#chiffcaff

[dansnaturepictures]

09/04/2021-Speckled Wood and more at Lakeside and home (10 different photos in this post to those I tweeted tonight) 

I took the second picture in this photoset of one of a few nice and bright sky scenes and general scenes out the back today especially this morning. On my Lakeside lunch time walk I went in by the tarmac path along the properties and took the third picture in this photoset of some of the sweet looking white daffodils by the railway track at the Monks Brook Halt platform when I got into the country park. I enjoyed walking into the deep woods to the west of the site, deviating from the path through it a little and I loved seeing the bright yellow lesser celandine still going strong after a fair few weeks since I spotted my first of the year now and began seeing them here and elsewhere and adorning the forest floor of course. As I walked down around Concorde lake and through the middle of the lakes I was enthused to notice both the Canada and greylag geese nesting in the woods on the island. I had never actually seen where the geese species nest at Lakeside whilst their goslings are always such a key part of the strong Lakeside nesting festival of life each year so this was really interesting. I think some cutting of the trees on this island has allowed us a slight glimpse into where they nest. The Great Crested Grebes showed well on the lakes again as did the Tufted Ducks with brilliant views of them the females especially looking really beautiful in a special colour both on the water and on a bank of the island too. I also enjoyed as I tweeted a picture of on Dans_Pictures a Mute Swan the returning birds here of late quite close. 

My Mum had said on a walk with Missy to Lakeside before my lunch break today that she had seen a Speckled Wood butterfly one of the next butterflies I needed to see. I entered the southern fenced off area just going through on the way back as I wanted to use my macro lens which I had with me today to take pictures of some of the newer groups of snake’s-head fritillary flowers on the ground in this area I had noticed. When at the point I had seen my first Speckled Wood of the year walking through last spring, I spotted a butterfly the right size and colour for one and I was pretty sure it was this butterfly. I walked on hoping for a better look, when I heard the exciting cackle of the Green Woodpecker as I had done a lot at lunch time and it was an honour to then see this emerald delight dashing into the almost as bright green landscape. I heard a beautiful and loud Chiffchaff and saw Woodpigeons flying off too and as the the sun really started to come out from behind the clouds I saw another butterfly I believe a Peacock it was a red one I didn’t get the best look of it and I saw another one too. Then I was thrilled to see the Speckled Wood again, as it flew on and then slowed down even settling on the bright blossom which looked wonderful and I could beyond a shadow of a doubt tell that this was a Speckled Wood now as I made out its sweet brown markings. It flew up now and again and then came back to blossom, I loved enjoying and taking it in such a beautiful sight. I couldn’t quite get my macro lens out in time to take a macro picture but I got the first picture in this photoset as well as one other I tweeted of this butterfly with the other lens I had my big lens. I was delighted when looking down on the ground following this butterfly to notice yet more snake’s-head fritillaries first hidden in trees behind and then more I could see on the ground. This meadow is teeming with them, and its a picture of a perfect spring and a vibrant, rich and colourful piece of grassland and few wooded areas I can never tire of these. I took the fourth and sixth pictures in this photoset a view with the snake’s-head fritillary visible over the meadow and snake’s-head fritillaries and another brilliant flower around lately at Lakeside the cowslips and fifth picture of a view in the area that gave me some glorious spring moments. 

That’s now four of my year lists running that Speckled Wood was seen by me for the first time in a year either at Lakeside or on the green just outside, the last time I got Speckled Wood as a year tick at a place other than Lakeside was four years ago today in fact at Acres Down in the New Forest. There were more nice connections as I saw this one at the exact same bit of Lakeside I did for the first time last year and like last year its butterfly number seven of my year. I am only one butterfly behind how many I had seen last year and 2019 my two highest ever butterfly year lists which is promising in the early stages. I am five ahead of how many I saw in 2018 at this stage my now third highest ever butterfly year list a record for me at the time but admittedly that one did have a famously slow start thanks to the beast from the east. I was thrilled to see the Speckled Wood today. It came up in my last run of a butterfly a day tweets on Twitter this week I now have just two days left of them and including all 46 species of butterfly I’ve ever seen and photographed in them so its quite sad that an activity through lockdowns and times I needed the days to pass a bit, the original animal I focused on is coming to an end but I also reflect on the immense good it has done for me and being able to still feel happy. The spring ones in this run as last year a bit too definitely served to excite me for when I would hopefully actually see them and its not bad that I waited only two days after it was featured to see a Speckled Wood this year. The Speckled Wood a true highlight of my day and week.

When nearly back home at lunch time I took the seventh picture in this photoset of more great dandelions lately and some of the purple flowers that are commonplace on the green out the front. With it a brilliant bank holiday last Friday today I got the first chance since lockdown eased slightly, with it now also light late in evenings to do a second walk after work with me usually finishing work a bit earlier on a Friday. I did do that but not a Lakeside or camera one, instead a walk around the area outside around the block you might say a quick one. In the still evening air it was great to be serenaded a little by a babbling and gushing Blackbird and hear the beautiful screech of a Green Woodpecker again. As well as taking in as I had noticed earlier in the day and photographing as I tweeted a spider by the front door when I returned I also took the eighth picture in this photoset of daffodils in the front garden after the walk. I then went on this evening to take the final two pictures in this photoset of a moody lit Jackdaw on the roof out the back and a sky scene with just a little bit of red visible from the sunset. 

Wildlife Sightings Summary: My first Speckled Wood butterfly of the year, Peacock, bees its interesting how when trying to see the Speckled Wood a second time suddenly my eyes were so focused on everything little and flying so I enjoyed bees well I am having a great spring for them so far, two of my favourite birds the Green Woodpecker and Great Crested Grebe, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Coot, Moorhen, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Mute Swan, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Black-headed Gull, Jackdaw, Great Tit and Robin seen both singing very nicely together in the woods on one tree, great Goldfinch views at home again from my window, House Sparrow, Starling and I heard Blackbird. I also loved seeing some perwinkle beside the neighbour’s house on both my walks today. 

I have made no secret where I’ve felt it relevant before that I do have another Twitter to Dans_Pictures and another Tumblr to this one where I post about other interests of mine and general life both nationally, globally and personally and these are my profiles to focus on my birdwatching/butterflies/general wildlife watching and photography interest which I put most of my time into. There are sometimes things though that happen that are more about that general, but they are so big, important and all-encompassing that I want to give them a mention on my more focused to my main hobby and interest social media pages which has been common over the last year or so. Today I must say rest in peace Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, what an extraordinary life he had. I send my deepest condolences to Her Majesty the Queen and the rest of the family. On the more topical side to these social media presences from me I celebrate the Duke of Edinburgh award and all its done for getting youngsters outdoors and active. And it was interesting to hear Sir David Attenborogh talk about someone he was clearly very close to bringing things topical for these social media pages of mine. I also want to say today, rest in peace DMX and my thoughts at this difficult time are with his family and friends.