Pearl-bordered Fritillary

Today was an outing with a difference, we decided to give the long lenses a miss, just a medium length lens and a macro in the bag. The target today was to get some shots of a Pearl-bordered Fritillary and any other interesting bugs or insects that may be about. Also, a Nightingale would be nice to have in the bag as they have been showing well at Pulborough Brooks.  So the itinerary was set, Waltham Brooks, Pulborough Brooks and finally Rewell Woods and a fairly small target list.

The walk from the road to the wooden footbridge at Waltham Brooks gave Martin ticks of Sedge Warbler and Whitethroat. A quick scan of the lake gave nothing exotic on the wildfowl front; I still cannot find a Garganey and despair of getting a tick until later in the year. At the railway crossing several birders were about but it was a freshly emerged Small Copper that caught my eye and was duly captured.

On the return journey we came across an obliging Sedge Warbler that sat immediately above us in a hawthorn bush, Murphy's Law prevailed as I had a 180mm macro lens on the camera - anyway I managed a record shot of his head.

As we reached the road the superb song of a Nightingale was reverberating through the hedgerow. Whilst you can't miss the song, getting a visual sighting is a tad more difficult. He never posed in the open for us but I managed a record shot - another year tick.  Having got a Nightingale we didn't need to visit Pulborough, so it was an early start at Rewell Wood.

When we arrived another butterfly enthusiast was just leaving and he showed us a photo of a PBF that he had found just recently. After that, climbing up from the entrance at Fairmile Bottom to the top of the hill was a doddle. However, as we made our way down the main ride the sun was definitely weakening and grey skies loomed. Things didn't look too encouraging and I thought we might struggle. Twenty yards in and Martin flushed not one, but two, pristine specimens - a life tick!. We went to work with a will, managing to record some open wing shots of three fairly active specimens. Finally the sun gave out and slight drizzle set in, which for us was most fortunate as we had tracked one specimen until it rested on a bracken shoot, where it remained for at least forty five minutes. I only took two hundred shots and I still can't decide which is the best!! Lindsay arrived just as we were about to leave but we managed to find a couple of specimens for him .

On the footpath back towards the car we discovered a magnificent specimen of the Green Tiger Beetle, sporting a very impressive metallic green bum, purple legs and a superb set of jaws.

Bugle, Ajuga reptans - sometimes known as "carpenters herb" -  a favourite nectar source of the
Pearl-bordered Fritillary 

 Finally, home, completely knackered but determined to get amongst some more butterflies before long.

Brambling and Barn Owl

Yesterday was full of pleasant surprises; wandering round the garden mid morning I noticed an instantly recognisable sound, a Raven "cronking" his way from the Gap towards Highdown Hill. Followed immediately by some very high flying Mediterranean Gulls. Next up was a visit from a Brambling, snacking on the black sunflower seeds. Grabbing the camera I managed a few shots before it retreated to the safety of the cherry tree.

Another surprise - the Blackcap population is still rising, six today, 5 males and 1 female.

A rarity - a bird in sunshine!

And finally a Willow Warbler visited the pond but didn't stay long, last year a pair nested in my next door neighbour's garden and were regular visitors.

Buoyed up by an encouraging morning and with the weather set fair, I decided to go to Waltham Brooks. A pair of Garganey had been reported the previous day and I was hoping for a tick, also hirundines had been spotted too. I made my way via the sewage works, which were very quiet visually but there were many Chiffchaffs calling in the hedgerow. Crossing the railway I was greeted by large and vociferous flock of Meadow Pipits, but sadly, little else.

On the lake were all the usual suspects, Shoveler, Tufted, Mallard, Gadwall, Teal  and Shelduck but no Garganey.  On the way back to the car park I spotted a very pale Barn Owl, it spent almost four hours continuously searching across the Brooks, making many pounces but not once did I see a catch. Finally it gave up and perched deep in the cover of an evergreen tree on the far bank of the river. I suspect that the extensive flooding has reduced the rodent population drastically and times are very hard.  

As always with owls, no really satisfying shots

Finally, year ticks in the form of Sand Martins and Swallows feeding as a mixed flock, really nice to see them as it has been a long winter.

I see from Trevor's Blog that Garganey were seen on Breech Pool, my alternative venue. However, if I had gone there I would not have met Dick  who introduced me to his wife Sue, really nice to meet you both.

Barn Owls

It was like Torvill without Dean, Smith without Wesson and Morecambe without Wise, or as my wife said unkindly Tweedledum without Tweedledee. Unfortunately Martin called me this morning and said he was indisposed therefore I was on my own (get well soon - I miss the banter). First problem - What to do?? We had planned to visit some Sussex Commons and then on to Waltham Brooks for another shot at the Barn Owls. Finally, I  decided to stick with the plan and made my way to Ambersham Common; to say it was lifeless would be an understatement, hardly a bird moving, though the Chaffinches are finding their voices. The lack of birds gave me an opportunity to explore some of the common's flora but I soon became bored and decided to move on.

 

I wasn't hopeful that any other common or heath would be more productive so I decided to make an early start at Waltham Brooks, giving me a chance to call in to the SF where Martin had previously found plenty of birds. I soon located a couple of Chiffchaffs who duly obliged, most odd ticking that box so early in the year.

I was concentrating on getting some Long-tailed Tits in the viewfinder when I was aware of a much bigger bird flying by - Barn Owl  - at 1300 precisely. I eventually located him sat on a fence post by the railway line, too distant for a shot.

Photographing owls is one of the most self delusional pastimes available to the birding photographer. Low light, high ISO, mobile and largely distant targets are a recipe for soft and noisy captures. The self delusion comes from the view you have on the LCD screen, what appears to be the action shot of the year on downloading to the computer, becomes another discard. Presented below are what I managed to rescue - and I thought I was doing so well.

 

There are definitely four owls present, probably five as I disturbed one on a fence post in the car park. On the way back to the car park an added bonus as I flushed a Bittern from the bank of the old canal.