Day: 18/06/2015 Pagham Harbour, Collard Hill
Hudsonian Whimbrel
Set off fairly early to reach Pagham Harbour at 08:30 ish. A Hudsonian Whimbrel has been here since last weekend. We managed to pick it out from the Eurasian Whimbrels and Curlews that were also present from its strikingly pale supercilium and crown stripe (much more obvious than in Eurasian Whimbrel); intermediate bill length (between Whimbrel and Curlew); reddish base to the bill. It was larger and darker than the Whimbrel next to it but this is down to individual variation rather than a difference between the species. Although these features allowed us to pick out the bird we had to wait a while (as the bird wandered into the growing heat haze) before it finally took flight and the clinching diagnostic feature of dark rump and back were visible. Hudsonian Whimbrel was split from Eurasian Whimbrel by the BOU in 2011.
We met Sam West (actor) who was visiting for his 3rd attempt to see this bird. He was grateful to us for pointing him in the right direction.
This was my second new UK bird of 2015 - the first having been Hudsonian Godwit coincidently. Unfortunately although scope views were reasonable the bird was too distant and the haze to great to obtain identifiable photos.
Large Blue
Next we moved on to Street in Somerset to visit the Collard Hill national trust site. The Large Blue butterfly declined through the 20th Century and became extinct in Britain in 1979. A reintroduction programme operated in Somerset from 1983 to 1999. There are now 5 well established colonies, but public access is permitted only at the Collard Hill site. We were successful in finding 8 of these butterflies along with several Marbled Whites and a Hummingbird Hawkmoth. We also found the Greater Butterfly Orchid which was also new to us.
Set off fairly early to reach Pagham Harbour at 08:30 ish. A Hudsonian Whimbrel has been here since last weekend. We managed to pick it out from the Eurasian Whimbrels and Curlews that were also present from its strikingly pale supercilium and crown stripe (much more obvious than in Eurasian Whimbrel); intermediate bill length (between Whimbrel and Curlew); reddish base to the bill. It was larger and darker than the Whimbrel next to it but this is down to individual variation rather than a difference between the species. Although these features allowed us to pick out the bird we had to wait a while (as the bird wandered into the growing heat haze) before it finally took flight and the clinching diagnostic feature of dark rump and back were visible. Hudsonian Whimbrel was split from Eurasian Whimbrel by the BOU in 2011.
We met Sam West (actor) who was visiting for his 3rd attempt to see this bird. He was grateful to us for pointing him in the right direction.
This was my second new UK bird of 2015 - the first having been Hudsonian Godwit coincidently. Unfortunately although scope views were reasonable the bird was too distant and the haze to great to obtain identifiable photos.
Large Blue
Next we moved on to Street in Somerset to visit the Collard Hill national trust site. The Large Blue butterfly declined through the 20th Century and became extinct in Britain in 1979. A reintroduction programme operated in Somerset from 1983 to 1999. There are now 5 well established colonies, but public access is permitted only at the Collard Hill site. We were successful in finding 8 of these butterflies along with several Marbled Whites and a Hummingbird Hawkmoth. We also found the Greater Butterfly Orchid which was also new to us.
Tonight we are at the Somerton Country Guest House for 1 night B&B.