, lapwings and avocets. The wild flowers were stunning – in places the grass was just a mass of daisies, and there were speedwells, cowslips, stitchwort, red campion and many more.

Lapwing

Greylag Goslings

Young Long-Tailed Tits

Chaffinch



Ruffs

In the large, walk-in wader aviary, there were ruffs in full breeding plumage. These spectacular, showy birds had long fluffy feathers adorning their heads and necks, and were bowing to each other in what seemed to be a territorial display. Interestingly, the colour of the ruff’s plumage varied, and one was black, tinged with white, the other a bright chestnut. Both birds had beautiful markings on their plumage. Other birds in the aviary included black-winged stilts, black tailed godwits, bearded tits and turtle doves – the gentle cooing of the doves was soothing, and much more pleasurable to listed to than that of the collared doves, which are so common now.

 

Black-Winged Stilt

Black Tailed Godwit

Bearded Tit

Turtle Dove




Goldfinch

Trout



Young Starling

On the following day, May 6th, we called in to the Norfolk Lavender Farm to sit in the attractive gardens there. Chaffinches and goldfinches were calling, and in the river were trout. The weather was still warm and sunny, but it changed and became colder over the next few days. There was a young starling in the garden on the 7th; I always think that the youngsters are particularly handsome; very sleek, with a darker brown mark around the eye which seems to accentuate the elegance of the head, as opposed to the adults which always seem scruffy with their medley of pale dots, especially in their winter plumage.

Herring Gull

Greter Black-Backed Gull



Pied Wagtail

The 11th -14th were spent in Devon, though sadly, there wasn’t much time for bird watching or seeing much of the countryside, except through the windows of a train. Bird-sightings were limited to herring gulls, black-backed gulls, pied wagtails and a large group of feral pigeons! The pigeons and wagtails were at Dartmouth, and the gulls at Paignton and Torquay.

Feral Pigeons

A Handful of Snails!



Robin Bathing in the Ball Fountain

May 17th, a warm day, brought plenty to see in the garden, such as a brood of young great tits, venturing onto the feeders. There were also starlings, robins, blackbirds and collared doves. One robin was bathing in the ball fountain. We had noticed that the plants are becoming severely attacked by slugs and snails. Feeling around the rim of just one large pot revealed a handful of snails which were carefully placed under a hedge some distance away, but no doubt they will soon be back. We have noticed that the slugs and snails are particularly prevalent this year, presumably due to last year’s wet weather which encouraged them to lay thousands upon thousands of eggs.

The 18th was another warm day. As well as the vast quantities of snails and slugs, there are also masses of cuckoo spit. It seems to be on every shrub. Cuckoo spit is produced by the larvae of the froghopper beetle; it produces the frothy bubbles from its rear end, and these give it protection until they turn into adults. The following day we were pleased to note a wren in the apple tree. We do get them in the garden from time to time, but they are so secretive, moving about under the plants, that often we just don’t notice them.

Buttercups at Hatfield Forest

Female Mallard



Mute Swan

On May 20th, we visited Hatfield Forest, not too far from us in Essex, and where we go regularly as readers of this blog will know. As we entered, driving past the meadows, we saw that they were a mass of buttercups – just golden yellow in all directions. They seem to be in flower slightly earlier this year, presumably due to the mild winter and spring. Sightings on the lake included a mallard and her brood of ducklings, Canada geese and goslings, mute swan, coots and moorhens. Chiff-chaffs and a cuckoo called, and there were masses of ladybirds – unfortunately, many were the harlequin type with their pink legs and larger size.

 

Mallard Ducklings

Canada Geese Goslings

 

Caterpillar to id

Dog Rose



Harlequin Ladybirds and Cardinal Beetle

 

Harlequin Beetles

Red Admirals and brimstone butterflies were around, as were damselflies. Amongst the other species seen were jackdaws, pheasants, scorpion fly, cardinal beetle, blue tit and squirrels. We found a hairy caterpillar near the path by the lake, which needs to be identified. In the barn near the café, swallow were nesting. Dog roses were coming into bloom. Back home, amongst the garden birds was a handsome great tit on the nut feeder and a robin by the ball fountain.

Plantain

 

Great Tit



Slugs Climbing Up the Window

On the 24th, we noticed that several slugs were climbing up on the outside of the dining room widow, They were the thin, white kind of slugs, as opposed to the large brown, black and leopard slugs we normally see in the garden

Red Admiral

Bumble Bee on the Coreopsis

On the 25^th of May, a trip to the garden centre provided a couple of good sightings. The first was a handsome red admiral butterfly investigating a bright orange coreopsis plant. I think that red admirals are one of my favourite butterflies. I love the contrast between the velvety black and the scarlet and white trim. We decided to buy the plant, seeing it was so attractive to insects. As soon as we put it in the garden, a bumble bee, quite literally, made a beeline for it!

With an Asian Brown Wood Owl



Tawny Owl

The other sighting was not just one, but a batch of owls, there to raise funds for a local owl rescue centre. I was allowed to hold an owl, and chose Gizmo, a magnificent Asian brown wood owl. His marking were beautiful, and the cream ‘eye-brows’ highlighted his face. Other owls there included a barn, a tawny, an eagle owl, white-faced scops and a little owl. Back home, there was a young wren in the garden.

 

 

 

Robin

 



 

Sawfly Caterpillars

 

Young Blue Tit

 

 

Young blue tits were about on the following day, hanging from the feeders, and they continued to come to the garden for the rest of the month as did young great tits. There was a robin, too, and a clutch of sawfly caterpillars on the red currant bush. On the 29th, as well as the tits, garden sightings included dunnock, robin, blackbirds and collared doves, and, along with woodpigeons, were the main species spotted on the following two days.

Young Great Tits

Dunnock

On the whole May proved a mild month, though there were some wet and chilly days. June is forecast to be warm. We shall see!

A Tranquil Stretch of Water at Hatfield Forest