June 14, 2007
Scarce local birds, orchids and insects
A couple of walks around my local patches proved fruitful last week. Marsh Warbler (Rousserolle verderolle) has returned to the same spot in the Coupieres Basin as last year, the only spot I know of to find them locally.
In the fields bordering the Bois de la Hacquiniere, a found my first Cirl Bunting (Bruant zizi) for the area, a singing male. Sadly I only had my bins with me, so this shot hardly does the bird justice.
Another surprise here was a pair of Hawfinches (Grosbec casse-noyaux), a tricky bird to find at this time of year.
In the woods I found this sorry-looking Twayblade.
This territorial Red Admiral took a liking to my rather sweaty hands.
On campus, many orchid species are in flower, including the abundant Bee Orchid...
... a few Lizard and Pyramidal Orchids...
... and a single Heath(?) Spotted Orchid.
After the lousy weather in May, we're just starting to see good numbers of damselflies (Azure Damselfly and Common Bluetail pictured here).
