I decided to take another walk on Okeford Hill on Sunday 17th July, I was up nice and early and the sun was shining and hoping to see something interesting, which I did!

I headed for the trig point and the long path over to Bonsley and I knew where and what I might see most of the usual suspects. Then a bird flew in, a very handsome bird in good condition, it sat in the Brambles and I managed to get a picture or two. Of course as soon as I got home I posted the images on the UK Bird Identification Facebook page and it was only a short time before a few answered with a Grasshopper Warbler. Then I went to the RSPB website to find out about the bird, Red listed and a Summer visitor from Africa and would migrate in August so lucky to see it. I noticed that they ringed a bird down at the Portland Bird Observatory a couple of days later, it might have been the same one!  The location and date of the bird I saw was recorded as they are not seen to often.  

As I said after that it was the usual suspects but always a a pleasure to see, the Yellowhammer male singing and then the Whitethroat, I usually hear them before I see them a rasping sound!

Another bird I don’t see very often is Willow Warbler I thought it may be a Chiffchaff as they are easily confused, but straight onto the UK Bird Identification and I was told it was a Willow Warbler due to it’s Long primary extension! Another migrant who will be leaving in September.

I spotted a few things in the wildlife margins not too many Butterflies flying in the early morning but there were a few Six-spot Burnet moths about and I guessed the cocoon was where a Burnet moth emerged from, another check at home confirmed it. I wasn’t sure but it looked like a moth was just emerging from the one in the image.