Wednesday 27 August 2014

Clouded Yellow Delight

After the sudden appearance of 'autumn', it was nice to get out this morning and feel the August sun beating down once again.
Highlights from my birding trawl around Aldcliffe included the following:
Marsh harrier (juv) hunting over Heaton Marsh. I didn't see any here in spring, so this bird represents the first patch record for the year.   
2 green sandpiper. 1 on the Flood, another on the upper ponds at Freeman's Pools.
A single wheatear was also by the Flood along with half a dozen pied wagtails.
The lone wigeon from a few days ago was on Frog Pond.
Again, there were phylloscs all over the place, the majority being chiffchaff but a few willow warblers were still hanging around.

The sun had brought plenty of common butterflies out but I was thrilled to find a clouded yellow near Marsh Point. I'm pretty sure I must have seen one or two in the Aldcliffe area over the years but without going through all my old notebooks I can't actually recall when I last saw one on the patch...

Jon

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