Mid- summer can often appear to be a relatively quiet spell for watching
wildlife, and my lack of blog posts seems to reflect that, but that really
depends on whether you can keep an open mind to observation opportunities.
Sunday morning dawned misty after a day of showers. It was
quite warm and humid with little wind.
We decided on staying local beginning by meeting up at
Alnmouth Football Club car park at 7am. With a high tide of 4.9 mtrs peaking
at 8.15am our first stop was a wander along the cycle path to the wooden bench
seat that overlooks the Aln estuary. Although it is only July, for many wading
birds autumn has already begun. The breeding season is over and flocks of
birds begin to gather at traditional wintering spots or make short stop overs
on their way to these spots.
On the Aln, there was a nice gathering of birds roosting out
the tide, waiting until it recedes enough to allow them onto the muddy margins
to feed. There were 19 Black tailed Godwits, half of which were still in brick
russet breeding plumage, a loudly calling Greenshank from high northern
moorlands dropped in to sit with 50 more local Redshanks. Further down near
the sea, a large gathering of gulls and terns sat out on the sand bank. It was
a mixed flock of Sandwich, Arctic, Common and a brace of Roseate Terns beside
our larger gulls. While watching the birds, they all lifted in a ‘dread’ when
a female Marsh Harrier flew low overhead and away to hunt the rougher edges of
surrounding fields.
As the tide began to drop and the mist was burnt off by the sun, we changed
tack and headed off to Alnwick on a butterfly hunt.
The bridges at Denwick road and Canongate are good vantage
points to look for a newer addition to Northumberland’s butterfly fauna, the
White letter Hairstreak. At the Denwick Bridge facing the castle, one
Hairstreak was flitting around the tops of some sucker Elms just below eye
level from the high vantage point. Across the road another three were in a
territorial dispute, spiraling and spinning off the higher canopy only to drop
back again to the leafy tops.
White letter Hairstreak
Along at the other end of town, Canongate is usually a good stop for them but
a lot of Elms here have been chopped so we didn’t see any. Hopefully there are
still a few small trees to allow a population to breed unseen.
While here, a brave Common Sandpiper outstood passing cars and caravans and
even a pelaton of shouting cyclists from the bridge wall itself. It called a
loud piping tone to its mate on the river rocks below. As we watched a family
of fledged Kestrels called high up above us and a few tardy tropical looking
Banded Demoiselles danced along the river edges.
Common Sandpiper on Canongate Bridge
All to soon it was lunch time, and for us our excursion was over until next
week.
The garden moth trap has done well this past week with three species new to
VC68! On the socials you see trappers further south cock-a-hoop if the catch a
new species for the tetrad or 10km sq where they live. Up here, with few moth
traps working, it is perfectly reasonable to expects new VC or even County
species each year. Ive no idea on the 10k breakdown. Im not even sure anyone
else traps within that range! Maybe one or two?
Brown-tail . Very few county records since the influx year of
1991.
Hedya ochroleucana only a couple of modern Northumberland records but
historically Bolam suggested it was common along the Tweed.
Acrobasis repandana a rare moth in Northumberland and a first for
VC68.
Eudonia truncicolella another garden first . Quite a distinctive Scop.
Where does the time go? Here we are almost a month since the last blog
post on the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. Soon we will be
Christmas shopping!
Anyway there are plenty of long days to enjoy before then so here I'll say a
bit about our week in Scotland from 10th June.
Allt Beithe, Arivegaig, Acharacle and the track leading to the house in
the trees.
We were staying, for the 7th time, in our usual house at Arivegaig, Acharacle.
This may be our last time as it has been sold which is quite sad, we've
enjoyed good times here, but it might still remain a holiday let. To be
honest, it hasn't changed much in the 16 years we have been going so it could
do with some upgrading, just not too much. If it were me, I would cater more
for naturalists and wildlife observers as its an excellent spot, especially
for its specialty, the Pine Martens. There is a poor, triangle bird
table that the martens love, but Id make a bigger more open one, as you will
see soon, and install an outside light on the wall above the window to
illuminate the scene in the dark. It would be great. As it happens, it barely
gets dark in June, so back to the post.
I made a schoolboy error in forgetting my notebook ( what!) so I've relied on
photos, sketchbooks and memory for all except the moths that were scribbled on
scraps until we got home.
As for our week, I'm not sure the area has seen a spell of weather like it in
a while being hot, sunny and calm all week and for the previous three weeks
before ours too. The blanket bog surrounding the house, Kentra Moss, was very
dry. This resulted in a dearth in the usual flora with not a single Heath
Spotted Orchid, Sundew or Butterwort when in most years these are all
plentiful.
On a few days we made the mistake in going for walk somewhere not arriving
until mid morning. By then it was already too warm for Peggy so it was quite
frustrating. All week the temperatures were between 23 and 28 degrees
averaging at 25 - 26 most of the daylight hours. Insects were quite
plentiful, mainly those that bite, with millions of midgies and clegs, of
which my cleg list is now at 3 species...
So, to the stars of the show. When we visit here we always manage some
sightings of Pine Martens. If you saw last Septembers blog post, we had them
nightly with Badgers and a Fox too. This week, there were no Badgers or Fox,
but the Pine Marten had nested in the garden and was coming everyday with four
of the finest kittens you could imagine. Providing we were indoors they had no
fear of us at the window or talking. As it was hot, I kept water topped up so
they could come and drink when they were too warm. In the evening I fed a
muesli type of mix with soaked hedgehog biscuits, chopped soft dog meat,
damped bread and jam, peanuts and sunflower hearts sometimes with some chopped
fruit like apple strawberry or raspberry, what ever we had available. The
family ate the lot with relish.
During the day it would be quiet. The female would sneak a meal and a drink
alone, but by 5pm we would hear the kits were out and about. What a commotion.
scrapping and squeaking like jazz band kazoos then the lot would appear. You
could never get sick of them. What a holiday highlight they were. Here we go
with some pics and a video -
If you can turn up the sound you'll hear kits calling for mum, and maybe a
quiet profanity from Jane as one baby launches itself off the table onto the
lawn!
To say I am pleased with the photos is an understatement. All taken
through glass. The Arivegaig Pine Marten family.
They are a difficult act to follow to be honest so here are a few other
odds and sods of wildlife interest and scenery from the week.
Top - Ardtoe, with Rum and Eigg in the background bottom, Kentra.
May as well begin with these two bitey bastards. Top is a rare
Golden Horsefly recovered from a spiders web, A very local species
found in only a handful of locations in the UK. Bottom is the ever present and
abundant Two lobed Deer Fly. There were also Notch horn Clegs all over
too I can highly recommend using 'Smidge' repellant, I am very prone to all
insect bites and only had about 20 small bites all week.
Butterflies were around but in the heat wouldn't settle for a shot. Around
the house were a few Large Heath, in wooded areas and the moss were a
few Small Pearl bordered Fritillaries and Peacocks, but
although there were still a few Orange Tips on the wing, we didn't see any
Chequered Skippers. They must have had an early season in the good weather.
We had a similar problem with Dragonflies. They just wouldn't rest other
than one Gold ringed Dragon. We had lots of Four spotted Chasers too
but dipped out on the Northern Emeralds that had been seen nearby a week
earlier.
Gold ringed Dragonfly were common.
Above, Sanna on the Ardnamurchan.
Birds were few and far between, though we did have an
imm White tailed Eagle at Fascadale and a nest with the female and a
large youngster . One correctly dressed Rock Dove came into the house
garden on one morning but no others were seen. At Ariundle 3
Wood Warblers were trilling while Tree Pipits parachuted over
head.
I ran the moth trap in the garden on 5 nights. There were two new
species for me plus a nice showing of highland specials that I will put in a
separate post to stop this one dragging on...
Physocephala nigra a rare large Conopid Fly almost an inch long.
