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the damp meadow, surely at its best
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I was not expecting this week's visit to the Reserve to match last week's amazing sightings but nonetheless I had some good views of a Sedge Warbler, a Comma butterfly and a Common Darter at the new dragonfly pond. This was an afternoon visit and although I arrived in sunshine shortly after lunch, I left at teatime in the rain! Here is what I recorded: Birds:
SC208694 Wren heard not seen; Chiffchaff heard not seen; Woodpigeon flying over; Sedge Warbler singing from Hawthorn bush; Blackbird heard not seen but female flew over towards the call; Robin heard not seen; Unidentified warbler in base of reeds.
SC209693 Sedge Warbler hunting insects; Willow Warbler heard not seen.
SC209694 3 x Mallard ( females/juveniles) + 1 Hybrid ; Blackbird taking berries; Willow Warbler heard not seen.
SC208694 Song Thrush heard not seen; Great Tit; 2 x Long Tailed Tit.
SC209694 Chiffchaff heard not seen.
Butterflies and Moths:
SC209694 Holly Blue ; Small Copper flying; Speckled Wood x 3; Unidentified White x 2; Common Blue; Red Admiral; 2 x Meadow Brown.
SC208694 2 x Unidentified Whites; unidentified moth.
SC208695 Comma; Speckled Wood; 2 x Unidentified Whites.
SC209695 Speckled Wood; Green Veined White.
SC209693 Comma; Speckled Wood.
SC209694 Silver Y moth.
SC210694 large unidentified moth flew into reserve from my rucksack!
Other:
SC209694 Common Darter ( male) at the new dragonfly pond.
SC209694 large blue dragonfly over main pond.
SC208694 Crane Fly. ( Nephrotoma flavipalpis).
SC210694 "Footballer" Hoverfly on burdock.
SC208695 Unidentified Hoverfly on Oak leaf
SC209694 3 x Inkcap fungi along path (Pleated Inkcap Coprinus plicatilis ?)
SC208694 4 x "Fairy Rings" under the willows and sycamore (Fairy Ring Champignon Maramius oreades?)
SC209695 Hawthorn Shieldbug nymphs on Rowan.
SC209694 Gorse Shieldbug nymphs on gorse along boundary path.
SC208695 Green Shieldbug nymph + probable egg cases nearby.
SC209693 Capsid Bug (Grypocoris stysi) and unidentified fly on Thistle.
SC209695 Unidentified Hoverfly on Cushag ( Ragwort)
SC209695 Eriothrix rufomaculata flies on Cushag ( Ragwort) x 6 NEW RECORD
SC208694 Rhingia species Hoverfly.
SC209694 Nursery Web Spider nest in nettles.
SC209694 new Alder cones forming, some with galls attached ( Taphrina alni fungus galls).
SC208695 Leucozona lucorum Hoverfly.
SC209694 Wolf Spider on rock with dragonfly in pond.
SC209694 Pond Skater.
SC208694 Sawfly x 2 - Tenthredo notha ( to be confirmed) NEW RECORD.
SC209695 & throughout reserve Soldier beetles.
SC209693 Hazel Nuts starting to ripen.
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it's only July but the Blackbird is taking the berries already
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first select your berry.....
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an interesting technique - feet anchored on branch, fly at berries opposite
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a tasty reward
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Sedge Warbler
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one of the few birds seen this week
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still warbling at the top of its voice
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Mallards on the pond
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they came ashore to eat grass seed!
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it was quite a stretch and required a little jump too
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heading back to the pond once replete
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Goldfinch, just as it started to rain
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Goldfinch nest with one unsuccessful egg remaining
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We had Long-Tailed Tits nesting on the Reserve this year and I was careful to give the area a wide berth when recording. Once they had fledged I ventured closer to resume recording in that area, only to find myself face to face with three young Goldfinches in a very overcrowded nest in the same bush! I beat a hasty retreat and only when they finally flew took a peep into the nest itself. One egg had failed to hatch.
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a Comma seems to be one of the regular butterflies at the reserve now
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Common Blue
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keeping warm on the dried grass
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Green Veined White
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Speckled Wood
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Unidentified moth
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unidentified moth
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This large moth walked out of my rucksack as I removed my camera and sunhat! I can only think it got in during lunch the previous day on the coastal footpath while the rucksack was on the ground. It flew off into the reserve through the open car door, so I am counting it among my records here.
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the water level in the pond has increased slightly during recent rain
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it still has a way to go though
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spot the dragonfly?
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lovely to see the Volunteers' efforts appreciated
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Common Darter
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Pond Skater but no beetles or Water Boatmen seen this week
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Colourful Capsid bug
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empty egg cases on oak leaf - may be Green Shieldbug
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this Green Shieldbug nymph was nearby
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this is a Gorse Shieldbug nymph
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as are these, though different instars
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these nymphs were on Rowan...
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which makes me think they are Hawthorn Shieldbug nymphs
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A colourful Crane Fly - Nephrotoma flavipalpis
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Hoverfly on Cushag ( Ragwort)
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and a "Footballer" Hoverfly on Burdock
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yet another on Oak
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this is a Rhingia species
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I almost missed its take-off!
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unidentified fly on thistle
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there were 6 of these flies on the Cushag
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they are a new record for the Reserve
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they are Eriothrix rufomaculata
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the white Sneezewort is now fully open
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and attracting a variety of insects
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this may be a Sawfly Tenthredo notha
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this may be the same one - New record, but seeking confirmation
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Soldier Beetles were everywhere
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web of a Nursery Web spider
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can you see the fairy ring of toadstools?
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there were 4 rings
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each composed of little clumps of toadstools
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some tightly closed and some fully open
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along the paths were inkcaps coming through
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this one was fully expanded - Pleated Inkcap?
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ripening Hazel nuts - winter food for Wood Mice
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Fungi, red berries and ripening nuts give an autumnal air to the Reserve. I had to remind myself it is still only July.
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Alder cones developing - these appear healthy
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others are infected by the Taphrina alni fungus
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which causes these long tongue like galls
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usual view of the new boardwalk
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with lush growth either side
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looking back along the boardwalk
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and the usual view from it
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everything is growing like mad at present
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making the paths lush and green
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usual view of the hide
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usual view from the hide ramp
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and view through the shutters
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looking back to the hide from the boardwalk
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the meadow really is a picture at present
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Sneezewort and Loosetrife
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Willow Herb is now flowering too
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rain has raised the level of the pond
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and filled the new water butt to the brim
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most of the Yellow Rattle in the mini meadow is now over
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hopefully it will seed even further across the area
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Ginnie's Bench in front of the mini meadow
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Why not visit the reserve yourselves and take this front row seat to observe the wildlife?
Around 5 o'clock it began to rain and I hot-footed it back to the car. On the way I met a Red Admiral butterfly hot-winging it back to wherever it shelters overnight and in wet weather! We passed each other at the path junction.
Here to finish is a short video of the Sedge Warbler singing. I do hope you can just about hear it above the noise of the wind in the microphone.
With thanks to Steve Crellin for help with Sawfly and Fly IDs
Please click on the photos to enlarge them
