Port and Wey: 25 Oct 23

Old Quarry Lane, Wakeham Meadows, Wakeham Wildlife Site, Wakeham Railway Cuttings, The Mermaid Track, The Cuttings, Silklake Quarry, Bumpers Lane, Broadcroft Quarry Lane, Broadcroft Butterfly Reserve, Higher Horse Paddock and Lower Horse Paddock

Well for once the weather forecast was totally wrong and the sunshine and showers forecast for the day never materialised. Instead we had a dry afternoon, with the odd burst of sunshine.

The bird watching was pretty good with over 30 species recorded including 4 Skylark, 23 Meadow Pipit, 2 Stonechat, 2 Song Thrush, 2 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff, 3 Goldcrest, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 3 Siskin and 2 Greenfinch.

Oddly enough there were no butterflies seen other than a Clouded Yellow in Bumpers Lane. And is it that time when the Ivy Bees have all gone. Not one was seen, in fact I didn't see any bee species along my walk.

Though there were no bees to be seen, there were however plenty of Common Wasps about and I came across my first Autumn Queen Common Wasp.

Mammals Recorded:
1 Grey Squirrel

Birds Recorded:
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Buzzard
1 Kestrel

1 Pheasant

Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
4 Skylark
23 Meadow Pipit
3 Pied Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
2 Stonechat
Blackbird
2 Song Thrush
2 Blackcap
3 Chiffchaff
3 Goldcrest
20+ Long-tailed Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
2 Lesser Redpoll
Linnet
3 Siskin
Goldfinch
2 Greenfinch

A Kestrel looking for its next meal in Wakeham Meadow

Its been awhile since there's been a Pheasant to the east of Wakeham. This male was in the Higher Horse Paddock.

One of 23 Meadow Pipits in the temporary Horse Paddock on the butterfly reserve.

And the male Stonechat (right) has a new mate, a Meadow Pipit. No wonder.....

...........the female Stonechat has raised feathers on her head!!

A male Blackcap along Old Quarry Lane. The female was close by.

One of the three Chiffchaffs seen along my walk

And a couple of photos of the...........

.............Goldcrests along Old Quarry Lane. There was a third bird a bit further along the lane.

Butterflies Recorded:
1 Clouded Yellow

Moths Recorded:

Rusty Dot Pearl (Udea ferrugalis)

These Rusty Dot Pearls are pretty numerous at the moment

Bees Recorded:
None

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

Though there weren't any bees seen today, there were plenty of................

..................Common Wasps (Vespula vulgaris), plus my............

..............Queen Common Wasp for this Autumn

Hoverflies Recorded:
3 Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
1 Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
1 The Footballer (Helophilus pendulus)

A Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)

And a The Footballer (Helophilus pendulus)

Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
2 Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina)
3 Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) - form succinea
1 Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) - form conspicua