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| All spruced up for spring. |
Following our efforts on the Noticeboard earlier in the week, I went back on the 17th to do a proper walk-round and recording session. The first thing I noticed was that landowner, Stan, had cut the grassy paths and the areas round the benches. He has also sent the following message to all the work party volunteers:
" Please tell the working group they are doing a wonderful job and is appreciated by me and all who visit the Wetlands."
Here are the records:
Birds:
SC210694 male
Blackbird; Great Tit; Robin
SC209694 female
Pheasant; 2 x Blue Tit; female Blackbird
SC209694 male
Mallard; Moorhen; Blue Tit
SC208694
Goldfinch; 2 x Great Tit
SC208694 Water
Rail - I must have been standing almost on top of it for about 5
minutes whilst watching something else. Then I took 1 step forward and off it flew into the reeds
SC208694 2 x Great
Tit; male Blackbird;
SC209695 Wren
investigating same broken branch for insects as last visit;Great Tit; BlueTit;
SC208695 Great Tit;
Robin; Magpie
Butterflies:
SC210694 Small
Tortoiseshell
SC209694 Small
Tortoiseshell - seen twice along this path.
All three sightings
probably the same butterfly.
Bees & Flies:
Lots of Bumblebees
flying through reserve and visiting willow flowers including SC209694
& SC208694
Honey bees in gorse
Carder bee? SC208695
Hoverflies at SC209695
& SC208695
Yellow dung fly? +
various other flies on willow flowers SC208694
Shieldbugs:
SC209694 17 Gorse
Shieldbugs along the Gorse Boundary.
Notes:
Now the boundary ditch
has been cleared the primroses and celandines are more visible. The water levels have
fallen on the paths although everywhere is still very muddy.
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| Can you see the second Great Tit? |
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| Great Tit |
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| Robin in the Hawthorn |
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| Robin looking for insects in the mud |
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| Wren hunting for insects |
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| Moorhen |
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| Bee in the willows |
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| Took this view for ID purposes! |
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| Willow flowers attracting bees |
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| Carder bee? |
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| Honeybee & fly |
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| Gorse Shieldbug |
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| Hoverfly |
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| Hoverfly on ash sapling |
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| Yellow dung fly? |
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| Lovely to be seeing butterflies again! Small Tortoiseshell. |
Please note that what I thought might be a Ladybird pupa last time has now been identified as the larva of a Chrysomelid Beetle. They don't usually overwinter as larvae so there is some speculation that it may have been parasitized.
Finally, let's finish with a photo of those beautiful willows.
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| Willows in the sunshine. |
