What a miserable day, but at least I managed a quick walk around the block, without getting too wet. As murky and windy as it was, it was still pretty warm, with the outdoor thermometer reading 16.0°C. I think that is about to change in the next few days!!
I struggled to find anything of real interest, and the only highlights were:
Stonechat - A presumed pair on the butterfly reserve.
Blackcap - One heard close to Wakeham Wildlife Site
Chiffchaff - One heard along Old Quarry Lane with a party of Long-tailed Tits, which I only heard as well.
Birds Recorded:
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Dunnock
Robin
2 Stonechat
Blackbird
1 Blackcap
1 Chiffchaff
Long-tailed Tit (heard)
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
The male and........
............female Stonechats are still present in the Butterfly Reserve.
1 Speckled Wood
Bees Recorded:
Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)
Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae)
Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)
Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae)
An Ivy Bee coming into land on an Ivy flower.
Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)
Ichneumon Wasp sp.
A Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)
An Ichneumon Wasp sp.
Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
Long Hoverfly (Sphaerophoria scripta)- one seen on Common Ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris).
Just the one Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax) seen today.
3 Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) - All form succinea
Two slightly different coloured Harlequin Ladybirds Both form succinea
And another slight variation of form succinea
Nurseryweb Spider (Pisaura mirabilis)
I think word has got out that I'm taking photos of Nurseryweb Spiders. As this one dives for cover.
Plants Recorded:
Teasel (Dipsacus fullonum)
At this time of year Teasels should look like this one......
...........and not about to...........
............flower. What a mixed up climate were having!!
Sorry Ted, there's not much I can do about the rain.