A quick update with some recent sightings at Dove Stone over the last couple of days starting up at Binn Green with regular views of Great Spotted Woodpecker on the peanut feeder and some very vocal juvenile Greenfinches. Around this area and the woods regulars to be seen include Goldfinch, Coal, Great and Blue Tit, Wren and Mistle Thrush, include some juvies.
Little Ringed Plover
Elsewhere, over Dove Stone res we have today Oystercatcher and at least three Common Sandpipers - also to be seen around Yeoman Hey. On the hillsides around the main trail Meadow Pipit, Wheatear - adults and juvies - and also Stonechat amongst the bracken. On the watercourses some nice sightings of Grey Wagtails. Probably best sighting of the day is Red Kite over the tops. It's been a while since I updated our reserve bird list so add Little Ringed Plover at 66, Merlin at 67 and Red Kite brings our Dove Stone Reserve Birdlist total up to 68. Also up on the blanket bog there are some Golden Plover and Dunlin to be seen whilst there seem to be fewer Curlew compared to about a month ago, with reports of numbers over Black Hill. What's missing from our list ? Unfortunately, we haven't had any sightings of Pied Flycatchers this year, whereas last year we had a pair breeding on the reserve.
Red Kite
So. that's a quick update on what's happening on the bird-front at Dove Stone, but there's loads of other activity happening at the moment. Take yourself down to one of our meadows ( whilst you're around take in the fantastic aroma of the pines at the moment too - it's really sweet ) and check out the butterflies. Today you could just stand there and be surrounded by Meadow Browns, Skippers - Small and Large - Ringlets and Small Whites feeding on the thistles and also on some of our wild flowers like Birdsfoot Trefoil.
The other butterfly of which there are lots on the wing at the moment is Small Heath. Also worth looking out for Small Tortoiseshell, Speckled Wood and Peacock. On the moth front, there's a number of day flying Cinnabar moths and Latticed Heaths. Up towards the moors and on the tops themselves Oak Eggar moth is also around in good numbers too.
Latticed heath
I particularly wanted to blog about Dove Stone's butterflies in this post because tomorrow sees the start of Butterfly Conservation's Big Butterfly Count. This spring was the coldest for 50 years and it followed a washout 2012 — the worst year on record for UK butterflies with the majority of species suffering declines. And many butterflies are experiencing long-term declines. Butterflies emerged at least 3 weeks later than usual this year so the current warm weather is given them a much needed boost. The Big Butterfly Count can help to assess whether UK butterflies can recover this summer. So, it runs from Saturday 20th July to Sunday 11th August. For info on how to contribute your records of the butterflies you see in your garden, your local park or another green space go to http://www.bigbutterflycount.org/.
Final thing for today, a pretty cool Nursery Web Spider (pisaura mirabilis) cocoon seen at Dove Stone today. Pisaura mirabilis is found in woodland, heathland and grassland habitat. The cocoon protects an egg sac and this female will be protecting her eggs until they're ready to hatch. More soon with news of the some great odonata at Dove Stone in a special dragonfly and damselfly post.