I was another early morning walk with some excellent highlights.
They were:
House Martin: Two over the butterfly reserve
Swallow: Three over the butterfly reserve
Tree Pipit: One over the butterfly reserve
Common Whitethroat: Four in the butterfly reserve, two along the Mermaid Track and one close to Wakeham Railway Cuttings
Lesser Whitethroat: One in the butterfly reserve and one in Bumpers Lane (again)
Blackcap: One along Wakeham Railway Cuttings
Chiffchaff: One along Old Quarry Lane and one Wakeham Railway Cuttings
Willow Warbler: One singing along Old Quarry Lane
Plus:
A large black/dark brown unidentified raptor over the butterfly reserve. Photos below, plus an update on what it is:
NOTE:
House Martin: Two over the butterfly reserve
Swallow: Three over the butterfly reserve
Tree Pipit: One over the butterfly reserve
Common Whitethroat: Four in the butterfly reserve, two along the Mermaid Track and one close to Wakeham Railway Cuttings
Lesser Whitethroat: One in the butterfly reserve and one in Bumpers Lane (again)
Blackcap: One along Wakeham Railway Cuttings
Chiffchaff: One along Old Quarry Lane and one Wakeham Railway Cuttings
Willow Warbler: One singing along Old Quarry Lane
Plus:
A large black/dark brown unidentified raptor over the butterfly reserve. Photos below, plus an update on what it is:
My mystery bird is apparently a Marsh Harrier
A Chiffchaff feeding and singing along Wakeham Railway Cuttings
Plants:
Dames Rocket (Hesperis matronalis)
Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum)
Herb Robert. Also known as Red Robin, Death come quickly, Storksbill, Fox Geranium, Stinking Bob, Squinter-pip, Crow's Foot or Roberts Geranium
General Shots:
Ted:
Ships Today:
Birds Recorded:
1 Buzzard
1 Buzzard
1 Marsh Harrier
1 Kestrel
Herring Gull
2 Stock Dove
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
2 House Martin
3 Swallow
1 Tree Pipit
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
Song Thrush
7 Common Whitethroat
2 Lesser Whitethroat
1 Blackcap
2 Chiffchaff
1 Willow Warbler
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch
1 Kestrel
Herring Gull
2 Stock Dove
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
2 House Martin
3 Swallow
1 Tree Pipit
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
Song Thrush
7 Common Whitethroat
2 Lesser Whitethroat
1 Blackcap
2 Chiffchaff
1 Willow Warbler
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch
A Common Buzzard.
These Herring Gulls were spooked by the mystery raptor, which we now know was a Marsh Harrier
A Common Whitethroat
Bird songs along Wakeham Railway Cuttings. In the order they were singing with Herring Gulls in the background: Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Wren, Goldfinch, Chiffchaff, Wren and Blackcap.
A Chiffchaff feeding and singing along Wakeham Railway Cuttings
A male Linnet
And a Goldfinch
Reptiles Recorded
Slow-worms
A metal sheet lying on the ground often reveals....
.............Slow-worms
Bees Recorded:
Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)
Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)
Slugs and Snails Recorded:
Black Slug (Arion ater)
Black Slug (Arion ater)
A Black Slug
Plants:
Dames Rocket (Hesperis matronalis)
Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum)
Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus)
Dames Rocket
Young Sycamore leaves. More on the Sycamore Tree Here.
General Shots:
Looking south from the "Bump" on the butterfly reserve.
Ted:
Ted wondering whether he can have a swim!!
