August 2017 - Part 3
21st August 2017 - (Monday, Hétfő)
My late afternoon visit was very productive, in addition to the water delivery. Various moths revealed themselves as I walked around, and I recorded a Colorado Beetle and another female Phanoptera bush-cricket. Also of interest was a cluster of galls on the seed head of an Austrian Mullein plant. These galls have been identified by Mr György Csóka as being caused by Gall Midge Asphondylia verbasci. As for butterflies, it was 'all blues' today: Short-tailed Blue, Common Blue, Reverdin's Blue, Chalkhill Blue, and Adonis Blue. There will be additional species from Teréz's photos.
Here are Teréz's photos for the same day:
22nd August 2017 - (Tuesday, Kedd)
I managed to photograph most of the butterflies that I observed, but two that 'got away' were : Eastern Pale Clouded Yellow, and Great Banded Grayling, which flew over my shoulder as I was searching the Purple Loosestrife flowers! Others seen were: Short-tailed Blue (male), Chestnut Heath, a very damaged Dryad, Meadow Brown, and a nice, fresh Silver-spotted Skipper, making a total of: 7 species. During my visit I heard Bee-eaters calling overhead, but they couldn't be seen ... as usual ! Towards the end, as I walked on the track in front of the houses, two different bird species perched close enough to be photographed: Spotted Flycatcher and Whitethroat.
23rd August 2017 - (Wednesday, Szerda)
As I arrived with the water I had to quickly clip on the 300mm lens as I saw a Fritillary just down the slope from my 'water entrance'. Once photographed I could see that it was a Weaver's Fritillary. Other butterflies seen were: Wood White, Small White, Silver-studded Blue, Small Heath, and Chestnut Heath, making a total of 6 species seen during my fairly short visit. The temperature was more comfortable today.
24th August 2017 - (Thursday, Csütörtök)
Lots of interest again today, with the most 'orangey' Praying Mantis I'd ever seen, plus these butterflies: Silver-washed Fritillary (female), Silver-studded Blue (female), Common Blue (male), Silver-spotted Skipper, Chalkhill Blue (male), Small Heath, Adonis Blue (male, damaged), Meadow Brown (with section of wing missing), and Reverdin's Blue (male) : 9 species. I installed new site information signs at the top entrance and the fence near the houses. These replaced the existing ones that 'disappeared'. After that, I wasted an hour looking for my reading glasses ... without success.
25th August 2017 - (Friday, Péntek)
I arrived on-site just before 1000 with the idea of searching for my reading glasses. I was prepared for a long search of the site, but as soon as I reached the RB1 area ... there they were, on the floor. Yes .... in my 'blindness' of yesterday afternoon, I'd trodden on them. I gently teased them back into shape, but the frame looked like Uri Geller had been at work ! Anyway, after that, the water was poured in, and I crouched there wondering if I should cut the water plants on the left half of RB1 so that I could actually see how many amphibian young were there. My idea is to block off the left half, and transfer any young to the right half. That way, it should, in theory, take less water to keep the level up. It probably won't work like that though, but I'm looking to stop these water deliveries soon. The temperature was a more more manageable 20 degs this morning. Apart from all the hydrological business, it was a wonderful day for butterflies : Chestnut Heath, Silver-spotted Skipper, Short-tailed Blue, Small Heath, Brown Argus, Weaver's Fritillary, Adonis Blue (3 males), Sooty Copper, Meadow Brown, Small White, Common Blue, False Grayling, Scarce Swallowtail, Eastern Pale Clouded Yellow, and Painted Lady : 15 species. A mature female Green Lizard scuttled through the vegetation in The Bowl, but stopped for photos ! Other sightings included a Spotted Flycatcher and a Blue Carpenter Bee.
I made a second water delivery, late-afternoon, as I will not be able to do so tomorrow. Therefore, RB1 received 220 litres of water today. After the delivery, I had a brief walk, adding Chequered Blue and Wood White to my butterfly list for today, making a total of 17 species. From my position near RB1 I photographed a bird perched on a bush on the top rim. The photos are not of top quality, but I'm wondering if it is a Corn Bunting ... it looks a little different from the Yellowhammer. The temperature was much higher this afternoon .. at least 30 degs., as evidenced by my two-tone shirt !
27th August 2017 - (Sunday, Vasárnap)
Only a late water delivery.
28th August 2017 - (Monday, Hétfő)
Yet another water delivery ... nothing more. I'm losing my battle with the Sun and heat.
29th August 2017 - (Tuesday, Kedd)
Late afternoon, and another water delivery ... but with a difference. I'm losing my battle with nature so I decided to bring some loppers with me. The problem is that I can no longer see if there are any amphibian young in the very shallow left-side of RB1. So, I decided to cut the vegetation from that side. Maybe tomorrow I can block off the left side, so that any water I deliver will only feed the deeper right side. I think that much of my water delivery is being consumed, at night, by deer and boar.
30th August 2017 - (Wednesday, Szerda)
31st August 2017 - (Thursday, Csütörtök)
I arrrived at the SQ just before 1100 this morning, armed with the final 100 litres of water for 2017. Why? well, because my intention was to catch as many young amphibians as possible and transfer them to the garden pond at Mátrafüred. My daily RB1 top-ups are no longer effective, due to the intense heat, and goodness knows how much all this water is costing. Firstly, I poured in the 100 litres so that I had plenty of water to 'work with'. Then I cut lots of the reedmace stems at the front of RB1 before making the difficult journey to the rear of this small water body. It was difficult because there is so much scree at the back, and these rocks are about 15 to 25 cms in diameter, most of them partially hidden by plants. It is a real 'sprained ankle' area ! Once there, with all the collection equipment, I set about cutting the reedmace stems from the rear of RB1. I also cut the stumps that were protruding above the water as these stop the net moving easily. Catching the Spadefoot Toad tadpoles was relatively easy, and I also netted a young Great Crested Newt and a baby Green Tree Frog. As always, when work is being done, species appear that cannot be photographed. I did capture a male Ruddy Darter, but missed a mating pair, on two occasions ! Also missed were: Silver-washed Fritillary, Chalkhill Blue, False Grayling, Small Heath, Small White, Eastern Pale Clouded Yellow, and a few other (unidentified) blues. My site work took 2.5 hours, and then I transferred the young amphs to Mátrafüred. While I worked, I was accompanied by an adult Fire-bellied Toad, who, unfortunately, has one 'hand' missing. Not sure if it was bitten off, or whether it was a birth defect. Either way, it must impact on its breeding capability (if it's male), as it cannot grip a female strongly.
The following photos show the events when I delivered the young amphibians to the garden pond at Mátrafüred. I will return to RB1 tomorrow to see if any other young escaped my net. I hate to think of any of them dying when RB1 dries out completely. I started my daily deliveries on 6th June ... so it has been almost 3 months. Hopefully, many other young have 'graduated' from RB1 (unseen) during this period.