30 Jun 22

Out and About.


Creekmoor Ponds Nature Reserve

It was another trip to Poole today and my first stop was Creekmoor Ponds Nature Reserve Here. It is a 14 acre public open space consisting of 2 ponds and woodland and an abundance of wildlife.

All you need to know about Creekmoor Ponds

Main highlight was a Kingfisher calling, but sadly not seen. But with 32 species noted it was pretty good for birds.

As for Dragonflies and Damselflies, they were everywhere.

Mammals Recorded:
8 Grey Squirrel

Birds Recorded:
6 Mute Swan
Mallard
Moorhen
Coot
Black-headed Gull
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
House Martin
Pied Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
Song Thrush
Garden Warbler
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
Goldcrest
Long-tailed Tit
Coal Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Nuthatch
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Greenfinch

The resident Mute Swans and their 4 cygnets

Talking to the locals there were originally 6 cygnets, but two were predated by Foxes

A bit unusual, one of the juvenile Mute Swans has white downy feathers, unlike the grey of its siblings. I don't recall ever seen one so white at this age.


Fish Recorded:
Common Carp

Just one of dozens of Common Carp in the main pool


Dragonflies and Damselflies Recorded:
Emperor Dragonfly
Common Darter
Azure Damselfly
Blue-tailed Damselfly

An Azure Damselfly

Butterflies Recorded:
Small Skipper
Large Skipper
Large White
Small White
Speckled Wood
Ringlet
Meadow Brown
Marbled White
Red Admiral
Peacock
Comma

Lots of butterflies on the reserve including this Comma


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


Wasps Recorded:
Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)

Sawflies Recorded:
Sawfly (Rhogogaster scalaris)

Sawfly (Rhogogaster scalaris)


Hoverflies Recorded:
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax)
Pied Plumehorn (Volucella pellucens)

A Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax)


General Shots:

A view of the main pool


Ted:

Ted seems happy with this walk. Lots of shade which he appreciates when its sunny

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Upton Heath

My second walk was at Upton Heath Here and a very long one. I'm not sure Ted was too impressed, so there were occasions when he had a carry.

Lots of highlights here with my first Tree Pipit of the year, at least 8 Dartford Warblers seen and heard, Stonechats and even 2 Siskins.

And it wasn't just the birds noted, but also a Slow-worm and a Grass Snake. The latter the first I have seen in many years.

Mammals Recorded:
Grey Squirrel
Bunny

Birds Recorded:
1 Buzzard
1 Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
2 Swift
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Tree Pipit
Dunnock
Robin
5 Stonechat
Blackbird
2 Blackcap
8 Dartford Warbler
10+ Chiffchaff
2 Goldcrest
Long-tailed Tit
Coal Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
3 Raven
Starling
Chaffinch
Linnet
2 Siskin
Goldfinch
Greenfinch

An adult male Stonechat

A juvenile Stonechat

An adult Dartford Warbler

And a juvenile Dartford Warbler


Reptiles Recorded:
1 Grass Snake
1 Slow-worm

This Grass Snake is in the process of swallowing a Frog it's just caught.

And after a few minutes it was gone. The frog that is.

After the frog had been dispatched the Grass Snake laid on the log for a few minutes before heading off for another meal!!

A Slow-worm


Dragonflies and Damselflies Recorded:
Emperor Dragonfly
Broad-bodied Chaser

This is a female Emperor Dragonfly ovipositing.

A male Broad-bodied Chaser


Butterflies Recorded:
Dingy Skipper
Small Skipper
Lulworth Skipper
Large Skipper
Large White
Speckled Wood
Ringlet
Meadow Brown
Gatekeeper
Marbled White
Red Admiral
Peacock
2 Green Hairstreak

A very worn Red Admiral

My first ever Green Hairstreak albeit a little worn. More on this green butterfly Here.


Moths Recorded:
Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum)
Common Heath (Ematurga atomaria)

This is a Common Heath (Ematurga atomaria) and a moth I haven't come across before. Unfortunately I cant add it to my Portland Moth List, but you never know, one might get blown this way. More on this moth Here. I also came across a Hummingbird Hawk-moth which disappeared into a bramble patch.


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


Wasps Recorded:
Sand Tailed Digger Wasp (Cerceris arenaria)

Sand Tailed Digger Wasp (Cerceris arenaria)


Hoverflies Recorded:
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)


Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
fly sp.


Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
Common Pondskater (Gerris lacustris)

A Common Pondskater (Gerris lacustris)


Lacewings and Scorpionflies Recorded:
lacewing sp.

lacewing sp.


Ants Recorded:
Wood Ants


Plants:
Dodder (Cuscuta epithymum)
Common Cottongrass (Eriophorum angustifolium)

This Dodder (Cuscuta epithymum)

And a member of the Bindweed Family. More on this plant Here.

Common Cottongrass (Eriophorum angustifolium)


General Shots:

Upton Pool

Upton Heath


Ted:

This is the second video I took of Ted attempting to cross this stream. The first one was with him on his lead, but he was having none of it. So I took the lead off him and well 90 seconds later and he was across. What a palaver.