WWT Caerlaverock 11th July - my birthday

Tuesday was my birthday and one that I will not forget in a hurry.

 

First thing in the morning I was watching a pair of Hares 'lolloping' around the courtyard from the kitchen window, and kicking myself for leaving my camera upstairs in the bedroom. I decided to chance my luck and try to take some video footage on my iPhone so quietly opened the front door. As I lent forward with my phone ready a sneaky little Weasel appeared from the left hand side, went over my foot and straight inside !! The Hares were forgotten as I watched the Weasel run straight behind the kitchen door, then make its way over to the fridge where it kept peeking out to see if I was still there. What to do ?? I quickly closed the inner hall door so the Weasel was confined just to the kitchen and outer hall way, took my cup of coffee and phone and went and sat outside leaving the front and outer hall door open in the hope the Weasel would find its way out. Half an hour later, despite not seeing the Weasel actually leave, there was no sign of it in the kitchen. Three times that day I popped back to check the kitchen, but no Weasel seen again. I only hope it did sneak back out the way it come in. My birthday certainly got off to a good start.

 

The sun was shining, there was very little wind and it promised to be a glorious day. Perfect.

 

Saltcot merse observatory

 There are 22 hides on site, some big and grand like the Saltcot merse above and others just one or two man hides. One of the two man hides overlooks the Teal Pond where Swallows had not only nested right above the entrance outside but had also nested inside....

 

 

It was quite an amazing experience sharing the hide, especially when one of them perched on the hide ledge and sang. I got some wonderful video footage on my iPhone but for some reason I cant upload it on to here.

 

More Swallows were hanging around the Peter Scott observatory and the air was thick with calling Swallows and House Martins again.

 

The warm weather meant there were more critters out and about....

 

Eupeodes luniger

 

Forest Bug

Blue-tailed damselfly

Marsh Orchid

There's a very healthy good sized colony of House Sparrows on site and the nice weather was perfect for a few of them to indulge in dust baths....

 

 

I popped in to say hello to the resident Whooper Swan.....

 

and had a go at taking photos at the reflection pond from another two man hide.....

 

There are lots of Chiffchaffs on site, some looking a little worse for wear after a season of raising chicks.....

 

 

and I've never seen so many Sedge Warblers as there are at Caerlaverock.....

 

The pair below are juvenile Chiffchaffs that posed very nicely for me....

 

As did this fresher looking adult.....

 

After this mornings sightings of Hares running around outside the kitchen window, but with out one photo to show for it, this Hare below was just out of focus for my camera.....

 

 

The feeder station along the Peter Scott trail is the best I have ever seen. It comprises of a fence with every other straight slat removed. You can sit on the benches on the path watching the birds through the open slats, and even walk past without disturbing them. You can even peek through and get some great views.

 

Along with the good sized House Sparrow colony onsite, there are also several Tree Sparrows, a bird I have only seen on a handful of occasions. They are breeding at Caerlaverock and their numbers are going up. Whilst I was watching not only were the parents still feeding the juveniles, they were also mating again for a second brood....

juvenile Tree Sparrow

record shot mating Tree Sparrows

A juvenile Blackcap passed through whilst I was watching and I managed a very poor quickly taken photo....

 

 

 As to be found at any good bird feeder there were the obligatory rats running around, but I only ever saw three at any one time...

 

 

After such a wonderful day it was nice to finish my birthday watching the Badgers again.....

 

iPhone photo through glass

iPhone photo through glass

 

An absolutely perfect solo birthday with just one thing missing. Alcohol. I forgot to pack any.

 

 

 

WWT Caerlaverlock 10th July

I'm just back from a fantastic three night stay at WWT Caerlaverock. This was my second visit, my first being a couple of years ago during the colder months when it was all about the wintering Whooper Swans and Barnacle Geese. I always wanted to visit again at another time of year, and this was my chance.

 

Everyone knows I'm a regular visitor to WWT London (or Barnes as I call it) but at Caerlaverock you can actually stay on site in their well equipped and very clean farmhouse. This means that for a few hours each day you have the reserve all to your self, and that really is a magical feeling.

 

This is the link to the WWT Caerlaverock website

 

Even though I travelled up from London Euston it really wasn't a bad journey, and I was at the site just after 4pm on the Monday. Not bad considering I left Euston at 11.30am. With a very warm welcome from the staff and being told I had the farmhouse all to myself for the next three nights (there were no other visitors staying) I was left to my own devices.

 

 

There is a diary in the conservatory that documents what time the badgers are seen. The latest entry stated they were seen about 9.30pm a few days previously so I had plenty of time for a wander.

 

From the Folly Pond Hide I had a distant glimpse of a Sandpiper......very poor record shot below....

 

 

The Folly Pond is a very good size and I had this wonderful view from my bedroom window.....

 

From the Peter Scott Observatory this Mute Swan was taking a slow wander back towards the Farmhouse....

 

The courtyard was alive with the sounds of House Martins and Swallows, with several stopping for an obliging photo call.......

House Martin nests on the underside of the Farmhouse Tower roof

 The most prolific bird around the Peter Scott Trail was the Chaffinch. Very common I know, but still a very attractive bird....

 

 

Lapwings kept being flushed up from the Corner Field......

 

And these two 'friends' below are resident on the Whooper Pond at the moment. Yes, that is a Whooper Swan, you're not imagining it. When the other Whoopers all left in March to go back to their breeding grounds in the arctic, this one couldn't fly. The staff think it had a damaged wing, so it has stayed on site, is fed daily and has become unlikely friends with this Canada Goose.....

 

Hopefully next winter when the Whooper Swans return to stay for a few months, this individual will be accepted and fly off with the others at the end of the season.

 

There were plenty of insects to keep me occupied.....

one of the Mirid bugs

Episyrphus balteatus aka the Marmalade fly

Helophilus pendulas - female

 My first evening was completed with the arrival of the badgers. Three in total seen from the comfort of the conservatory between 9.30-10.30pm, along with a delightful show from the bats skimming across the water of Folly Pond....

 

iPhone photo through glass

 

A very very pleasant first few hours at WWT Caerlaverock

A great butterfly transect and more at Cranford Park today

The bramble bushes are losing their flowers now....

 

 

so a lot of the butterflies on this mornings transect were instead feeding on the buddleia and thistles with the exception of the meadow grasses loving brown butterflies.....

 

I had a fantastic 85 minute butterfly walk for the UKBMS transect, with my highest total so far this year.......a whooping 223 butterflies, yes 223 !!!

 That's more than double the amount seen on last Saturdays transect. 

 

Todays tally....

223 butterflies / 10 species

 

Small Skipper x 41

Large Skipper x 2

Green-veined White x 22

Small Copper x 2

Red Admiral x 3

Comma x 15

Speckled Wood x 15

Gatekeeper x 55

Meadow Brown x 67

Ringlet x 1

 

and here are photos of some of the beauties seen today.....

Large Skipper - underwing

tatty worn Ringlet

male Green-veined White

Commas

mating Gatekeepers

male Small Skipper

Small Copper

mating Small Skippers

Red Admiral

As you can see from some of the photos above, it is now time for some species to mate. I watched these two Green-veined Whites below. The female is on the leaf and the male was attempting to mate with her. She kept flicking up her abdomen. This was basically telling the male 'not tonight thanks'....

 

 

I also found some caterpillars, these below are the larvae of the Small Tortoiseshell....

 

The meadows were alive with not only butterflies, but hundreds of Soldier Beetles, crickets and grasshoppers and this fresh looking Black and Yellow Longhorn beetle....

 

I had absolutely no luck looking for the Little Owls again today, but according to Martyn there were four photographers checking the nest tree this morning before I arrived. I wonder if they were successful ?

 

I did see three Common Buzzards and a Red Kite soaring over. And of course I spent some time in the meadows watching our new Kestrel family. I still think there are four fledglings. They weren't flying around too much today, more time was spent sitting on the tree guards or the scrubby bushes....

 

Spot the Kestrel......

 The Cinnabar caterpillars are bigger and fatter now, and it wont be long before they drop off the ragwort, bury under the soil, pupate and spend the winter there....

 

 

Next Saturday, the 15th of July, I will be leading a guided butterfly walk through part of the park.

 It will be about 90 minutes long with refreshments available in St Dunstans church afterwards.

Meet at 11am by the Information Centre.

Maybe I'll see some of you there.