17 Sep 23

Old Quarry Lane, Wakeham Meadow, Lower Horse Paddock, Higher Horse Paddock, Broadcroft Butterfly Reserve, Broadcroft Quarry Lane and Bumpers Lane

After an eventful night and morning, the thunderstorm and heavy rain eventually moved away, to leave a somewhat humid afternoon. Once the rain had eased off it was off out to see if anything had stopped over.

In the trees and bushes alongside Wakeham Meadow there was a mixed flock of 2 Blackcap, 4 Chiffchaff, 6 Long-tailed Tits, 3 Great Tits and 2 Blue Tits

The other area of interest was at the southern end of Broadcroft Quarry Lane where there was a Robin, 2 Blackbirds, 2 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff, 4 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Great Tits, 2 Blue Tits, a male Chaffinch and 5 Goldfinch in the hedgerows on the right.

Birds Recorded:
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Kestrel
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
4 Blackcap
7 Chiffchaff
10 Long-tailed Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch

The raptors were out again today, with a Sparrowhawk and this Kestrel on the lookout for a snack.

A male Blackcap in the Sycamores next to the meadow.

And a female Blackcap hiding in Broadcroft Quarry Lane

A Chiffchaff in the Brambles in the meadow

Another Chiffchaff  this time in Broadcroft Quarry Lane

Also in Broadcroft Quarry Lane was very yellow........

.............Chiffchaff.

One of the 10 Long-tailed Tits seen today............

...........along with this Great Tit and........

..........male Chaffinch

Butterflies Recorded:
3 Large White
7+ Speckled Wood
4 Meadow Brown
5 Red Admiral

Despite the cloudy conditions there were several Speckled Woods about, plus......

............a few Meadow Browns and.........

............Red Admirals.

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

Its early days yet but hopefully I will get a decent shot of an Ivy Bee.

Wasps, Ichneumon Wasps, Parasitic Wasps and Gall Wasps Recorded:
Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)

A close-up of the Common Wasp nest entrance.

I was a bit too close, as others appeared in numbers.

Here is one close to the nest on Ivy.

Hoverflies Recorded:
Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
Plain-faced Dronefly (Eristalis arbustorum)

Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)

Long Hoverfly (Sphaerophoria scripta)

Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)

Plain-faced Dronefly (Eristalis arbustorum)

And also on the Ivy was this Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)

A Long Hoverfly (Sphaerophoria scripta) on an umbellifer sp.

Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
1 Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) - form succinea

Just one Harlequin Ladybird - form succinea, seen on my walk. The rest must have been sheltering from the rain and hadn't ventured out yet.

Woodlice Crustaceans Recorded:
Common Striped Woodlouse (Philoscia muscorum)

Common Striped Woodlouse (Philoscia muscorum). More on this woodlouse here.

General Shots:

A photograph of the sun which was behind the "relative safety" of thick clouds. This is not something you would do without some form of protection. Note there are a possibly 4 sun spots roughly across the middle.


Ted:

Ted doing a bit foraging