Port and Wey: 13 Apr 22

Old Quarry Lane, Wakeham Meadow, Wakeham Railway Cuttings, Bumpers Lane, Broadcroft Quarry Lane, Broadcroft Butterfly Reserve and Lower Horse Paddock

An interesting day weather-wise, it was quite cloudy but it also felt muggy. Not something that has occurred over the past month or so, with the temperature reaching 14.1°C

With the milder temperatures there was also an increase in Summer migrants, with the main highlights being several Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers, plus singles of Blackcap and Wheatear. The latter two both males.

Though it felt warm, the only butterfly noted was a Small White, however there were many bees and other insects seen.

Mammals Recorded:
Grey Squirrel
Bunny

A Grey Squirrel keeps a wary eye on me.

Birds Recorded:
1 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
Pied Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
1 Wheatear
Blackbird
Song Thrush
1 Blackcap
5 Chiffchaff
2 Willow Warbler
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch
Greenfinch

In just a flash all these Woodpigeons and many more took off from the field next to me. The sound of them whooshing over me was quite dramatic. Not sure what put them up, but most returned to the field later on.

My third Wheatear this year and the first one I have been able to photograph. A stunning male bird which was just off Bumpers Lane.

And in Broadcroft Quarry Lane a male Blackcap.

Also in the lane were Chiffchaffs like this one and also......

............Willow Warblers

And another Willow Warbler,

A short video of one of the Willow Warblers singing

Butterflies Recorded:
Small White

A Small White on a Dandelion

Bees Recorded:
Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)
Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum)
Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum)
Cliff Mining Bee (Andrena thoracica)

Gooden's Nomad Bee (Nomada goodeniana)

Honey Bee

Red-tailed Bumblebee

A Common Carder

And another Common Carder

A Cliff Mining Bee (Andrena thoracica)

And this and the next two images are of a Gooden's Nomad Bee (Nomada goodeniana)

Hoverflies Recorded:
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax)
Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare)

Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Yellow Dung Fly (Scathophaga stercoraria)