16 Apr 24

Old Quarry Lane, Wakeham Meadows, Lower Horse Paddock, Higher Horse Paddock, Broadcroft Butterfly Reserve, Broadcroft Quarry Lane, Bumpers Lane and Wakeham Railway Cuttings (east)

Despite the forecast for lighter winds today, which never materialised, it was at least sunny and quite warm away from a very blustery north-westerly.

And for the first time in a week or so, I didn't record a single Spring migrant. In fact the only "migrants" noted were 2 Hummingbird Hawk-moths, both along Wakeham Railway Cuttings (east), where there was also a juvenile Wall Lizard.


Birds Recorded:
1 Kestrel
Herring Gull
50+ Wood Pigeon
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch

So we are midway though April and there is a large flock of 50+ Wood Pigeons flying around Bumpers Lane and the Lower Horse Paddock. During the breeding season, which is normally between April and October, Wood Pigeons are usually solitary, though they have been known to breed in every month of the year. So why are there so many about at the moment!!

A male Linnet

And news has just come out that last Saturday in these Cypress Trees in the Lower Horse Paddock, there was a Crested Tit seen. When I first heard the news, which still hasn't been confirmed, I was thinking that was a long flight from Scotland. But of course, across the English Channel you will find Crested Tits in Brittany, which could quite easily find themselves on our southern shores. Incidentally, I did have a good look yesterday, but to no avail.


Reptiles Recorded:
1 Wall Lizard

A juvenile Wall Lizard seeking out a nice warm spot along the railway cuttings.

Butterflies Recorded:
3 Speckled Wood

The only butterflies I came across today were 3 Speckled Woods.

Moths Recorded:
2 Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum)

The railway cuttings was obviously the place to be this afternoon. Sheltered from the wind and bathed in warm sunshine, it didn't come as a surprise to find two Hummingbird Hawk-moths nectaring on Red Valerian (Centranthus ruber) and on Common Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

Bees Recorded:

1 Ashy Mining Bee (Andrena cineraria)
10+ Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
4 Common Carder Bumblebee (Bombus pascuorum)
Early Mining Bee (Andrena haemorrhoa)
Grey-patched Mining Bee (Andrena nitida)
Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) - None again!!!
Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)

Hoverflies Recorded:

2 Syrphus sp.

1 Vagrant Hoverfly (Eupeodes corollae)

These two are either Glass-winged Syrphus (Syrphus vitripennis) or.........

..........Humming Syrphus (Syrphus ribesii). As I can't tell them apart, they will have to be Syrphus sp.

A Vagrant Hoverfly (Eupeodes corollae)

Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Blue Blowfly (Calliphora vicina)
Yellow Dung Fly (Scathophaga stercoraria)


Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
1 Dock Bug (Coreus marginatus)

1 Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina)
1 Common Nettle Bug (Liocoris tripustulatus)

A Dock Bug (Coreus marginatus)

 Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina)

Common Nettle Bug (Liocoris tripustulatus)

Spiders Recorded:
Nurseryweb Spider (Pisaura mirabilis)

A Nurseryweb Spider (Pisaura mirabilis)

Plants Recorded:
Portland Russet (Malus x domestica)

And the "Portland Russet" is now in flower. Sadly the second attempt to graft last years to a stock plant failed again. So we will have to wait until the Autumn for another go.

General Shots:

Well wonders will never cease. Betterment Properties Ltd have not only taken the litter away, left by the off-gridders in Silklake Quarry, but...............

...............they are also cleaning up Wakeham Meadow, which has seen lots of rubbish blown in from their building site close-by.

Ted and Theo:

Ted takes a tumble when Theo rugby tackles him. I'm glad to say that Ted was fine, but I'm going to have to keep an eye on both of them in the future.


Ships Today:

This is the Panamanian Container Ship "Humen Bridge" on its way from Le Havre (France) to Singapore. More on this vessel here.

This is the Dutch General Cargo Ship "Floragracht" on its way from Portland to Wilmington (USA). More on this vessel here.