Butterflies & birding on Cleeve Common

 

Dukes of Burgundy

Marsh Fritillary

Small Blue

Male Common Redstart

Cleeve Common is a beautiful place to spend each spring and once again it did not disappoint on this visit. With stunning views over Cheltenham racecourse the chalk hillside provides the perfect habitat for many species. I recorded fifteen species of butterfly including Duke of Burgundy, Marsh Fritillary, huge numbers of Small Blue. The only one I couldn't find was Adonis Blue which had only been reported for the first time the previous day. Bird wise I recorded a number of Redstart, Tree Pipt & Red Kite.

Bredon Hill Redstarts & Ring Ouzels

 Common Redstart

Bredon Hill climb

Ring Ouzels

I've walked Bredon three times this spring and all visits have resulted in observing some fantastic sightings. Last Saturday, I spend a lengthy session in one place just enjoying the amazing singing Redstarts. On my previous walk myself and the Squire were very priviliged to see four Ring Ouzel.

Full house in Wyre Forest

                                                 Pied Flycatcher

                                                Common Redstart

                                                  Pied Flycatcher

                                                 Pied Flycatcher

                                                Speckled Wood

                                                     Redpoll

                                                      Dipper

                                                 Wood Warbler

The Wyre Forest is a local firm favourite for a days birding and I finally took a days leave to have an extended visit on Friday. The 5 1/2 hour session was a genuine pleasure from start to finish. It's rare that you manage to see all the species you want to but on Friday it was a full house. My sightings highlights were 2 Wood Warbler, 5 Pied Flycatcher, 6 Tree Pipt, 1 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Dipper, Mandarin, Redpoll and Redstart. 

Rouzling around over Easter

                                                   Bredon Hill

                                 Common Redstart (Cleeve Common)

                                      Ring Ouzel (Cleeve Common)

                                          Ring Ouzel (Cleeve Common)

                                         A very elusive Ring Ouzel

                                 Common Redstart (Cleeve Common)

                     View of Cheltenham Racecourse from Cleeve Common

                                            Female Wheatear 

                                            Green Woodpecker

                                             Redshank (Grimley)

                                               Garganey (Grimley)

                                          Yellow Wagtail (Grimley)

                                              Lapwing (Grimley)

                                          White Wagtail (Grimley)

                                         Yellow Wagtail (Grimley)

                                                 Teal (Grimley)

                                             Black-necked Grebe

                                             Black-necked Grebe

                                              Birding in Oldbury

Easter holidays gave me extra time to get outside and undertake some quality birding.

I broke up on Thursday so I visited the pits very early where I recorded the sites first House Martin, a female Merlin (flushed on farm building) & 4 Little Ringed Plover. Rob Evans noted a valuable year tick when he picked up a Curlew flying through.

On Friday, Mrs D and I did a 3.8 mile circular romp around Bredon. The walk was actually better than the birding due to a cold north easterly wind blowing in our faces. We were hoping for an early Ring Ouzel but searching was difficult. We had to satisfy ourselves with a Common Redstart, 4 Red Kite, Meadow Pipits, Mistle Thrush and finally a singing Blackcap.

Blackcaps had arrived at the pits Saturday morning and there were three Willow Warblers in song. From there I met the Squire for a steep 4 mile walk up Cleeve Common near Cheltenham. As we headed up we passed many singing Chiffchaff, a Willow Warbler and a very showy male Common Redstart. When reaching the summit the walking wasn't over as we needed to do a great deal of searching for a Ring Ouzel. We did find a male but the bird was very elusive so we had to be satisfied with some distant views. 

After a quick recharge of batteries we headed to Grimley in the afternoon where the reported Chanel Wagtail had moved on to pastures new but there was an excellent cast of birds including a Cattle Egret, Yellow Wagtail, drake Garganey & Redshank.

Sundays count at the pits noted an increase of the LRP's to 5 and a female Wheatear was new. I managed to finally get a photograph of the Green Woodpecker that has teased me for weeks.

The weekend was wrapped up with a visit to the Chemical Pool close to my office near Tipton where a Black-necked Grebe has been found. The bird was in stunning summer plumage however viewing was very limited so I made a hasty retreat to the M5 & headed home.