4 Sep 21

Old Quarry Lane, Wakeham Meadow, Lower Horse Paddock, Broadcroft Quarry Lane, Broadcroft Pools, Bumpers Lane, The Cuttings Quarry and the Mermaid Track

This wasn't going to be my walk today, but whilst I was at the Pools, I could hear a Willow Warbler, followed by Spotted Flycatcher both singing from the Bumpers Lane Hump. So instead of visiting Broadcroft Quarry Butterfly Reserve, I headed south, eventually ending up along the Mermaid Track.

When I got to the hump there were 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 5 Willow Warblers and a Blackcap. As I was watching the Spotted Flycatchers, 7 Yellow Wagtails flew east from the Lower Horse Paddock.

Also around the hump were a Robin, 2 Blackbirds, Great Tit, Blue Tit, 6 House Sparrow, 1 Chaffinch, 4 Goldfinch and 3 Greenfinch.

And it was also a good day for butterflies with 10 species recorded.

Mammals Recorded:
Bunny


Birds Recorded:
Kestrel
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
Swallow
7 Yellow Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
2 Blackcap
5 Willow Warbler
2 Spotted Flycatcher
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Raven
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch
Greenfinch

Well just by chance I came across a recording of both a Willow Warbler and a Spotted Flycatcher singing in this clip courtesy of xeno-canto.

One of the five Willow Warblers feeding in amongst the Sycamores on the Hump.

And here is one of the two Spotted Flycatchers.

Not a bad effort I guess as I followed this Raven as it passed over Penn's Weare.

And it looks as if the Greenfinches were successful in rearing at least one youngster this year. I'm sure there were others close-by.

Reptiles Recorded:
Wall Lizard

Just the one Wall Lizard seen today

Butterflies Recorded:
Large White
Small White
5 Speckled Wood
2 Small Heath
2 Red Admiral
1 Painted Lady
1 Small Tortoiseshell
1 Small Copper
Common Blue
Chalk Hill Blue

There were a few Speckled Woods about this afternoon.

Here's another.

A Red Admiral

And a pristine looking Painted Lady

A Small Copper

A worn male Common Blue

And a male Chalk Hill Blue

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

A Common Carder Bumblebee

Hoverflies Recorded:
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax)
Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)
Hornet Plumehorn (Volucella zonaria)

Dead Head Hoverfly

And a Hornet Plumehorn

Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Cluster fly (Pollenia agg.)

Possibly one of a dozen Cluster Flies around the meadow

Crickets and Grasshoppers Recorded:
Dark Bush-cricket (Pholidoptera griseoaptera)
Roesel's Bush-cricket (Metrioptera roeselii)
Common Field Grasshopper (Chorthippus brunneus)


Leafhoppers Recorded:
Empoasca vitis

Empoasca vitis

Plants Recorded:

Cuckoo Pint (Arum maculatum)

These are Cuckoo Pints or Lords & Ladies as they are often called. Very poisonous plants.

Ted:

Well this is a turn-up for the books. Me having to wait for Ted to catch up.