Port and Wey: 21 Apr 25

Old Quarry Lane, Wakeham Meadows, Lower Horse Paddock, Higher Horse Paddock, Broadcroft Quarry Lane and Bumpers Lane

After a very cloudy and at times wet start to the day, the sun eventually came out this afternoon. Main highlight on my walk was a male Common Redstart singing on the butterfly reserve. Unfortunately it was spooked by walkers and disappeared up and over the Sycamores.

Other highlights were a pair of Stonechats on the reserve, plus 3 singing Common Whitethroats. Chiffchaffs are still moving through and I counted at least 5 singing birds on my walk.

There's always one mystery bird and today that was a dove which flew very fast and with purpose over the reserve. Collared or Turtle Dove we will never know!!

Birds Recorded:
1 Kestrel
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
1 Dove sp.
8 Swallow
Dunnock
Robin
2 Stonechat
1 Common Redstart
Blackbird
3 Common Whitethroat
5 Chiffchaff
Long-tailed Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch

A male Kestrel hunting over the butterfly reserve.

This Robin looks as if it's on look-out duties.

On the reserve was this male and.............

......................female Stonechat.

A Common Whitethroat with what looks like nesting material.

And another Common Whitethroat.

Butterflies Recorded:
4 Large White
3 Small White
2 Speckled Wood

A Speckled Wood

Bees Recorded:
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum)

My first Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum) of the year on a Common Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

Sawflies Recorded:
sawfly sp.

A sawfly sp.

As above.

Hoverflies Recorded:
Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)
Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax)
Syrphus sp.

A Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)

A Syrphus sp.

Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Many unidentified flies
1 Dark-edged Bee-fly (Bombylius major)
30+ Yellow Dung Fly (Scathophaga stercoraria)

A Dark-edged Bee-fly (Bombylius major)............

..................on American Winter-cress (Barbarea verna). Bottom left is a White-lipped Banded Snail (Cepaea hortensis)

Here is the Dark-edged Bee-fly (Bombylius major) in real time and..........

............slowed down. Not a lot of difference really.

These are all..................

...............male Yellow Dung Flies (Scathophaga stercoraria)

Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
1 Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina)

A Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina)

Slugs and Snails Recorded:

White-lipped Banded Snail (Cepaea hortensis)

Spiders Recorded:
1 Nurseryweb Spider (Pisaura mirabilis)

My first Nurseryweb Spider (Pisaura mirabilis) of the year.

Plants in flower:
Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum)
American Winter-cress (Barbarea verna)
Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa). Also known as Sloe
Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta)

Bugle (Athalia cordata)
Common Daisy (Bellis perennis)
Common Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
Cowslip (Primula veris)
Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum)
Lesser Celandine (Ficaria verna)
Meadow Buttercup (Ranunculus arvensis)
Primrose (Primula vulgaris)
Red Dead-nettle (Lamium purpureum)
Wayfaring-tree (Viburnum lantana)

Wild Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)

Cowslips (Primula veris) and Teds nose!!!

Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum). Also known as Red Robin, Death come quickly, Storksbill, Fox Geranium, Stinking Bob, Squinter-pip, Crow's Foot, or Roberts Geranium.