Port and Wey: 28 Sep 23

Old Quarry Lane, Wakeham Meadows, Wakeham Railway Cuttings, Penns Wood, St Andrew's Church, Church Ope Cove, Penn's Weare,Penn's Copse, Rufus Castle, The Cuttings and Bumpers Lane

With the tail end of Storm Agnes still around today, it wasn't the most pleasant of days to go for a walk. At least the rain held off until I got home, but what struck me was just how humid it was and that was with no sun, but just a full cloud cover.

Main highlight today went to the two Pied Flycatchers in Old Quarry Lane. I saw a male fly from a Sycamore on my left and straight into the woods just north of Wakeham Railway Cuttings. The second, a slightly more drab bird came out of the same Sycamore but went up and over wood. Despite heading around to the railway cuttings, there was no sign of either.

Other highlights were a pair of Grey Wagtails along the railway cuttings and at least 5 Chiffchaff calling from various locations, including one bird which was tagging along with 15 Long-tailed Tits in Bumpers Lane. Also noted was a Goldcrest on Penns Weare.

Mammals Recorded:
3 Grey Squirrel

Birds Recorded:
1 Buzzard,
2 Kestrel
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
2 Grey Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
5 Chiffchaff
1 Goldcrest
2 Pied Flycatcher
15 Long-tailed Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
2 Raven
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch

One of the two Kestrels hovering over Bumpers Lane

A Raven on top of Rufus Castle

Butterflies Recorded:
3 Large White
1 Speckled Wood
8 Red Admiral
1 Painted Lady

A Red Admiral and a Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) - form succinea on a variegated Ivy

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

Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)

Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)

It was hard work finding any Ivy Bees (Colletes hederae) today. It was pretty windy and most of the Ivy Bees were collecting pollen and nectar inside the Ivy Bushes.

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

German Wasp (Vespula germanica)

It was a short visit to the very busy Common Wasps nest in Wakeham Meadow.

And a German Wasp (Vespula germanica) on the Ivy

Hoverflies Recorded:
Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)

A Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)

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

Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) - form succinea

Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) - form spectabilis

Mites Recorded:

Fuchsia Gall Mites (Aculops fuchsiae)

Alongside Wakeham Railway Cuttings the footpath runs through a local Caravan Park owned by a friend of mine. As were chatting away, she showed me her Fuchsias which have been attacked by Fuchsia Gall Mites (Aculops fuchsiae). This mite only appeared on our shores in 2007 and is pretty damaging. More on this mite here and here.

Plants:

Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum)