29 Oct 22

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

It was an early morning walk today, as I had an appointment at the local surgery for my Flu Jab. After being stabbed in my left arm "twice", I know not why!!, I headed off to Quarry Lane to start my walk.

And what a walk it was, with many highlights:

1 Great Spotted Woodpecker - (Broadcroft Quarry Lane)
5+ Skylark - (Overhead along my walk)
6 Meadow Pipit - (Lower Horse Paddock)
2 Grey Wagtail - (Over Bumpers Lane)
6 Stonechat - (4 Bumpers Lane and 2 Lower Horse Paddock)
12 Blackbird - (6 Wakeham Railway Cuttings and 4 Broadcroft Quarry Lane )

7 Redwing - (4 Wakeham Railway Cuttings and 3 Broadcroft Quarry Lane)
9 Song Thrush - (7 Wakeham Railway Cuttings, 1 Broadcroft Quarry Lane and 1 Lower Horse Paddock)
2 Blackcap - (Wakeham Railway Cuttings)
11 Chiffchaff - 2 Old Quarry Lane, 5 Wakeham Railway Cuttings, 4 Broadcroft Quarry Lane
6 Goldcrest - 2 Old Quarry Lane, 2 Wakeham Railway Cuttings, 2 Broadcroft Quarry Lane
4 Firecrest - (Wakeham Railway Cuttings)
4 Siskin - (Overhead along my walk)

Mammals Recorded:
1 Grey Squirrel

Birds Recorded:
1 Buzzard
1 Peregrine Falcon
1 Kestrel
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
5+ Skylark
6 Meadow Pipit
2 Pied Wagtail
2 Grey Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
6 Stonechat
12 Blackbird
7 Redwing
9 Song Thrush
2 Blackcap
11 Chiffchaff
6 Goldcrest
4 Firecrest
Long-tailed Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
4 Siskin
Goldfinch

A Buzzard over Bumpers Lane

There is definitely an increase in the number of Robins on the island.

In Broadcroft Quarry Lane this individual was very confiding.

A male Stonechat

One of three Redwings along  Broadcroft Quarry Lane

In Wakeham Railway Cuttings there were two Blackcaps, with this.......

...........male feeding alongside a Dunnock in a Sycamore Tree.

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Here are a few Chiffchaff photos.

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One of four Firecrests I came across along Wakeham Railway Cuttings.

A Long-tailed Tit searching............

...........for its next meal.

And a Wren popped out from a bush along Old Quarry Lane, just as the sun came out.

Two Linnets on a wire fence.

And then there was one.

Butterflies Recorded:
1 Speckled Wood

This Speckled Wood was the only butterfly I came across this morning.

Moths Recorded:
2 Rush Veneer (Nomophila noctuella)

I'm saying nothing!!!

Bees Recorded:
Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)
Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae)
bee sp.

There are very few Ivy Bees about now. Very soon they will all be gone.

And my mystery bee on a Knapweed.

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

There are so many German Wasps entering and leaving their nest, I'm not surprised they keep bumping into each other. 

A Common Wasp

Hoverflies Recorded:
1 Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)


Plants and Fungi:

Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus)

Sycamore Tarspot fungi (Rhytisma acerinum)

Ivy (Hedera helix)

All of the Sycamores along Old Quarry Lane and few other locations have.........

............these dark patches on their leaves. It is a fungi called Rhytisma acerinum, and is known as the Sycamore Tarspot. More on this fungi Here.

This is Ivy is along the Cuttings and was covered with wasps and several Ivy Bees.

Ted:

Ted having a wander along..............

.................the old Weymouth to Easton railway line.