Birding - 12/07/09

Small copper Lycaena phlaeas - lovely butt

Lots of meadow browns Maniola jurtina on the wing at the moment

Nipped out for a beach BBQ this evening. Commander Nutbeam and I were dropped off first at Ranarpstrand and had a great little half hour here. Best of it was a close adult Temminck's stint, the supporting cast included greenshank (2), redshank (3), green sandpiper (7), wood sandpiper (1), common sandpiper (4), dunlin (1), whimbrel (1) and curlew (1). Nearby at Grytskaren we had a nice turnstone (only my third of the year) as well as more common sandpiper (4) and another dunlin.

Birding - 08/07/09

Marsh helleborine Epipactis palustris at Slottet near Förslöv this morning

Took the kids and Ma B out during the day. Our first stop was the orchid clearing at Slottet. Nice showing of marsh helleborine here and a big fritillary escaped the net. Plenty of meadow brown and ringlet flying though. Birds included a singing redpoll.

We took lunch at Älemossen and picked a load of blueberries. We could hear cranes in the distance but they did not show. As we drove away from the site a dark green or high brown fritillary (?) appeared and perched right by the car. Too brief to identify - either would have been new for me here. The butterflies have been excellent this summer after two poor years, I just wish I had a bit more time to chase them around.

Commander Nutbeam (of the Norwich Nutbeam's) picking blueberries out on the heath

After tea I took Mrs B out for a walk to Glimminge. Huge numbers of Tringa sandpipers must be on the move because we had good numbers (for this site) of wood sandpiper (9) and green sandpiper (14), as well as common sandpiper (4), dunlin (2) and snipe (1).

Changeable weather at Glimminge this evening