Somerset Wild Walks: Cuckoo

Sunday, 24 May 2015

Sand Bay & Crook Peak - Butterflies, wild flowers and a Cuckoo

A beautiful sunny day and a chance to catch up with some butterflies at Sand Point near Weston Super Mare. A short climb to the top of the peninsula then off onto the butterfly paths around the cliff edge. As we approached the first grassy area it was alive with Common Blues and Brown Argus - wow! So many wild flowers covering the area as well from the yellow Trefoil and Rock Roses to the beautiful 'moon' daisies and Valerian etc - paradise!

Whitethroats were busy singing from many areas and all of a sudden a Cuckoo started calling and we had a great view of it. Such a surprise to see a Cuckoo here when we are so use to seeing one on the Somerset Levels. The Whitethroats were clearly not happy with the Cuckoo and it was great to observe the Whitethroats chase and mob the Cuckoo out to sea only to return to a different area. The Whitethroats looked tiny against the Cuckoo! Sand Point is a stunning little area well worth a visit for flora, fauna and scenery. We shall return in a couple of weeks in search of Orchids.

From Sand Bay we journeyed inland only about 10 miles to the lower slopes of Crook Peak. It was really hot here in butterfly alley and the butterflies did not disappoint! Fantastic views of Grizzled and Dingy Skippers as well as Brown Argus and Common Blues.

From both sites we saw a total of 13 species of butterfly today - I just hope that the weather can now settle down and be in the butterflies favour!

'Moon' daisies - a great host for insects and looking splendid at Sand Point

Sea Campion and hosts - great muscles on these beetles!

Faded Common Blue - not surprising with the horrendous May weather we have had

Thrift - a typical coastal plant

Common Blue - female

Common Blue - male

Small Copper

View to the Point and onto Flat Holm

Wall - typical pose on stone

Brown Argus

Cuckoo - our closest view of one yet but just out of reach of a decent shot

Cuckoo calling from the Hawthorn

Grizzled Skipper - good numbers at Crook Peak

Brown Argus pair

Dingy Skipper typical pose

Dingy Skipper - a different view

Dingy Skipper

Grizzled Skipper- great underwing colours and markings

Smalll Heath - a typical pose usually in the grass!

Wednesday, 6 May 2015

Ham Wall and Shapwick - Cuckoos, Whimbrel, Dragonflies 27/4/15

We arrived at Ham Wall at around 8am to a cool breezy day with blue skies. Bitterns were booming and the bird song was almost deafening, The day ahead seemed full of promise!

Our walk took us up to the second platform and along to the Loxton Screen and back to the pond towards Tor hide. The Cuckoo was in full voice and we had a couple of sightings of a both a Cuckoo and a Bittern as well as a few Great White Egrets. A flock of 13 or so Whimbrel flew overhead a couple of times but did not settle. Great also to see the Hobbies return and the first Swifts of the year for us. Plenty of Whitethroat,Blackcaps, Cettis, and Reed Warblers present and also a single Garden Warbler singing away from a willow at Ham Wall. Marsh Harriers and Buzzards were also seen on both reserves.

On the scrape at Shapwick we had a great view if distant of a Wood Sandpiper and some Whimbrels. 48 species of birds seen today. Wow!

The first Dragonfly of the year the Hairy Dragonfly was seen both at Ham Wall and Shapwick a first for us plus some Blue Damselflies. Only a handful of butterflies around the Peacock, Green Viened White and Orange Tip. So much flora and fauna to be seen on the levels - can't wait to return.