We’ve had a good weekend here at Fairburn Ings (even with the heavy rain) with a mixture of wildlife. I’ve picked out a couple of species to chat about; you can find a sum up of the wildlife recorded in our sighting book towards the end of the blog.
The Comma is one of my favourite butterfly’s, this bright yellowy orange to tawny red butterfly is surprisingly well camouflage when it’s wings are closed; looking almost like a dried leaf. It takes its name from the distinct white comma shape (circled in yellow) on the underside of its wing and has easily identified ragged scalloping to its wing edges.
Comma, Grahame Madge (rspb-images.com)
Comma, Adrian Hacker, Urban Butterfly Garden
The males are territorial; occupying a favourite perch and chasing off competitors with a strong; gliding flight. If you are trying to get a photo but it fly’s off; be patient, Commas normally come back to their perch and ought to become accustomed to you being about. The caterpillars eat a few different plants including the gardener’s favourite! Nettles! The typical habitat is woodland edge or sunny rides; although they can often be found in gardens as well. There have been several round the Discovery trail and along the Woodland walk.
A Wood Sandpiper has been visiting Pickup hide over the weekend, the sightings have been in the mornings so it might be worth an early visit to try and spot this bird. It has a long white eyebrow (supercilium), long yellowish-green legs and is similar in shape to a Green Sandpiper.
Wood Sandpiper, Mike Langman rspb-images.com
Green Sandpiper, Mike Langman rspb-images.com
It is paler brown in colour than the Green Sandpiper and has loose streaking and baring on its breast and flanks, so it doesn’t have the clear-cut breast-band you see on the Green Sandpiper.
Keep your eyes open for Buff-tip caterpillars, they can be seen in fairly large numbers feeding on sallows, birches and oak along the woodland walk and near the pond dipping platform.
Buff-tip lava. Image by Jeroen Voogd, Sourced http://ukmoths.org.uk/index.php
Buff-tip adult. Image by Ian Kimber, Sourced http://ukmoths.org.uk/index.php
Pickup hide has been busy with Common Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Greenshank, Little Ringed Plover and Willow Tits.
From Lin Dike we’ve had reports of several raptors including Marsh Harrier, Hobby, Sparrowhawk, Kestrels, Buzzards and a Peregrine. Hopefully that’s whet your appetite and you’ll pop in to say Hi and record your sightings. Julie.