Quiet end to July

Mainly cloudy with a few sunny spells, 21°, breezy SW.

A little breezy on the hill today. The Common Redstart still present on the hill and appears to be going through a post juvenile moult. Probably the reason it’s still around.

A male & a female Redstart reported on the hill by John Taylor @ 17:43. So possibly 3 now present.

3 Kestrel also present still hunting the hill.

Little else noted today, a few Warblers around and the Mistle Thrush flock still around the Lollingdon area.

Mammals: Short-tailed Vole, Brown Hare and Roe Deer.

Dragonflies: Common Darter.

Butterflies: Large White, Small White, Red Admiral, Peacock, Comma, Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown.

Another new Moth

Tony Rayner caught another new Moth for Cholsey recently. The 4th new Moth for Cholsey this year.

The Moth in question is a Tree Lichen Beauty.

A mostly migrant species with only a handful of records prior to 1991, since when it has become quite frequent in the southern and south-eastern counties. More recently it has arrived in sufficient numbers to breed and possibly establish small resident populations in certain localities.

The species occurs in southern Europe, where the larvae feed on lichens growing on trees, and the adult moths fly between July and September. Most British records are during July and August.

Some movement!

Sunny, 24°, light SSW.

The hill was reasonable today, the Common Redstart still present and 3 Kestrel and a Paraglider!

A Spotted Flycatcher on the north side of the hill along with a couple of Blackcap.

It seems like a few birds are on the move with small flocks of Swallow, House Martin and Swift passing through.

The hedgerows by the paddocks and cow field had 2 Lesser Whitethroat, a Willow Warbler, several Chiffchaff and Blackcap and 5 Common Whitethroat nearby.

5 Mistle Thrush, a Grey Heron and Little Owl also seen.

Several Yellow Wagtail seen by Alan Yesterday in fields beyond the Lees, maybe a couple of family groups!

Mammals: Short-tailed Vole.

Dragonflies: Banded Demoiselle, Southern Hawker and Common Darter.

Butterflies: Not that many around today: Small Skipper (1), Brimstone (2), Large White, Small White, Common Blue (1), Red Admiral (increase), Small Tortoiseshell (2), Peacock, Comma (2), Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown.

Other Insects: Roesel’s Bush Cricket. Per Alan Dawson.

Roesel's Bush Cricket (courtesy Alan Dawson)

Yellow Wagtail (courtesy Alan Dawson)

Grey Wagtail (courtesy Alan Dawson)

 Common Redstart

 Dusky Sallow

 Banded Demoiselle (above & below)

Black & Green

A sunny day with light cloud, 29°, light SW.

A quietish day out there today, I think most were seeking shade and not being too active.

2 Raven on the hill today before flying off east and 7 Kestrel hunting on and around the hill. (No sign of the Redstart).

A few Warblers on the wooded north of the hill with several Chiffchaff, Common Whitethroat and Blackcap.

2 Green Woodpecker and 3 Great-spotted Woodpecker in the garden today and a Hobby over yesterday.

Mammals: Brown Hare and Roe Deer.

Dragonflies: Banded Demoiselle, Azure Damselfly, Brown Hawker, Southern Hawker, Emperor and Common Darter.

Butterflies: (fewer than of late), Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Holly Blue, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Painted Lady (1), Peacock, Comma, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown.

Green Woodpecker

Arrives in the garden for some water.

 Gets a shower from a bathing Blackbird.

 Has a bath.

Dries off on a tree.

Red-tail

Cloudy with sunny spells, 25°, light SW.

2 Raven on the hill briefly this morning before flying off towards Moulsford. The Common Redstart still present and a few Chiffchaff and Blackcap around the hill.

A light passage of Swallow moving south and the occasional Swift passing through.

The Mistle Thrush flock still present nearby.

Sparrowhawks causing panic in the garden over the last week but they appear to be just flying through to hunt elsewhere. However given the chance they would catch something but the local Swallows always raise the alarm.

Mammals: Short-tailed Vole.

Dragonflies: Banded Demoiselle, Azure Damselfly, Emperor and Common Darter.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Common Blue, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Comma, Speckled Wood, Marbled White, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, and Ringlet. And a Painted Lady flew through the garden.

Ravens take the day

Cloudy with a few sunny periods, 24°, light SW.

Arrived on the hill this morning to something resembling and aerial dogfight.

6 Raven, 5 Kestrel, 4 Red Kite and a single Buzzard and Carrion Crow all wheeling around, sometimes mobbing, sometimes playing, all very graceful and entertaining.

Quite a sight!

The Raven stayed for around 40 minutes, eventually picking up a thermal and gaining height and drifting off north.

The rest just stayed around enjoying the thermals and the Kestrels hunting for Grasshoppers.

At least 1 Common Redstart still on the hill and a Blackcap and Chiffchaff along the same hedge.

Also the House Sparrow flock still present.

3 Lesser Blackback Gull flew over moving south west and approx 100 Swallow passing through.

Nearby 2+ Little Owl and 12 Mistle Thrush.

Yellowhammer and Corn Bunting appear to be the only species consistently in song at the moment.

3 Great-spotted Woodpecker in the garden this afternoon.

Reps: Common Lizard.

Dragonflies: Banded Demoiselle, Southern Hawker and Emperor Dragonfly.

Butterflies: Small Skipper, Large White, Small White, Small Copper, Brown Argus, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Comma, Marbled White, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown and Ringlet.

 Ravens enjoying the hill

 A Kestrel taking a break

 Redstart

Blackcap

Redstart again

Cloudy with sunny intervals, 20°, light NNE.

2 Common Redstart (juvs) on the hill today, 1 in the usual hedge and another in the Hawthorns along the hill. Not always viewable but vocal and a couple of young Chiffchaff around.

20+ House Sparrow also present, they usually turn up on the hill this time of year but not as many as this.

5 Kestrel hunting the hill. Loads of Swift around with 100+ over a period of a couple of hours.

3 Little Owl noted and the flock of around 12 Mistle Thrush still present.

Reps: 2 Common Lizard.

Dragonflies: Banded Demoiselle and Emperor Dragonfly.

Butterflies: Small Skipper, Essex Skipper, Large Skipper, Large White, Small White, Small Copper, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Comma, Speckled Wood, Marbled White, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown and Ringlet.

The Lees area

Sunny intervals, 24°, breezy NW.

A walk out to the Lees this afternoon found the farmland on the way out quite barren. Some of the so called “conservation strips” had been mown and were pretty lifeless. Any wild flowers gone, no butterflies and no bees. Still can’t figure out why some local farms do this?

Beyond the Lees things were a little different as the habitat became a little more diverse with the woodland, long ditch and the reedy ditch.

A couple of Sedge Warbler and a single Reed Warbler noted carrying food, so presumably still have young in the nest.

A Grey Heron nearby and couple of Reed Bunting, Yellowhammer and Skylark seen along with Jay, Blackcap and Common Whitethroat.

A few dragonfly along the long ditch and a lot of butterflies and bees around an area of mainly Common Vetch and a few other flowers.

Dragonflies: Banded Demoiselle, Common Blue Damselfly, Azure Damselfly, Emperor Dragonfly and Common Darter (1st of the year).

Butterflies: Small Skipper, Essex Skipper, Large Skipper, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Comma, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown and Ringlet.

 Skylark

 Essex Skipper (though I may be wrong)

 Small Tortoiseshell

 Banded Demoiselle

 Azure Damselfly

 Jay

Ringlets

Black, Gold & Painted Ladies

Cloudy with a few sunny spells, 23°, light W.

2 Raven on and around the hill toady and very vocal, present for around 30 minutes then flew off south west.

As well as the Common Whitethroat family there was a young Blackcap and a Lesser Whitethroat feeding along the hedgerow.

A flock of 11 Mistle Thrush nearby and a small passage of Swift and Swallow passing overhead.

Loads of Thistles in flower and going to seed at the moment and butterflies taking advantage of the flowers and Goldfinch taking the seed.

A Sparrowhawk high over the garden and Nuthatch and Moorhen visiting the garden more frequently again.

Dragonflies: Banded Demoiselle, Southern Hawker and Emperor.

Butterflies: Large White, Small White, Red Admiral, Painted Lady (2), Small Tortoiseshell, Comma, Marbled White, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown and Ringlet.

Painted Lady

 Ravens

Goldfinch

This balloon found in a sheep field today 65x35 cm and clearly states on the label "do not release outdoors".

Redstart still present

Cloudy with a few sunny periods, 21°, light WSW.

The Common Redstart still present on Lollingdon Hill but very elusive. Per Alan Dawson.

A young Jay in the garden this morning checking out the feeders.

A Sparrowhawk over Church road this morning trying to gain height and being mobbed by Swifts, Swallows and House Martins.

At least one pair, probably two pair of Yellow Wagtail on Cholsey Hill. Per Richard Broughton.

 Jay

 Common Redstart (courtesy Alan Dawson)

Redstart & Whinchat

Mainly cloudy with sunny spells, 21°, light S.

Just beginning to think it was another quiet day on the hill when I saw a bird flycatching along the top hedge that looked interesting. As usual the bird disappeared for a time but patience paid off when a juv Common Redstart appeared in the hedge around 60 metres away. Whilst watching the Redstart another bird popped up around a metre from it. A Whinchat (a juv, I think)!

The Whinchat flew over the hedge and disappeared along the fence line, not to be seen again but the Redstart stayed around for a while in the hedge before disappearing again. Both Tony and Alan arrived but alas did not see the birds………Yet.

Early records for both these species to be returning south. The previous early record for a returning Redstart was 13th July, an ad male in 2017 and Whinchat not until at least mid-August on the hill.

Or, post-breeding dispersal from birds that bred not too far away? But where?

A flock of c50 Swallow around Lollingdon, several Swift and a single House Martin, eventually moving off south.

6 Mistle Thrush nearby, 2 Little Owl and 6 Kestrel (3 hunting on the hill and another 3 near Little Lollingdon).

Dragonflies: Banded Demoiselle, Southern Hawker and Emperor. Lots of Brown Hawker along the river towards the 4-Arches this morning. Per Alan Dawson.

Butterflies: Large Skipper, Small Skipper, Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Comma, Speckled Wood, Marbled White, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown and Ringlet.

Apologies for the quality of the pics.

 Redstart

 Whinchat

Redstart