Week 21

A great week we had great weather lots to find a very little time to find it, found some I did so here we go.

Birds first, a Grey Heron flying thru the site was a first for the year, Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Common Whitethroat were all still on site, Swallows were seen around the site but still remain away from the old nest site,, The Nuthatch however were very busy to and fro from their nest, Robin, Dunnock, Blackbirds, Great Tit and Blue Tit were all around the bird table, Bullfinch was heard in the woods

Butterflies around the site were Orange tip, Speckled Woods, Green veined Whites and a Holly Blue just teasing the camera and always on a fly by, Moths were starting to appear with Common Carpet Moth and a Cinnabar Moth being reported

Beetles are making an appearance with plenty of  Grammoptera ruficornis (Longhorn Beetle) about mainly on Ox-eye Daisies, and Soldier  Beetles [Cantharis lateralis] can be found, Weevils, harder to find are also out, Hairy Sheildbugs have also made an appearance this week.

Amongst the nettle patch, Hoverflies, Scorpion Flys and Spiders, were I also found a new spider species for site, a Cucumber Green Orb Spider (photo below) and lastly for this week a single Azure Damselfly was seen all but briefly

Visit my Flickr site to see this weeks photos….PRESS 

Cucumber Green Orb Spider

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Week 20

The week started with cloudless skies and lots of sun which brought out the butterflies and a few new species Large White which did hang around for a few photos and a Holly Blue which didn’t, still about are the Orange tips and Speckled Woods, also seen were Peacock and Commas

The best catch of the week goes done to a Common Whitethroat which  was heard, located and seen in flight display, other wise quiet on the bird front , the Swallows have been seen around site but dont seem to be interested in the nest site as yet

The first moths started to appear this week with the appearance of a Adela reaumurella (female) Longhorn Moth

There is also a lot of St Marks Flies about at the moment

Pictures below…Common Whitethroat (hiding) and the Adela reaumurella Longhorn Moth

Week 19

Starting with the birds this week so here goes, the Swallows seemed to have vanished, Blackcaps are still in full song, Chiffchaff is also still on sight and so are the locals, Nuthatch, Wren, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Robin and Song Thrush.

On to  insects and this week Speckled Woods can easily be seen in the shaded parts with the Orange tips continually being restless and hardly settling, Green veined Whites are also on the white and really have to settle to see which of the whites they are.

A few hoverflies have been around this week mainly Syrphus sp, lots of smaller ones which have gone by not identified but the one I do like are the Leucozona locorum hoverfly

Leucozona locorum

Week 18

A splendid week bit of sun makes a lot of difference, Birds, Bees and Butterflies all over the place.

Lets start with the birds, Swallows a pair are back on site and seen around the old nesting site, lets hope they stick around. Pied Wagtail around the roof tops, Grey Wagtail along the brook, Blackcaps (2) 1 around the bird table area and 1 in the wood, Chiffchaff along the embankment, Nuthatch could be seen about anywhere,as were Robins, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Jays, and Common Buzzard

Bees about were Tawny Mining Bee, Buff tailed Bumblebee, Red tailed Bumblebee and Goodens Nomad Bee (new for site), Vestral Cuckoo Bee (new for site)

Butterflies about this week were the first Orange tips and Speckled Wood, Peacocks were also back on site

Hoverflies on site, ones ID are Syrphus sp, Erastalis tenax and  Dasysyrphus tricinctus (new for site)

Photos in descending order :-

1. Goodens Nomad Bee 2. Vestral Cuckoo Bee 3. Dasysyrphus tricinctus

Week 17

Not an exciting week as spring seems to have passed us by, we had brief glimpses of sun which did bring out a few insect species but the only butterfly species seen this week was a single Green veined White, a few hoverflies seen this week mainly Sryphus Sp were the only ones identified and a Mining Bee.

The bird life this week resulted in no new birds coming in and the Swallow seems to have left, Blackcap (now 2) are still on site with the Chiffchaff having fallen silent.

A pair of Jays have been busy around the site and so have the Nuthatch, but the highlight this week has to be the single Rook seen in the adjacent field thanks go to the farmer ploughing it up.

Jay

Mining Bee

Week 16

A grey start to the week then summer started to return mid week with April breaking records as the hottest since 1940.

The bird life was slow with no Swallow action, Blackcap and Chiffchaff were still about and started to be more vocal as the week went on and the temperatures went up, with the fine weather Common Buzzards started to move thru the site.

A pair of Pied Wagtail were common on site this week and. appear to be nest building.

The bird table area was quiet this week with mainly Great Tit and Blue Tit putting in appearances, Nuthatch were very active around their nest site this week.

As the temperatures went up butterflies put in an appearance this week with Comma, Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell on site

Peacock

Week 15

Monday what a beautiful day spring has started and it showed with a few year highlights, 3 Species of butterflies all encouraged out of hibernation by a great spring day Comma, Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell kicked of the insect year.

A Blackcap was fresh in this week singing loudly after its long winter flight from Africa joined by the Chiffchaff which seemed to have found its voice again, and to finish Monday off a single Swallow was seen clearly flying over the top car park

A Goldcrest was the only over highlight of what turned out to be a remaining wet week