In a very quiet and secluded spot in Wakeham I am privileged to have been given access to a small wildlife site run by one of my neighbours. It does entail taking buckets of water for some of the newly added fruit trees and topping up the pond, but a small price to pay to watch the wildlife in peace.
Today's visit was really good with a pair of Chiffchaffs and singles of Garden Warbler, Blackcap and Common Whitethroat all found here in this little oasis. Other birds noted were a Buzzard circling overhead, Wood Pigeon, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, House Sparrow, Chaffinch and Goldfinch.
The ground here is covered in clover, buttercups, dandelions and daisy's, which hasn't gone unnoticed by lots of bees, hoverflies and butterflies.
Some newbies here were Large Narcissus Fly (Merodon equestris) and an Ichneumon (Syrphoctonus tarsatorius).
Here are a few images from this afternoon:
A little oasis........
.......and full of wildlife.
Low level view of the daisy's, buttercups and clover.
A male Chiffchaff
A Chiffchaff "chiff chaffing" with a Blackbird singing in the background.
A Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum)
This is a Large Narcissus Fly (Merodon equestris) a Bumblebee mimic hoverfly.
One of the mining bees Andrena sp.
A male Blue Mason Bee (Osmia caerulescens)
A male Blue Mason Bee (Osmia caerulescens) in slo-mo before it flew off.
An Ashy Mining Bee (Andrena cineraria)
Very windy, but this Ashy Mining Bee manages to hang on to the buttercup.
Mining Bee (Andrena scotica)
A Honey Bee...........
.......and what I thought was another one but is a female Andrena sp. But as to which one!
Dead Head Fly (Myathropa florea)
The Footballer hoverfly (Helophilus pendulus)
A side view of a female Melanostoma scalare..........
.........also known as the Chequered hoverfly
Speckled Wood
And finally I was editing this image of a hoverfly when I noticed this in the background. Creepy or what!!
Birds Recorded were:1 Buzzard, Wood Pigeon, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Common Whitethroat, 1 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, House Sparrow, Chaffinch and Goldfinch.
Also seen:
Butterflies
1 male Orange-tip butterfly
2 Large Whites
1 Speckled Wood
Bees
Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum)
Ashy Mining Bee (Andrena cineraria)
Blue Mason Bee (Osmia caerulescens)
Mining Bee (Andrena scotica)
Honey Bee
Andrena sp.
Hoverflies
The Footballer hoverfly (Helophilus pendulus)
Large Narcissus Fly (Merodon equestris)
Dead Head Fly (Myathropa florea)Chequered hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare)
Plus an Ichneumon (Syrphoctonus tarsatorius) and several Fever-flies (Dilophus febrilis).
Of Interest
Last year (Here) my sister Hazel, was lucky enough to have a pair of Turtle Doves visit her garden in Essex. Well they are back for a second year. How lucky she is to have such an endangered bird visit her garden.
Here are a couple of photos from this morning.
One of Britain's most endangered birds. So much so that.......
...........that there is a wildlife group dedicated to saving Turtle Doves Here.