Port and Wey: 11 Oct 22

Old Quarry Lane, Wakeham Meadows, Wakeham Railway Cuttings,The Cuttings, Bumpers Lane and Lower Horse Paddock

Yet again, another glorious sunny day, with the main highlights being 10 Swallows, 50+ Meadow Pipit, 4 Pied Wagtail, 2 Grey Wagtail, 5 Stonechat, 3 Blackcap and 5 Chiffchaff.

There weren't so many butterflies about today, which was probably down to the easterly wind coming straight off the sea. But having said that I did record a few Large Whites, Green-veined Whites, a couple of Speckled Woods and 3 Red Admirals. However it was the drop in the number of Clouded Yellows seen, which went from yesterday's 12+ to just 3 today. However 3 Wall Browns by the Cuttings Quarry, were the first I have seen for quite sometime.

Just the one Rush Veneer seen in Wakeham Meadow and I came across a Hummingbird Hawk-moth in Bumpers Lane.

Mammals Recorded:
Grey Squirrel

Birds Recorded:
1 Sparrowhawk
2 Buzzard
Kestrel
Herring Gull
1 Stock Dove
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
10 Swallow
50+ Meadow Pipit
4 Pied Wagtail
2 Grey Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
5 Stonechat
Blackbird
3 Blackcap
5 Chiffchaff
Long-tailed Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
2 Raven
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch

Not the best photo of a Swallow, but at least you can tell its a juvenile, with that short forked tail.

The island is alive at the moment with Robins singing just about everywhere, as they set up their Winter Quarters.

Along the coastal path I came across 5 Stonechats.....

There were three males and.........

...........two females.

I'm pretty sure there were more than three Blackcaps on my walk, but.............

............they are very wary birds, giving very little away as to where they are. This male has just "clocked" me and that was the last I saw of him.

A female Blackcap was out in the open for a few seconds, before heading back into the bushes.

Still a few Chiffchaffs about. On my walk I came across five birds. At home though, there was one individual singing.

Reptiles Recorded:
Wall Lizard

A Wall Lizard enjoying the warm sunshine.

Butterflies Recorded:
Large White
Green-veined White
3 Clouded Yellow
3 Wall Brown
2 Speckled Wood
3 Red Admiral

A male Clouded Yellow feeding..........

...........on Ragwort.

Having not seen any Wall Browns for quite sometime, it was great to see 3 today, even if they were all a bit worn like this individual.

Moths Recorded:
1 Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum)
Rush Veneer (Nomophila noctuella)

A Hummingbird Hawk-moth in Bumpers Lane.

Bees Recorded:
Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)
1 Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
1 Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)
Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae)

A Honey Bee in flight.

And my attempt at capturing an Ivy Bee in flight.

An Ivy Bee collecting Ivy pollen.

An Ivy Bee leaving its nest

Wasps and Gall Wasps Recorded:
German Wasp (Vespula germanica)
Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)

German Wasps

German Wasps at their nest in Bumpers Lane, with a Robin singing in the background

And a Common Wasp

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

Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Muscid Fly (Phaonia pallida) - possibly
Cranefly (Tipula paludosa)
#1 - fly sp.

I'm pretty sure this is the Muscid Fly (Phaonia pallida). It certainly looks like this individual Here, but the jury is out.

#1 - fly sp.

Plants:

Marvel-of-Peru (Mirabilis jalapa)

Cyclamen (Cyclamen hederifolium)

In the undergrowth next to the lower horse paddock was this Marvel-of-Peru (Mirabilis jalapa). It is also known as Four-o’clock or Beauty-of-the-night.