Another Butterfly Trip to Cumbria

Sunday 1st August and we headed off on the train to Lancaster in Lancashire for a 4 night stay. We wanted to get away for a few days and I had plans to look for Scotch Argus at their only 2 known sites in England - Arnside Knott and Smardale Gill, both in neighbouring Cumbria and fairly close to Lancaster. 

We decided to treat ourselves and travel by train despite the cost as this would be a more relaxing and enjoyable experience and despite a small delay on the trip to Lancaster and a 2 hour delay on the trip home we had a pleasent journey. We had planned to hire a car for a day for the drive from Lancaster to Smardale Gill but as it turned out we didn't need to do so.

We stayed at The Toll House Inn in Lancaster, close to the railway station and the city centre, and we had a very pleasent stay with Lancaster proving to be a very interesting city.

The weather on our journey to Lancaster was not very promising with grey skies and rain but the forecast for the following few days was looking good with sunny periods and no rainfall predicted.

Monday 2nd August saw us heading off on the train to Arnside, just over the border into Cumbria and only a 20 minute ride away. It was warm with sunny spells but by the time we had walked from the train station up to Arnside Knott (highest point 159 metres) the skies had clouded over somewhat and there was a noticeable lack of butterflies on the wing.

David found a few Grayling camouflaged amongst the scree and a few worn Meadow Brown were disturbed from the grass but eventually we found a sheltered glade amongst the trees where Gatekeepers were feeding on Marjoram flowers and with them was a very smart looking Scotch Argus. It was very flitty and eventually flew off and out of sight but I was very, very pleased to find one.

Scotch Argus, Arnside Knott

We wandered around the Knott and eventually the sun began to appear more frequently from behind the clouds and as a result more butterflies appeared - Brimstone, Comma, Common Blue, Wall, Small Skipper, Red Admiral, Small Copper, Green-veined White and Small Tortoiseshell all put in appearances and I also found at least another 4 Scotch Argus which gave some great views.

Scotch Argus

Scotch Argus

Scotch Argus

Scotch Argus

Wall

Tuesday 3rd August and we headed off on the train to Kendal, again just over the border in Cumbria and only around a 30 minute train ride away. It was warmer than the previous day and with more frequent sunny periods and on arriving at Kendal I headed up onto Kendal Fell by the golf course where a colony of Scotch Argus have recently been discovered. It was difficult to find out much information about this colony and I wasn't sure where to look but I found some patches of Blue Moor Grass, the larval food plant, and so I guessed I was in the right place.

I wandered around but again butterflies were sparse although I did see a Painted Lady and 2 Peacock along with a few Small and Large Whites, Speckled Wood, Small Tortoiseshell and Meadow Browns. 

Kendal Fell

Painted Lady

Small White

An Orange Swift and a Common Wainscot were disturbed from the grass and Harebells were in flower everywhere. However there was no sign of any Scotch Argus but just as I was about to call it a day and head back down into Kendal to meet up with David I found one flitting over the grass. Again it was very flighty, landing a few times on the ground before flying off and out of sight but very nice to see at a site I had only found out about just a week before my visit.

Orange Swift

Harebells

Harebells

Scotch Argus, Kendal Fell

Scotch Argus

Scotch Argus

Wednesday 4th August and I caught an early  train to Silverdale, just a 15 minute ride away and close to the RSPB reserves of Leighton Moss and Morecambe Bay. I walked to the hides at Morecambe Bay first where in beautiful light I had great views of 5 Spoonbills, Little Egrets, a Teal, a Greenshank, 2 Snipe, Lapwing, Dunlin, Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit and Avocets along with Reed Warbler, Kestrel and Greylag Goose. 

Spoonbills, RSPB Morecambe Bay

Spoonbills

Spoonbills

Lapwing

Snipe

Avocet

Avocet

Avocet

Black-tailed Godwit and Redshank

Avocet

Avocet

Snipe

Avocet

I then visited Leighton Moss which was very busy with visitors and in the increasing heat of the day I managed to get distant views of 2 Great White Egrets along with Grey Herons, more Redshank and Black-tailed Godwit, a Sparrowhawk, Coots and a Stock Dove with Cettis Warbler and Willow Warbler heard. Brown Hawkers and Common Darters were buzzing around too but were too quick and restless for any photos in the warm sunshine. 

Great White Egret, RSPB Leighton Moss

It had become very warm by the time I headed back to Lancaster on the train and I then met up with David for a quiet afternoon wandering around Williamson Park where I added Holly Blue to my butterfly trip list. 

Ashton Memorial, Williamson Park

Ashton Memorial

Thursday 5th August and it was time to head back to Plymouth with cloudy skies and rain greeting us along the way. We certainly had been very lucky with the good weather during our time away as we had been on our trip to The Lake District in June and it had been a very enjoyable trip indeed with Scotch Argus nicely added to my UK butterfly list. 

A Yellow Dip and a Yellow Hit

I had taken a days annual leave on Friday 16th October and had requested the Saturday and Sunday off after in order to go on our annual weekend trip to France by ferry from Plymouth to Roscoff but with the COVID-19 restrictions on travel continuing we have had to give it a miss this year. I was unable to cancel my annual leave and so with 3 days off and with no rain forecasted for a change I decided I would have some birdy time to myself instead, beginning with a trip to Rame Head.

It was bright and breezy as I arrived at Rame on Friday morning at around 10:30am and a quick scan offshore from the clifftops revealed swirling groups of Gannets and Kittiwakes and a few splashes of cetacean activity but all too far away to view well.

I carried on to Rame Church where Yellow-browed Warblers had been reported and needless to say I didn't see any (although up to 7 were reported that day) but I had a good time anyway.

Highlights around the church were a Spotted Flycatcher, a female type Black Redstart, a Firecrest and a flyover Swallow along with 2 Goldcrest and 8+Chiffchaff and quite a few Red Admirals and a few Speckled Wood. I did hear a Yellow-browed Warbler calling twice but it turned out to be a birder playing it on his phone! 

Spotted Flycatcher

Spotted Flycatcher

Red Admiral

I walked out to The Chapel at Rame Head for a closer scan offshore and had better views of Gannets and Kittiwakes along with an adult winter plumaged Mediterranean Gull but the Common Dolphins remained secretive and elusive with just the odd splashes at the surface. A Wall flitting about around The Chapel in the sunshine was a nice sight.

Wall

A nice day out, a bit too twitchy for me with quite a few birders out and about looking for the Yellow-browed Warblers but nice to catch up with a few familiar faces despite the dip.

Saturday 17th October was grey and claggy but I headed out to South Efford Marsh at Aveton Gifford anyway to look for a reported Lesser Yellowlegs. I arrived at around 11am and met a birder just leaving the nature reserve who hadn't seen the bird but I carried onwards to the hide with high hopes.

South Efford Marsh

I scanned around from the hide for around an hour as the tide ebbed and the marsh began to slowly drain and noted a Kingfisher, 4 Greenshank, a Chiffchaff, a Shelduck, a Grey Heron, a female Teal, 2 Little Egret and a flyover Greylag Geese along with the usual Mallard, Redshank, Curlew, Mute Swan and Gulls including an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull.

I concentrated on scanning the right side of the marsh as viewed from the hide where the Lesser Yellowlegs has mostly been seen but there was no sign of it. However when I eventually scanned to the left of the hide there it was, feeding right out in the open on the marsh with a Greenshank and a Redshank. 

Lesser Yellowlegs

Lesser Yellowlegs

I left the hide to view the bird from the footpath and had some great views as it fed, preened, pooped and regurgitated small pellets. Certainly the best views of Lesser Yellowlegs I have ever had and much better than last years distant and heat hazy views at this site. And I had it all to myself with 3 more birders not arriving until I was just about to leave.

Wembury Shearwaters and Dartmoor Butterflies

I had planned to put the moth box out in the back yard on the night of July 7th/8th but with rain forecast for the early hours I decided to give it a miss. On waking up on the morning of July 8th it was indeed wet, misty and mizzley but I did find a Endotricha flammealis on the kitchen ceiling that had flown in through the open window overnight,  my 53rd House/Garden moth of 2020.

Endotricha flammealis

With the grotty weather I decided to have a quiet day at home but I was feeling quite antsy and unsettled and so decided to don my wet weather gear and head out to Wembury for a walk. There has been a lot of Shearwater action along the South Devon/Cornwall coast of late and so at the last minute I packed my big telescope, the first time I have taken it out birding with me since the Ross's Gulll on the River Plym in March. Wembury is not well placed for sea watching but I have seen Manx Shearwater from the coast path in the past when conditions were right and so I had my fingers crossed for seeing something offshore today.

On arriving at the main beach at Wembury it was dank and misty and I couldn't even see The Mewstone but by the time I had walked along the coast path to the gate opposite The Mewstone it was beginning to clear. I set up my 'scope and started scanning across the waves and quickly picked up Gannets and Fulmars flying around and 2 Guillemot flying east. Further scanning and I picked up a steady trickle of Manx Shearwaters flying low over the waves just out past The Mewstone and in the hour I was watching around 200 birds were noted, the majority heading west in small groups. Even better was a Balearic Shearwater, a Wembury tick for me, which I picked up amongst them, and I had good views of it before it disappeared behind The Mewstone and again as it came back into view on the other side. A further 2 probable birds were also seen but briefer, more distant views in mistier periods precluded confirmation.

The mist eventually cleared completely and the Shearwater movement ceased with birds possibly still moving further out but I did see more Guillemots moving both east and west and there were a few Razorbill amongst them.

A small flock of Gulls were roosting along the beach as the tide began to recede -  Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Black-headed Gull including 1 juvenile and 5 Mediterranean Gull (3 adult, 1 2nd summer and a juvenile) - and along with them were Oystercatcher, a Little Egret and a Curlew.

 Adult Mediterranean Gull

Juvenile Mediterranean Gull

Around 10 juvenile Stonechats were feeding along the beach on the rotting seaweed with more seen along the cliff tops, it looks like having been a good breeding year for them this year. Cirl Buntings and Whitethroats were seen and heard and a Blackcap was in full song despite the weather as it appeared to be in a bit of a sing off with an equally enthusiastic singing Song Thrush nearby.

 Juvenile Stonechat

Juvenile Stonechat

I did see 2 butterflies on my walk despite the cloudy and wet conditions - a Meadow Brown and a very nice Wall. 2 Common Lizards were also a surprise resting on the fencing despite the gloom and a lethargic Bloody-nose Beetle was moved off the path into the safety of nearby vegetation.

 Meadow Brown

Wall

The cafe was closed so no Chunk pasty for lunch but the food stealing Carrion Crow was loafing around the main beach with its white winged fledgling.

Carrion Crows

A nice walk despite the weather, I didn't get too wet or muddy and I found my first Manx Shearwaters of the year along with a Balearic Shearwater, a Wembury tick - a good morning out.

Sunday 12th July was warm and sunny with a gentle breeze and despite feeling tired and groggy after working 2 night shifts I headed up to Roborough Down for a butterfly walk. I had originally planned to do my usual River Plym/Saltram walk but after seeing an Internet report of Grayling at Roborough Down and having received some info on Purple Hairstreak at Clearbrook I decided to switch plans.

I arrived on the Down at 09:30 and it was already quite warm in the sunshine. Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Red Admiral and Ringlet were flitting about and Yellowhammer and Blackcap were heard singing. A Dartford Warbler was singing away from the top of a Hawthorn Bush before flying off over the gorse, I assume it is the same bird I have seen before although it was in a different area than the one seen previously. Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler were also seen and heard and Whitethroat and Stonechat were seen with good numbers of juvenile Stonechat again being noticeable. Redpoll were songflighting overhead and I watched Swallow fledglings being fed by their parents mid air.

Ringlet

I arrived at the cycle track above The Skylark pub at Clearbrook at around 10:30 and quickly found a Purple Hairstreak down in the hedgerow by the path before it flew off out of sight. I scanned the tops of the oak trees for more but couldn't find any, presumably the wrong time of day for them to be active in the tree tops.

 Purple Hairstreak

Purple Hairstreak

Silver-washed Fritillary were flitting about but rarely settled for long. A Peacock, a Comma, a Large Skipper, Small White, a Brimstone, a Green-veined White, Holly Blue, Large White and a Speckled Wood were also seen and eventually I managed to find at least 4 Grayling although they were mobile and flitty across the heath.

 Silver-washed Fritillary 

 Silver-washed Fritillary 

 Silver-washed Fritillary 

 Brimstone

 Green-veined White

 Grayling

 Grayling

 Grayling

Grayling

And so another interesting walk on Roborough Down and another 2 butterflies for my year list bringing my total now to 30.