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| Autumn colours still in November |
I was too busy to visit the reserve at the beginning of November but was there soon after 9 on Tuesday last week. There was a huge pile of wood chip in the entrance which had been delivered since my last visit. I understand the plan is to spread this along the muddy paths at the next work party, scheduled for 18th November between 10 and 1 p.m. If you feel like lending us a hand, either barrowing the chip or raking it along the paths, do join us. New volunteers are always welcome. Bring your own drinks but cake will be provided to sustain you!
Here is what I recorded on a bright but breezy Tuesday:
Birds:
SC209694 7 x Goldfinches flying over; Robin.
SC209694 ( from Hide) 6 x Mallards ( 3 pairs); Moorhen; Female/juvenile Blackbird; Water rail heard not seen; Goldfinch; Blue Tit.
SC208694 Raven flying over croaking; Wren on Boardwalk; female/juvenile Blackbird in apple tree; Robin seen and another elsewhere heard at the same time; Little Egret flying over.
SC208695 Magpie flying over.
SC209695 Goldcrest; 2 x Goldfinch; male Chaffinch; 3 x Jackdaw flying over; 2 x Robin in dispute; Great Tit; Blackbird.
Other:
SC210694 Red Admiral in ivy flowers.
SC208694 large unidentified Toadstools on compost heap; other fungi under willows.
SC208694 2 x Gorse Shieldbugs on gorse + various flies basking in sunshine in gorse and on boardwalk handrail.
SC209695 Honey Bees in gorse; 1 x Gorse Shieldbug.
SC209695 Oak galls on leaves have exit holes.
SC209694 Unidentified fly on oak leaf + 2 x Green Shieldbugs.
SC209694 cut blackthorn stumps have white slime - Slime mould or sap?
SC209694 and throughout reserve Common Wasps.
SC209693 3 x Long-tailed Tit; Robin; Blackbird.
SC209694 various types of oak galls on oak trees. ( Andricus curvator; Andricus inflator; Biorhiza pallida)
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| Blackbird eating apple |
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| not many apples left now |
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| this one prefers Hawthorn berries |
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| seen from bird hide |
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| male Chaffinch |
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| Mallards and Moorhen on the pond |
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| suddenly all the Mallards grouped together - danger spotted perhaps? |
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| Moorhen |
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| went off into the reeds with a lot of tail covert flicking |
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| one of several Robins on the Reserve |
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| this one was on the Bowman bench |
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| Green Shieldbugs - not mating, just keeping warm! |
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| Gorse Shieldbug |
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| another Gorse Shieldbug enjoying the sunshine |
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| warm enough for a late Red Admiral in the ivy |
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| various flies warming up on the tree trunks |
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| unidentified fly sunning itself on leaf |
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| exit holes for gall wasps on oak tree ( Andricus curvator) |
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| a different type of oak gall ( Andricus inflator) |
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| and the familiar "oak apples" ( Biorhiza pallida) |
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| unidentified fungi on the compost heap |
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| others in the grass |
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| and more in the leaf litter |
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| sycamore "keys" waiting to fall |
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| Woody Nightshade berries |
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| Stinking Iris berries |
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| Red Campion still in flower here and there |
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| and still some Hogweed too |
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| a sunny boardwalk |
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| and the usual view from it |
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| a more shady path through the Hazel bushes |
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| the Alders have mostly lost their leaves already |
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| the new pond - couldn't spot any aquatic life today |
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| the bird hide |
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| the damp meadow |
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| usual view from the hide ramp |
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| under the willows |
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| view through the hide shutters |
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| reeds looking silvery in the sunshine |
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| wood chip awaiting a work party |
On Friday I found myself unexpectedly back at the Reserve to help a member of the MWT Invertebrate Group find some earthworms and one or two other creepy crawlies. I shall do a separate post once these have been identified. My attention was drawn to a patch of nettles near the noticeboard which had turned an unusual, vibrant shade of green. We considered whether this was some form of fungal rust/ crust or if it had been sprayed with paint. I think the probability is the latter but while examining the plant I found a Harlequin Ladybird.
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| why would anyone want to spray paint these nettles? |
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| Harlequin ladybird - harmonia axyridis form |
I also spotted some Jelly Ear Fungus on a fallen twig
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| Ear fungus on fallen ash twig |
An opportunist Robin also joined us under the Willows as we hunted under the leaf litter. SC208694
Two interesting winter visits in one week.
