Tuesday 24 July 2012

Wall to wall sunshine.


Sunny, 28º, light W.

Quite a warm day with little breeze, bird wise very quiet only Yellowhammers singing, the odd Blackcap and a lone Whitethroat.

An adult Black-headed Gull flew down river and a Kingfisher at Bow Bridge were of note.

Sparrowhawks nesting close to the meadow this year and they can be heard calling, they may have fledged or are very close to fledging and the local Blackbirds have been creating most of the afternoon!

Moorhen and Stock Doves still visiting the garden, the Stock Doves may well be breeding by the meadow as well as I could hear one cooing this afternoon, a Green Woodpecker also around the meadow.

Wren, Robin, Dunnock and several Blue and Great Tits regular in the garden this week and the odd Goldfinch and Greenfinch, a family of Chiffchaffs in the garden yesterday and Tawny Owls quite active in the garden and meadow for past few days.

A good day for insects, several Brown Hawker dragonflies seen, 2 Blue Emperors, 2+ Southern Hawkers, a couple of Common Darters and many Banded Demoiselles.

Large, Small, Marbled and Green-veined Whites, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Gatekeeper, a few Large Skippers and several Small Skippers (did not examine too closely so there may have been a couple of Essex Skippers ?) and a “Blue” raced through the garden but did not stop also a Silver-washed Fritillary in the garden yesterday.

Several 6-spot Burnet moths on the wing.

The “Eastender” reports a family of Chiffchaffs and Green Woodpeckers in his garden, with Swallows and a regular Hobby visiting.

Several Stag Beetles, a Blue Emperor and Southern Hawker also noted, good numbers of Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Marbled White, Red Admiral and Small/Essex Skippers and a complete absence of second broods of Common Blue, Brown Argus and Small Copper, with just one of the latter seen recently.
                                  Green-veined Whites
                                   Marbled White
                                                   6-spot Burnet moths

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