3 Oct 22

Old Quarry Lane and Wakeham Meadow

It was a day that started off sunny and then clouded over with drizzle late afternoon. Fortunately I managed to get a walk in, just before it rained.

Main highlights were 1 Swallow, a Blackcap, 5 Chiffchaff and 2 Goldcrests.

On the butterfly front I recorded 5 species including a very worn female Common Blue and a pristine (presumably recently emerged) Small Copper.

There are still quite a few Ivy Bees about and Common Wasps on the flowering Ivy.

Birds Recorded:
1 Kestrel
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
2 Collared Dove
1 Swallow
2 Pied Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
1 Blackcap
5 Chiffchaff
2 Goldcrest
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch


Butterflies Recorded:
2 Large White
2 Speckled Wood
1 Red Admiral
1 Small Copper
1 Common Blue

A pristine Small Copper. As I moved in closer, I had assumed it would fly off to another spot. Instead it disappeared into the "safety" of the grasses below. I can only surmise, that it was newly emerged and was still in the process of pumping blood into its wings before it would be able to fly.

A very worn female Common Blue.


Moths Recorded:
4 Rush Veneer (Nomophila noctuella)

There are still Rush Veneers about. I think I have seen more of this moth species than any other this year.


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

A Honey Bee on the Ivy

And in comparison an Ivy Bee


Wasps and Gall Wasps Recorded:
Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)
Gall Wasp (Dipoloepis rosaea)

A Common Wasp, which is exactly what it is, common.

A Robin's Pincushion on a Dog Rose. It is a gall caused by the larvae of a tiny gall wasp, Dipoloepis rosaea. More on this wasp Here.


Hoverflies Recorded:
Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
#1 - hoverfly sp.

#1 - hoverfly sp.

#1 - hoverfly sp.

#1 - hoverfly sp.


Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Cranefly (Tipula paludosa)


Crickets and Grasshoppers Recorded:
Common Green Grasshopper (Omocestus viridulus)

A Common Green Grasshopper


Plants:
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

This is a leaf of the Common Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), which is a common wildflower belonging to the sunflower family, Asteraceae. It is sometimes called Milfoil and Thousand Weed. More on this plant Here and Here.


Ted:

Ted sporting his teddy bear coat. I have no idea what he is looking at though.

NOTE
Whilst having a look at some of the wildlife sites in the UK, I came across this pretty informative site "The Norfolk Naturalists Species Guide" Here.