24 Aug 21

Wakeham and Easton

Today was spent in the garden plus a quick trip to the recycling centre. Main highlight was when I stopped off at the Chemist and whilst I was waiting in the queue outside, 23 Long-tailed Tits and a lone Blue Tit flew from Easton Gardens across the road into the gardens behind the Chemist.

Birds Recorded:
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
House Martin
Swallow
Dunnock
Blackbird
Willow Warbler
23 Long-tailed Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch

The Goldfinches like this juvenile or should that be immature, are enjoying the Nyjer Seeds so much, I might have to buy another feeder.

Butterflies Recorded:
2 Large White
1 Small White
1 Holly Blue

Moths Recorded:

Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa)

An Angles Shades which was hiding in the Lemon Mint.

Bees Recorded:
Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)
Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum)

One of several Honey Bees on the Lavender.

There were also a few Buff-tailed Bumblebees.

Though there were Common Carders on the Lavender, this one chose a Sedum 'Iceberg' Ice Plant, which hasn't quite opened up yet.

On the Lavender in the back garden were several Honey Bees, Buff-tailed Bumblebees and very briefly a Common Dronefly

Hoverflies Recorded:
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)

A few months ago we were inundated with Marmalade Hoverflies, that after a few weeks disappeared. Well they are back. Not as many as last time but there quite a few on the wing in the garden

 

A Common Dronefly

Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Semaphore Fly (Poecilobothrus nobilitatus)

I'm pretty sure this is a Semaphore Fly.

I thought I would get in a bit closer and use the flash. As you can tell it took off, but one thing is for sure, if it is a Semaphore Fly, it isn't a male as they have white spots at the end of their wingtips.


Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina)

A Common Green Shieldbug. This one is a 3rd instar nymph

Slugs and Snails Recorded:
White-lipped Banded Snail (Cepaea hortensis)
Garden Snail (Cornu aspersa)

There are lots of Garden Snails in the garden, so it made a change to come across this White-lipped Banded Snail 

Ants Recorded:
Small Black Ant (Lasius niger)

Under the corrugated sheet was this Small Black Ant's nest with eggs.

Ted:

Do you know, as much as Ted enjoys his walks, today I think he actually enjoyed chilling out in the garden as it was pretty warm.