Wild July Highlights

Undoubtedly the highlight of the month to date came on Friday evening as I sat and watched the swifts reeling through the skies above the village there was a background of blackbirds alarm calling. I had expected they were scolding a village cat eager to catch their youngsters  but to my surprise a barn owl ghosted out of the nearby trees and flew away towards the paddocks where they were seen a couple of times last year.

Barn owl  peeking out from his hiding place  Credit: Miles at Captivelight via Compfight cc

I took a stroll this afternoon over at Marlingford to check out what might be drifting towards the village especially as some of the rarer waders are starting to make their passage flights and could turn up locally or just fly over. The only waders I saw were impressive in both numbers and noise and spectacle as they wheeled and alarm called on my approach.  Sixty lapwing  suggest the occasional bird could turn up on the fields around the north and west of the village.

Piping Lapwing (or green plover as they are called locally) in his metallic glory Credit: Chris.Small via Compfight cc

As well as the lapwings there were good numbers of greylag and Canada goose along with a few Eygptian geese and a couple of more random waterbirds in the form of a barnacle goose and a swan goose. A common tern fished and settled in amongst a few sunbathing cormorants.

Plenty of youngsters on the local lakes including Canada Geese.

As I took a return walk through the woods there were large numbers of young great tits and blue tits feeding in the canopy and the sound of singing chiffchaff and blackcaps. There had also been huge numbers of damsel flies enjoying the sunshine clouds of banded demoiselles and a photo of the female which shows of her beauty with the colours on the wings setting it apart from an emerald damselfly. Thanks to James E for the ID assistance

Female banded demoiselle basking in the summer sun.

There were also large numbers of butterflies in the woods and nearby hedgerows including lots of ringlets which stopped for a photo. Hopefully they will be joined soon  by some of their rarer cousins.

Ringlet butterfly