Monday, 25 May 2020

My First Turtle Dove of Spring - Marshside 25/05/20

I paid another visit to Chitty Lane this afternoon and had a wander up to the embankment and back. A Chaffinch peeped out at me as I started up the track. Once again it was lovely to hear the sound of singing Reed and Sedge Warblers.

Chaffinch

A Large Skipper Butterfly was sunning itself and looked gorgeous in the light.

Large Skipper

A little further along I came across loads of Small Tortoiseshell Caterpillars outside their cocoon. I am not sure what the paler brown ones amongst them are. At first I thought they must just be at a different stage of development but they do not seem to be as spiky as the black Small Tortoiseshell ones. It will be interesting to try and find out.

Small Tortoiseshell Caterpillars

A male Goldfinch was perched high in the hedgerow and repeatedly singing away enthusiastically. It would pause between each burst of song and look round before breaking into song again. Though I think it was aware of my presence it did not seem to put if off its stride at all and after a fair while waiting, as I did not want to disturb it, I carried on down the track and left it still singing away.

Goldfinch

Goldfinch

It was much quieter for Damselflies today and I did not see any sign of a Red-eyed or a Banded Demoiselle as I made may way up to the embankment. Several Azure Damselflies were tucked here and there and as I walked along the embankment I could see a Cuckoo on the edge of a bush way ahead. A little further along, from the hedgerow, I could hear my first Turtle Dove (117) of the year which was a very welcome sound.

Cuckoo

Reed and Sedge Warbler were singing as I made my way along and over in one of the fields good numbers of Corvid had been attracted to the area where the farmer was irrigating his crops.

Corvids making the most of the wet ground

It remained fairly quiet on the walk back but it was just good to be out.


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