Sweethill Farm, Top Fields, Wallsend Cove and Southwell Business Park
I had a good walk today which started off with over a dozen Wheatear and several Meadow Pipits on the school playing fields inside the Business Park. This was followed by at least 10 more Wheatear plus 2 Whinchat in the Top Fields.
Also about were a few hirundines, mostly Swallows and there were dozens of Small White butterflies on the wing. I also came across my first Small Heath of the year.
I had a good walk today which started off with over a dozen Wheatear and several Meadow Pipits on the school playing fields inside the Business Park. This was followed by at least 10 more Wheatear plus 2 Whinchat in the Top Fields.
Also about were a few hirundines, mostly Swallows and there were dozens of Small White butterflies on the wing. I also came across my first Small Heath of the year.
The main highlight for me today though was recording my first Ivy Bee this Autumn. There will be many more over the next couple of months.
Birds Recorded:
1 Peregrine Falcon
Kestrel
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
House Martin
Swallow
Meadow Pipit
Pied Wagtail
Dunnock
2 Whinchat
30+ Wheatear
Robin
Birds Recorded:
1 Peregrine Falcon
Kestrel
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
House Martin
Swallow
Meadow Pipit
Pied Wagtail
Dunnock
2 Whinchat
30+ Wheatear
Robin
Blackbird
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Raven
Starling
House Sparrow
Linnet
Goldfinch
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Raven
Starling
House Sparrow
Linnet
Goldfinch
At the back of the brambles the head of one of the two Whinchat in the Top Fields.
Nice pose from a juvenile!! Wheatear.
Migrant Hawker
Butterflies Recorded:
Large White
Small White
Speckled Wood
Small Heath
Gatekeeper
Red Admiral
Common Blue
Chalk Hill Blue
Small Heath
Gatekeeper
Red Admiral
Common Blue
Chalk Hill Blue
There were many Small Whites on the wing today. This is a rather battered female.
And my first Small Heath of the year.
Another worn butterfly. This time a Gatekeeper.
I guess this is a male Common Blue. But on the other-hand could it be a worn Adonis Blue!!
Bees Recorded:
Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)
Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum)
Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae)
wasp sp.
Ichneumon Wasps Recorded:
Ichneumon sp
Sawflies Recorded:
sawflies sp.
sawflies sp.
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax)
Plain-faced Dronefly (Eristalis arbustorum)
The Footballer (Helophilus pendulus)
Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)
Long Hoverfly (Sphaerophoria scripta)
Hornet Plumehorn (Volucella zonaria)
A Hornet Plumehorn on the left and a Common Dronefly to the right.
One of many Dead Head Hoverflies on the flowering Ivy
fly sp.
Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
7-spot Ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata)
Dock Bug (Coreus marginatus)
Lesser Thick-legged Flower Beetle (Ischnomera cyanea)
A 7-spot Ladybird. The first one of this species I have seen in along while.
And the same goes for this Dock Bug. This is another bug I've not seen for awhile either.
Ted's looking a bit warm.
Well there is always the cool grass to lay on.
This is the British "Ghost" Ship "Tenacious" not only heading out into the English Channel but also into the sea fog just off The Bill. More on this vessel Here.