We've still got a long, long way to go before we can even contemplate business as usual but, with the gradual relaxation of the confinement measures in Belgium, I was at least able to get out of Brussels for the first time since the beginning of March. I thus visited perhaps my favourite nature reserve in Belgium, the heathlands along the Dutch border. Naturally, visiting a totally new habitat I've not been able to get to so far this year provided a bunch of new species for my year list - Little Ringed Plover, Mediterranean Gull, Cuckoo, Skylark, Woodlark, Common Redstart, Tree Pipit and Reed Bunting. There were lots of Common Redstarts around, and it was lovely just to be surrounded by birdsong once again, with a constant chorus of Tree Pipits, Willow Warblers and Stonechats.
This photograph of a singing Tree Pipit shows why they come all the way back from Africa each year since all those little black dots are flies. With so many of them, the pipits have no trouble finding plenty of food for their offspring. Most exciting of all though was a Peregrine I witnessed divebombing a Goshawk, after which the Goshawk took refuge in a patch of trees and seemed reluctant to take flight again!
The heathland is also a great place for dragonflies, with hundreds of Four-spotted Chasers, one of my favourites, but also this Northern White-faced Darter, which is not found anywhere else in Belgium.
As for butterflies, Green Hairstreak is pretty widespread but at is most numerous here, while the lovely Chequered Skipper is another species which is more or less restricted to this habitat so I don't get to see it very often. This one had me lying on my stomach trying to get close enough for a decent picture and I'm quite pleased with the result.
