Sunday 5th.July 2009

Bird survey at Down House was overdue , so I set off to do it this morning , but as usual made the first stop on the Common . The Ash tree was alive with Purple Hairsteaks , at the top only . After a while , I went to the other sites , where I got the underwing shots yesterday . No luck at the first , but some specimens coming down at the second , into a very large Bramble patch , on a steep bank . Some of the stems were like young trees , but I finally found a spot , standing on a fallen tree , with lots of Bramble stems below , to catch me if I fell . Sorry to disappoint you Warren , but I managed to stay upright , and eventually a male PH landed , then opened his wings to sun himself . Trouble was , I was down sun from him , so didn't get the best reflection of that shimmering purple topwing . A while later , a female landed in the right place for the sun , but behind Bramble leaves , so there I was stretched out , ready to overbalance , and really make Warren's day , but I managed to stay upright , even if the shot was a bit fuzzy . If you catch the light right , the whole of the male's topwing is this shimmering colour .

I finally got to Down House in one piece , and completed the survey . I was expecting to see young birds with adults , but didn't see any . 21 species were recorded , but mainly in ones and twos , with nothing more exciting than a continuously singing Chiffchaff and a pair of Pheasants , that I nearly stepped on in the long grass . It was as well that there were some butterflies about to record . 10 species , Meadow Brown (210) , Ringlet (46) , Marbled White (157) , mostly still dozing around the edges of the fields , , Large White (1) , Small White (2) , Comma (4) , Large Skipper (2) , Small Skipper (42) , Painted Lady (1) and Common Blue (2) .

After lunch , a quick look in at the farm lake found 'sorting out the next generation' going on as usual , be it a pair of Azure Damselflies .

Or a pair of Common Blue Damselflies ,

Or a female Emperor Dragonfly , that came and layed her eggs , right below where I was standing . Butterflies were few , but in one corner , I found another 8 freshly emerged Gatekeeper males . Whilst on site , I had two quick sightings of a Hobby , once low over the lake , then a stoop into a low pass over the cereal field , never anywhere near a shot . Just before leaving , I met the couple who are renting the cottage on the farm , who mentioned that they saw a Heron taking a chick the other evening , whilst they were walking round the lake . That and the obvious Fox , probably explains the dwindling Little Grebe youngsters .
I had a few other shots to post tonight , but I downloaded a new version of Internet Explorer this morning , and it seems to have mucked up moving pictures whilst compiling the blog , so I am leaving it here .