Morvern wildlife diary. July.
posted by Admin on behalf of Steve_H
Although it could not be more summery at the moment with temperatures in the mid twenties, there are signs that Autumn is really not far away.
On the hills and moors, upland birds such as meadow pipits are flocking together in increasingly large numbers ready to leave the hills. There was one greenshank family still on the hill this week, but they too will soon leave the uplands. Also a couple of anxious golden plover remaining on the high tops, sounding as though they still have young to tend to for a little while longer. Soon they will be seen in late summer flocks on the hills as families join together before moving south.
Common gull, common sandpiper, dunlin, teal and mallard have already deserted their upland breeding lochans and moved down to the coast, where coastal and upland breeding birds have already been seen in small autumn gatherings, such as curlew. Shore nesting birds, oystercatcher, ringed plover and common sandpiper, that during the summer make it known vocally, some more than others, that they are worried that you are too near their young, are now quiet again as their offspring are fully grown and independent. I have to say I do like the first summer plumage of all these young birds, I had close views of two juvenile oystercatchers, and unlike their parents that are just very neat black and white birds with that very orange bill, the black on the youngsters is flecked with white, and their bills are yellow with a black tip. Also among the loafing common gulls, preening and resting where a stream enters a salt water bay, there were a few first year birds, and although I like the clean white and light grey adults I found the mottled brown juveniles more attractive. Eiders too like these areas, where there are families with young of all ages. I have had regular reports and seen for myself over the past month two otters. Unusually they have been seen almost daily along the same stretch of shore. The two were in fact three, apparently. Although I’ve not had a good close prolonged view of the two my feeling is that these are well grown cubs, having recently become independent from the third otter, their mother. I think this because they have been frequenting the same short stretch of coast, where as adult otters usually fish an area for just a few days then move on to another stretch of their territory. Also, these two have only been seen catching and eating small prey off shore, where as an adult among its many small catches will now and then catch something bigger, which they have to bring ashore to eat. Yes, I feel that the two are young otters, probably born in the spring of 2007. They will meet up with their mother now and then as they are still in her territory, and she will tolerate them for a few more months, during which time they will move away anyway to find a territory of their own. Single otters have been seen in the same area, perhaps the mother, and or a dog otter. Pine martins have been seen late in the evenings, crossing the coast road.
The woods are now very quiet, all the singing ended over a month ago, and the woods seem deserted. However, now and then a bird will catch your eye. I’ve seen young tree pipits recently, and heard the anxious notes of an adult wood warbler up in the canopy. I managed to spot it and saw that it had food in its beak for its young. And I’ve seen redstart families this month. So our woodland summer migrants are still about, only they’re being very quiet and secretive, so much so you’d think they had left for warmer climes already. Young resident woodland birds, and adults, families, are banding together to roam the woods. Species that would not normally bother with one another are all very much together in roving flocks numbering many birds. I came upon one such flock and couldn’t count them all up in the dense oak wood roof, but there must have been at least sixty or seventy. There were blue and great and long tailed tits, chaffinches, treecreepers, and migrant willow warblers. More pairs of eyes looking out for sparrowhawks, which I have seen recently, though not in the woods but above the tree line on the moors, after pipits – easier targets out in the open. Buzzards have hungry and very vocal young on the wing, begging for food.
Summer butterflies – I saw my first scotch argus of the summer last week, their numbers will build up over the next month and be more abundant than any other species. Also on the wing at the moment, second generation speckled woods and green-veined whites, meadow browns, common blues, dark-green fritillaries, small heaths, and there are a few pale and worn small-pearl bordered fritillaries still about. I have not yet seen our special purple hairstreaks, but any day now. What is note worthy is how poor a year it has been for peacock butterflies. They have had several very good years in a row, but this year has been very poor. There were far fewer in the early spring, those that had over wintered as adult butterflies. And at this time of the year nettles are normally covered in hundreds and thousands of their caterpillars, I’ve not seen any this year yet. I think the very poor very wet weather last summer, especially during the caterpillar / chrysalis stages is to blame. Hopefully numbers will recover. It is only in the last decade or so that this species has been successfully over wintering this far north. I’ve not seen any summer migrant butterflies yet either, red admirals, or painted ladies.
Moths, well I’ve not had my moth trap out for weeks, hopefully soon.
Dragonflies– on the wing at the moment, keeled skimmers, golden ringed dragonflies, common hawkers and common darters, a few four-spotted chasers left, haven’t seen black darters yet. And damselflies – large reds, common blue and blue-tailed. Have not seen a beautiful demoiselle for a couple of weeks, they had a very good year, I will miss them.
I think that’s about it, except that I’ve been enjoying late evening views of a barn owl these past few weeks.
Let’s hope the rest of the summer is sunny and warm. Until next time…
