OK, so yesterday was a miserable grey-murk day in N.Wales. Spirits were low when🤫🤔 the birds in the sallows by Llyn Brenig were indeed 2 Willow Tits. This made for excitement! Haven't seen these guys for AGES. Let's hope they can hang on here with 100's (pristine) Coal Tits #birdingUK#birdingWales
Two days ago on the scars and pavements above Gt. Orme's Head this male N.Wheatear stood out not only for whopping size but exquisite pattern and deep colours: candidate for ssp. leucorhoa or W.Pal. tundra bird in mid-Oct. #BirdingUK#birdingwales
Golden Plover resting on The Longmynd, Shropshire today. 3/4 N.Wheatears passing through. Stonechats seem to have bred well but we found no Whinchats. Slopes facing the afternoon sun have been baked dry. Bilberry has coloured superbly #shropshirebirding#UKBirding
2+ Clouded Yellows in field with Lucerne and Chicory at midday. First field to left of public footpath running ENE from road by Rascals dog grooming towards church. Grimley, Worcs. Favouring area where slope increases downwards. @savebutterflies.bsky.social@bc-westmids.bsky.social
Some of the 49 Cattle Egrets gathering in front of 1st screen Otmoor yesterday 17.00hrs.--> Joined by Gt. Egret, 3 L.Egrets, Grey Heron,(Bitterns doubtless in veg. nearby); Glossy Ibis turned up 17.30 #BirdingUK/IRE, @rspbotmoor.bsky.social
It was secretive for ages. We had actually gone but stopped by helleborines and then discovered it 'on parade' with the L.Egret! Has anyone told it it's a NIGHT Heron by the way?
The subadult BC Night Heron still at Grimley CLPit midday. #WorcsBirds Bonus colony of 12+flower spikes of Broad-leaved Helleborine (?) amongst the Great Horsetails west end of south causeway @ukorchids.bsky.social
At Warks. helleborine site which includes 'Dune Helleborine' yesterday. Plants small and many flowers dessicated it seems. Nearby helleborines in fuller shade flowering more healthily, but even smaller at c. 10cm. @ukorchids.bsky.social
Tiddesley Wood, Worcs. p.m. SW Fritillaries, White Admirals and 2 Purple Emperors. Numerous L.Skippers, Commas, L.Whites, M.Browns, some Red Admirals and couple Scarlet Tigers. Hordes of Ringlets and a few Marbled Whites on approach to wood. @savebutterflies.bsky.social@bc-westmids.bsky.social
Thanks for the info.Sean. Looks like the Wildlife Trust info. for their reserve is way out of date/ out of touch. Man and woman faced with orchids having list of features in common are stuck without genetics lab!😜😱
Much of yesterday was spent at the very interesting Cothill Fen near Abingdon. We had a good look at specimens of Pugsley's Marsh-orchid in this unusual occurrence of its habitat (joined by Black Bog-rush, another indicator of same habitat) Identical to the Narrow-leaved Marsh-orchid of Europe?
57 Greater Butterfly Orchids flowering in one small field this afternoon with crystal clear view across to the Malvern Hills, Bredon Hill and the city of Worcester. @ukorchids.bsky.social
It seems now is the time to look for developing Bird's-nest Orchids if you have access to suitable sites: 59 flower spikes on their way in very-approximately 7500m2. of mature Beech wood today, with others still to surface by the looks of it @ukorchids.bsky.social
Most of the Yellow Wagtails at Clifton are 'flavissima' type ('our' Yellow Wag.) as in pics 2,4. However, there are 1 or 2 that look like 'lutea' (Yellow-headed Wagtail from Volga eastwards) as in pic 1. Also, there is the hybrid flava x flaviss.? in pic.3 @birdingcentral.bsky.social#WorcsBirds
