Wednesday 16th. July 2014

A catch up on the last few days . Morning visits up onto the Commons are producing small numbers of Purple Hairstreak , but none yet prepared to be photographed . Broad-leaved Helleborine , at least

45 flowers spikes , are now coming into bloom . Would have been more if the deer had left them

alone . The Canadian Golden Rod is a magnet at the moment for freshly emerged Brimstones . I still haven't managed to find a pupa . At High Elms , no further sighting of the gynandromorph SWF ,

but two mating pairs were found , one in the bottom glade and one on Burnt Gorse . On the bridle

path below the Beech Walk , Clouded Magpie moth was found , like the WLH , this species depends

on Wych Elm for it's foodplant . I still haven't found any WLH , but I had an email from the Ranger at High Elms , that he is sure he saw one yesterday afternoon , just in time for Sunday . Comma are

also emerging , at this time there is a good chance to find the form 'hutchinsoni' , like this one with golden brown underside . Later specimens will show dark undersides .
This morning I decided to visit Bough Beech Reservoir before more butterfly hunting , in the hope of seeing the Great White Egret that has take up residence there recently . I expected a dot in the

distance , but was surprised to find it within 20 mtrs. of the causeway on the North lake . Later , it

came out of the water down the far end of the causeway , but with the build up of passing traffic , it soon flew to the far side of the lake . Other species seen on the visit included ,

Little Ringed Plover , a juvenile ,

incessant calling by juveniles meant that the adults were kept busy providing food ,

two Greenshank were looking for food in the shallows ,

sometimes joined by Common Sandpiper ,

which itself was joined by one of four Green Sandpiper ,

that is when it didn't want to be on it's own .

All along , the Common Terns were back and forward with food for their families .

Along the causeway , many ducks were in moult , like this male Mandarin , looking far different from the dashing sight it was in breeding plumage . I had read that a Night Heron had been seen there , but that was as far as it went , until a call from the far end of the causeway 'Night Heron in flight' had me

chasing down that end , only to get a rushed , rear end shot of the bird , just as it was about to drop out of view , honest , it is !

A Spoonbill had been spotted on the right hand spit halfway down the reservoir , as normal , asleep with head tucked in and facing away . How surprised we were when down the reservoir , from that

area flew the said Spoonbill , to be joined over the causeway by a second . The pair then circled , gaining height all the time , till they were specks in the sky . Talking specks in the sky , an unusual

sight of 14 Cormorant riding the thermals , becoming specks themselves .

Two other species seen on that side of the causeway were , several juvenile Lapwing ,

and a couple of Grey Wagtail , fossicking along the waterline . A Raven was also seen , 'cronking' as it was seen off by the local Corvids , and Common Buzzard , Sparrowhawk and Kestrel along with the more common species . Just like the good old days at Bough Beech .
Never did get butterfly hunting , as cloud rolled in , but it didn't cool things down .