27 Apr 22

Lower Horse Paddock, Broadcroft Butterfly Reserve and Upper Horse Paddock

Well its taken 4 days of perseverance, but finally I have managed a fairly decent video of the male Chaffinch and his unusual song. There have been quite few people telling me that it's a Lesser Whitethroat, which I was a bit annoyed about, as they were assuming I didn't know what a Lesser Whitethroat sounded like. Well guess what it isn't a Lesser Whitethroat and I feel pretty pleased with myself that I have stuck it out for the past four days to prove my point.

Another good bird today was a Grasshopper Warbler "reeling" from within a hawthorn tree in the reserve. I only managed to see it briefly, but I certainly heard it.

Other highlights were 2 Wheatears in the Lower Horse Paddock, and after not seeing or hearing either Chiffchaff or Willow Warbler yesterday, they were both singing on the reserve today.

There are at least two Common Whitethroats in the Lower Horse Paddock, but unfortunately as a huge chunk of brambles was grubbed out a few months back, that is probably the most I will see in the paddock.

The real Lesser Whitethroat is still on the reserve close to the Sports Field, and the male Blackcap is still singing away on the "bump" and today I managed a glimpse of the female there as well.

And finally I heard a Great Spotted Woodpecker coming from the direction of Broadcroft Quarry Lane.


Mammals Recorded:
Bunnies

Birds Recorded:
Buzzard
Kestrel
Herring Gull
2 Stock Dove
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
7+ Swallow
Pied Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
2 Wheatear
1 Grasshopper Warbler
7 Common Whitethroat
1 Lesser Whitethroat
2 Blackcap
4 Chiffchaff
2 Willow Warbler
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch
Greenfinch

One of a pair of Stock Doves in the Lower Horse Paddock

Also in the Lower Horse Paddock were these...........

...........two Wheatears.

A Common Whitethroat...........

.......in good voice.

Here he is again taking a breather.

This male Starling is hitching a ride on one of the horses in the paddock, before dropping down onto the ground in search for a snack.

A Goldfinch.

Chaffinch

Here is a photo and a video compilation of the unusual Chaffinch on the reserve.

Just an ordinary male Chaffinch, other than its odd song.

A compilation of short video clips of the Chaffinch with the unusual song on the butterfly reserve.

Butterflies Recorded:
Orange-tip
Large White
Small White
Wall Brown
Speckled Wood

There weren't too many butterflies about today, but one I keep seeing is this Wall Brown.

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

A Buff-tailed Bumblebee

Hoverflies Recorded:
Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)

And there weren't too many hoverflies about either, apart from this Dead Head Hoverfly

Plants:
English Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta).

A few days ago (24 Apr 22) I photographed a Spanish Bluebell (Hyacinthoides hispanica). This Bluebell  however, is our native species where all the flowers are on one side and not all around the stem like the Spanish Bluebell. More on Bluebells Here.


Ted:

Thirteen is my best effort so far. Just 8 Ted's today.