June...

A bit odd to be talking about June on Christmas Day, I know, but with stomachs and the dishwasher groaning under the weight of the day's gluttony, it seems like as good a time as any to chalk off another month in my review of the year. And the temperature outside is about the same too. Oh, a very merry Christmas by the way, and thanks for reading - I know it's been hard going lately with all this reminiscing.

Speaking of which, back to June and early in the month I combined a quick trip to Cornwall to see the long-staying Dalmatian Pelican of unknown origin with a return via Branscombe in Devon to search for Wood White butterflies - a rare species in these parts which were quite easy to find on the crumbling undercliff. A memorable day, not least as the car broke down, as if chiding me for twitching the Pelican.

Dalmatian Pelican, Drift Reservoir

A spectacular bird, though whether it will make Category A of the British list is another matter

Wood White at Branscombe - my photo of the month for June 2016

Some other rare butterflies featured prominently on my travels in June. A visit to Kent on business provided the opportunity to catch up with Heath Fritillaries in the Blean Woods, while Small Pearl-bordered and Marsh Fritillaries were on the wing closer to home in Dorset. A beautiful but fussy family with particular habitat requirements, all facing long-term decline, though the Marsh Fritillaries are at least doing well on the chalk in Dorset. A bit of moth-trapping in our Wareham garden also made for some family fun, a monster Privet Hawk being the highlight.

Small Pearl-Bordered Fritillary, Purbeck

Marsh Fritillary, Cerne Abbas

Heath Fritillary, Blean Woods

Mid-month  saw the whole family heading to Norfolk in a campervan for the weekend, and an opportunity to add Great Knot to my British list followed by a fry-up in the van - twitching in style! It was good to be able to combine some birding with some family time, though getting them up in the morning proved a challenge - the Great Knot was only seen thanks to an early morning lift from Dave Bradnum while they were all still in bed. Cheers Dave.

Great Knot, Titchwell Beach, Norfolk: bird of the month for June

Red-backed Shrike - a smart male snapped whilst in Kent

Privet Hawkmoth in our Wareham garden

Not so far and wide

After a bit of dashing around the country chronicled in my last post, staying closer to home has also been quite rewarding recently on the wildlife photography front. A Privet Hawkmoth in the moth trap in our small urban garden was a first - even my hard-to-impress sons had to admit it was pretty showbiz. Slightly further afield, Silver-studded Blue Butterflies have been out on the Dorset heaths for several weeks - in large numbers at Stoborough judging by a short visit after work one sunny evening last week. And a few miles further still, but still in Purbeck, Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries have been on the wing at one of the few sites in Dorset where they can still be found. First up though, a local celebrity in the form of a Nightjar which has been spending the day roosting at Arne RSPB, boosting the chances of many visitors of catching up with this species in daylight as well as the coffers of the café in whose grounds it has taken up residence.

Nightjar, Arne

Backyard beast: Privet Hawkmoth in our Wareham garden

Adder near Wareham

Underwings don't come much pearlier than this: Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary: sadly now a rarity in Dorset

Common Lizard on the Purbeck Heaths

Silver-studded Blue, Stoborough Heath

The silver studs are just visible on this roosting male

This is a female Silver-studded Blue

The silver studs are more prominent on this female

Beautiful colours catching the late evening sun

Another fresh male

Silver-studded Blue