A fantastic achievement by Mark Avery, Birders Against Wildlife Crime and others that the petition to ban driven grouse shooting has almost reached 110,000!!! Yes, 110,000.
If you have not signed it yet, please do. I have only seen one Hen Harrier in the York area since my return to Yorkshire in autumn 2010. That is SHOCKING! And raptor persecution in Yorkshire seems to be increasing. Show you care and sign this.
Click HERE.
Monday, 15 August 2016
Summer fun in a beat up Toyota
Summer time fun. Sold the camper van and gave the battered Toyota a clean. Enjoying looking at waders as you can't beat a fresh juvenile Spot shank - except perhaps a fresh juvenile Greenshank! Top butterfly watching on Mark's stag do in Cambs and Northants. Closer to home, some good mothing in the garden plus finally finding a Dark-bordered Beauty at Strensall Common, first Minke Whale of the season off Staithes and led my first whale watching trip for Yorkshire Coast Nature. Got down to Wheldrake Ings from time to time to keep an eye on the waders, and have got my hands dirty a bit pulling balsam, mending the Swantail Hide and strimming the path between Pool and Swantail. What else have I been up to? I can't remember!
Spotted Redshank posing nicely with a Common Redshank, Blacktoft 7th August
Moulting adult and juvenile Spotshanks at Blacktoft
Green Sandpiper, Wheldrake Ings, August. Up to five present mid month.
Greenshank, one of two juveniles present at Wheldrake Ings on 15th August.
Dark-bordered Beauty at Strensall Common. This mega moth feeds on Creeping Willow which is benefiting from some proactive exclosure work by Butterfly Conservation volunteers, to prevent the shrub being grazed out. This delicate male was found flying around early afternoon on a sunny day.
My first Sooty Shearwater of the year, joined the Fulmars following the chumline off the back of the YCN boat on 1st August.
Sequence of Minkes and two very surprised Guillemots off Staithes in late July.
Young Cuckoo bouncing around on the bales on the refuge at Wheldrake Ings on 31st July.
Purple Emperor, Firmyn Woods, 17th July
Silver-washed Fritillary, Firmyn Woods, 17th July
White Admiral, Firmyn Woods, 17th July
White-letter Hairstreak, Firmyn Woods, 17th July
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