I put on my wellies on for a wade around Boundary Fen this afternoon. Among the many insects there were large numbers of Large and Small Skippers. I presume that Large Skippers are slightly the larger but it is not easy to tell. More reliable distinguishing features are the patterning on their wings, whereas Small Skippers are a more uniform orange colour.
Small Skipper Thymelicus sylvestris [Boundary Fen]
Large Skipper Ochlodes sylvanus [Boundary Fen]
Other butterflies around included Marbled White, Ringlet, Red Admiral, Comma and Large White.
Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus [Boundary Fen]
Comma Polygonia c-album [Boundary Fen]
The Marsh Lousewort has spread rapidly since being introduced four or five years ago and is an important plant in the ecosystem here.
Rather more delicate is Bog Pimpernel, which grows in large quantities in Boundary Fen and has tiny, but very ornate pink flowers.
Bog Pimpernel Anagallis tenella [Boundary Fen]
I played a few holes around the Green course afterwards and came across this Wild Onion, one of several in the long grass to the left of the path near the 16th tee.
There were lots of Swallows and House Martins skimming around the car park this morning. The House Martins were settling just by the car - they seemed to be stopping at puddles to drink and picking up dried grass from the tarmac - although it seems rather late to be building nests - maybe just a bit of DIY.
House Martins [Car park]
In the trees on the left of the 4th Blue there was a family of 4 Spotted Flycatchers, all too quick for me to photograph. More static, but better camouflaged was this Treecreeper nearby.
Treecreeper [4th Blue]
There were lots of butterflies around this morning:
Comma [1st Blue]
Small Tortoiseshell [17th Blue]
.. and plenty of flowers still. These were in the woodland clearing behind the 6th Blue.
A sunny and still morning gave me the opportunity to listen to some of the warblers on the course at the moment. Two of the most common are Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers. These are both small brown birds and can be difficult to separate if you don't hear them sing. If you get a good view, Willow Warblers have light coloured orange legs, whereas Chiffchaffs have dark legs. You can see this on the Willow Warbler photo from this morning compared to a Chiffchaff that I saw a few weeks ago.
Willow Warbler [5th Red]
Chiffchaff [13th Red]
It is, however, a lot easier if you hear them sing. Here is a video of each singing from the 5th on the Red this morning. Willow warbler with a descending series of notes:
And Chiffchaff with two notes repeated - hence the name.
There are also quite a few Blackcaps around the course at the moment. Fortunately these warblers are much easier to identify. This male with its characteristic black cap was feeding on Ivy berries by the first tee:
Blackcap [1st Red]
The pair of Gadwalls are still on the reservoir at the moment:
There were also a few more butterflies on the Doghouse range. This is a Comma, with its irregularly shaped wings.
It gets its name from a comma-like white mark on its underwing - just visible in the photo below:
