Durlston Country Park 01-08-18

An afternoon visit in very hot conditions produced very little in the way of birds but I did find a Common Wall Lizard enjoying the unusually hot weather.

Several Species of Butterfly were also observed including Silver-washed Fritillary, Speckled Wood, Wall Brown and Brown Argus.

North Troy Gravel Pit (AKA Helicon Lake) 22-06-18

Just to confuse matters this site has two names. For the purposes of Wetland Bird Survey Counts it is known as North Troy Gravel Pit but it's official name is Helicon Lake. Located just north of Troy Mill Lake the site is dissected by a narrow causeway and a small branch of the Grand Union Canal known as the Troy Cutting. It is here that barges were once loaded with gravel during the industrial era and horse drawn along the Grand Union Canal. Today it is much quieter and the cutting is narrow, it's banks fringed with aquatic vegetation. There is no public access to the lake as it is managed by a local angling society but views are obtained from the causeway.

A Eurasian Coot poses for me at the Troy Cutting while many insects busily fed on and amongst the aquatic vegetation.

Black and Yellow Longhorn Beetle feeding on Hogweed flower.

A male Emperor Dragonfly rests briefly on Reedmace.

I located this Harlequin Ladybird which is an invasive species that was first discovered in Britain in 2004. Since then it has rapidly spread and is now present throughout much of the British Isles.

A Comma Butterfly showing off the white marking on its under-wing from which it gets it's name.

Maple Lodge Nature Reserve 21-06-18

I'm a little behind on my reporting but hope to catch up sooner or later. A visit to Maple Lodge NR in June during the heat wave produced a few photographic opportunities.

From the Shell Hide both Great Cormorant and Great Crested Grebe were observed fishing successfully.

At the Long Hedge flower meadow dozens of Cinnabar Moth caterpillars were busily feeding on Ragwort while nearby a Marbled White butterfly put in a brief appearance.

Just as it said on the tin, Comma Corner produced this fresh individual feeding on Bramble flower.

Philipshill Wood

All was quiet on the ornithological front during my afternoon visit so I turned my attention to the blooming orchids present amongst the sunny glades.

Common Spotted Orchid.

Also in bloom were dozens of Foxgloves that were present in any area where sunlight could penetrate through the canopy.

A single Large Red Damselfly and several Speckled Wood Butterflies were also seen during my visit.

Speckled Wood.

Springwell Lake

An afternoon visit provided the following species:-
Great Crested Grebe (6 including 2 pairs observed with young), Grey Heron (2), Little Egret (1 over), Mute Swan (pair at nest), Greylag Goose (6 including pair observed with goslings), Canada Goose (4), Egyptian Goose (2), Gadwall (3 including pair), Mallard (7 including 2 females observed with ducklings), Common Pochard (7 including pair), Tufted Duck (6 including pair), Red-crested Pochard (pair), Common Goldeneye (1 male 3 female), Common Moorhen (9 including 2 pairs observed with young), Eurasian Coot (39 including at least 7 pairs observed with young), Black-headed Gull (5), Common Tern (2), Common Woodpigeon (4 including singing male), Ring-necked Parakeet (pair with juvenile), Barn Swallow (2), Great Spotted Woodpecker (3), Wren (18 including juvenile), Dunnock (singing male), Common Blackbird (9 including 6 singing males), Song Thrush (singing male), Cetti's Warbler (5 singing males), Blackcap (5 singing males), Garden Warbler (2 including singing male), Eurasian Reed Warbler (3 singing males), Greater Whitethroat (singing male), Common Chiffchaff (singing male), Goldcrest (singing male), Long-tailed Tit (3 including pair observed with fledged young), Blue Tit (6 including 2 pairs observed with young), Great Tit (3 including pair with fledged young), Common Treecreeper (1), Eurasian Jay (2), Common Magpie (4), Carrion Crow (2), Common Chaffinch (8 singing males), European Goldfinch (singing male), Common Reed Bunting (singing male).

Greylag Goose with goslings.

Egyptian Goose (pair).

Common Pochard.

Red-crested Pochard (female).

Red-crested Pochard (male).

Ring-necked Parakeet (juvenile).

Several species of Odonata were showing well today in the sunny, warm conditions.

 

 

Emperor Dragonfly (Ovipositing female).

Black-tailed Skimmer (male).

Blue-tailed Damselfly (male).

Other species not photographed included Red-eyed Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly and Banded Demoiselle.

There was two species of Butterfly observed today both along the river side of the lake.

 

Speckled Wood.

Green-veined White.

 

 

Woodoaks Farm 06-06-18

An evening visit in sunny, mild conditions provided some photographic opportunities. Along the recently sown set-aside a female Eurasian Skylark fed while overhead a male sang.

Eurasian Skylark (female).

On the pasture a group of ten Greylag Goose were busily grazing.

Along the main farm track Black-tailed Skimmers rested briefly between hunting sorties.

Black-tailed Skimmer (male).

Black-tailed Skimmer (female).

 

At the Long Lane side of the farm more insects were photographed.

Banded Demoiselle (female).

Common Blue Damselfly.

Large Skipper.

Langley Park Country Park 06-06-18.

A late morning visit produced several breeding records. The resident pair of Mute Swan were present with a single cygnet.

A total of five Mandarin Duck were observed including three female birds present with ducklings.

Mandarin Duck (adult female).

                                                         Mandarin Duck (juvenile).


Other species observed with young included Eurasian Coot, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blue Tit and Long-tailed Tit.

The warm weather also produced several species of Odonata including an ovipositing female Emperor Dragonfly.

Emperor Dragonfly (male).

Black-tailed Skimmer (male).

Banded Demoiselle (male).

Red-eyed Damselfly (mating pair).

Blue-tailed Damselfly.