Mipit Fest

Overcast with low cloud at first then clearing to sunny spells, warming up to 17°, light W.

Lollingdon Hill was quite lively with 100+ Meadow Pipit present and many more overhead, 250-300 in total. 3 Stonechat, 1 Wheatear, 2 Corn Bunting, 10 Yellowhammer, 2 Reed Bunting, 2 Blackcap and several Chiffchaff today.

3 Raven on the north side of the hill and a Kestrel.

20+ Skylark and 5 Pied Wagtail overhead.

Another small flock of c12 Yellowhammer and 2+ Reed Bunting near Little Lollingdon.

Alan saw 2 more Stonechat along Westfield road and another 6 at a site nearby but out of the Parish. Also several Swallow and House Martin along the Bunk line.

Coal Tit in song, Whitehead Meadow.

Mammals: Brown Hare and Stoat.

Dragonflies: 2 Southern Hawker and several Common Darter.

Butterflies: several Whites and a Red Admiral.

Quite few Meadow Pipit pics today followed by a distant shot of the 3 Stonechat and the last 2 Stonechat from Alan.

Still rather quiet

Cloudy, 16°, light WNW backing W.

Not a great deal out there today with both Alan and me walking the Bunk line/Green lane area at different times.

The odd Chiffchaff, a single Blackcap and several small flocks of Swallow and House Martin passing thru.

The small flock of Yellowhammer present and a Reed Bunting with them.

Several Meadow Pipit around and approximately 20 Skylark and a few Pied Wagtail overhead.

A small flock of 12 Black-headed Gull and 2 Lesser Blackback Gull at CSW.

Dragonflies: 1 Southern Hawker and a couple of Common Darter.

Butterflies: several Whites, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Red Admiral and 1 Small Heath.

Meadow Pipit

Garden toys

Today in Tony’s Garden.

Nothing much on the bird front except for a lot of Canada Geese flying over.

Butterflies: in our meadow - Small White 2, Large White 1, Red Admiral 1, Small Copper 5.

Reptiles: Grass Snakes 6, Slow-worms 31.

Small mammals: Wood Mice found in 3 places. Bank Voles found in 3 or possibly 4 places.

I continue to find Fox toys in our meadow - must be from nearby gardens.

These are toys that a Fox has been bringing into Tony's garden.

Sunday best

 A few from Alan today from around Cholsey.

Stonechat

Lapwing flock, approx 100 ↕

Egyptian Goose

Summer has gone!

Cloudy with a few sunny periods and some light drizzle, 12°, fresh NNW.

The current weather has certainly put the mockers on any meaningful birding over the last few days with a biting northerly airflow.

A late afternoon walk along the Bunk line/Green lane area proved somewhat fruitless.

The only migrants noted were a single Chiffchaff calling and a lone Swallow passing overhead.

Apart from larger birds such as Corvids, Kites, Wood Pigeons and a single Lesser Blackback Gull there was nothing else in the air and apart from the odd Bumble Bee, no insects!

Even small birds were inconspicuous with just Wren, Robin and Dunnock heard occasionally.

Tony Rayner was fortunate to have 4 Small Copper butterflies in his garden today.

This was the only thing that stayed still long enough. A Shaggy Inkcap.

Little Egret

Sunny spells, 13°, very breezy NW.

Pretty dire out there today with the fresh wind deterring anything from showing. The only saving grace was that Alan found a Little Egret, seen flying over the Bunk line towards the Hithercroft area.

Lollingdon hill was very quiet with a couple of Meadow Pipit and 6 House Martin over.

Nearby the only thing of note was a single Chiffchaff.

Dragonflies: 2 Common Darter.

Butterflies: 2 Small White and 1 Speckled Wood.

Photo from last year

A change in the weather and quieter

Sunny spells then clouding over, 14°, moderate SW.

A lot cooler and windier than of late and reflected in the lack of insects around.

Both Alan and I out along the Bunk line/ Green lane area today and not a lot noted.

Alan saw a Hobby over the new gravel workings and I saw presumably the same bird a little later spooking a flock of Starling a bit further south.

A fair few Chiffchaff and Meadow Pipit around plus a light movement of Swallow and House Martin overhead and a single Blackcap and the usual flock of Yellowhammer noted.

Dragonflies: 1 Southern Hawker and several Common Darter.

Butterflies: a handful of Large and Small White, 1 Red Admiral and 1 Comma.

Comma

Hobby (courtesy Alan)

Chiffchaff (courtesy Alan)

Meadow Pipit

Yellowhammer

Chiffchaff & Stonechat

Sunshine again then clouding over, 22°, light SSW.

Is this going to be the last day of summer with autumn forecast to start?

Alan found a Stonechat along the Bunk line this morning which I soon caught up with. Seen close to the junction of Green Lane.

A small flock of c10 Yellowhammer present, several Chiffchaff and a single Blackcap.

Overhead a few small flocks of Swallow and House Martin and several each of Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail and Skylark.

A couple of Jay heard and a couple of vocal Buzzard.

Dragonflies: Southern Hawker and Common Darter.

Butterflies: Again several Large and Small White, a Small Copper, 2 Red Admiral and a Speckled Wood.

Chiffchaff ↕

Stonechat ↕

Todays Insects

 A few Insects from today

Small Copper

Brindled Green (courtesy Tony Rayner)

Southern Hawker (courtesy Alan)

Large Ranunculus (courtesy Tony Rayner)

Clouded Yellow & Spot Fly

Sunny, 18°, light N.

Another quiet one out there today. Very little on the hill with just a couple of Chiffchaff and a Blackcap present.

A Cormorant flew east overhead and a couple of Kestrel present.

A few other bits and pieces seen off the hill were a Kingfisher, several Yellowhammer, a Corn Bunting and a Reed Bunting.

A light passage of Hirundines, c60 birds in total. Mainly Swallow but also a few House Martin and a light passage of Meadow Pipit and Skylark overhead.

A Spotted Flycatcher and a Blackcap along the Bunk line. Per Alan.

Dragonflies: several Southern Hawker and Common Darter.

Butterflies: a Clouded Yellow graced the hill for a short time. Several Large and Small White, a Common Blue and a few Speckled Wood.

A few record shots of the Clouded Yellow

Spotted Flycatcher (courtesy Alan)

European (Praying) Mantis

 3 Praying Mantis found yesterday in a Cholsey garden. they appear to be European Mantis (Mantis religiosa) as the female measures 6cm. Which is in the range for this species.

European Mantis are another species spreading north from Southern Europe due to climate change and may even survive our winters now.

These however have probably been released or have escaped as this species is frequently kept as pets by some. Where these 3 came from is anyone's guess.

Thank you to Giuseppe Morlando for the photos.

Quiet on all fronts

Sunny with high cloud, 20°, light ENE.

Very quiet out along the Bunk line today but good to see both Tony Williams and Brian Wyatt out there birding.

A small flock of Hirundines out near Green lane comprised around 20 Swallow and 5+ House Martin.

Several roaming flocks of Starling, a Kestrel, 5-6 Chiffchaff, 2 of each Meadow Pipit and Pied Wagtail. A single Mistle Thrush and a Blackcap and that was about it! Apart from the usual large flock of Corvids.

Dragonflies: several Southern Hawker and Common Darter.

Butterflies: as usual several Large and Small White and a single Small Tortoiseshell.

Chiffchaff

Meadow Pipit

A bit quiet

Hazy sunshine, 24°, light NE.

A few birds on the hill today with Yellowhammer (c14), Reed Bunting (2), Linnet (c20) and Greenfinch (5) and a light passage of Meadow Pipit (c25), Pied Wagtail (c15) and Skylark (c20) overhead.

2 Blackcap, 5 Chiffchaff and a Great-spotted Woodpecker and Sparrowhawk also present.

Very quiet elsewhere.

Dragonflies: Common Darter.

Butterflies: several Large and Small White and a single Red Admiral.

 

Meadow Pipit (courtesy Alan)

Early start

A sunny day, 18°, light N.

An earlier than usual start today to make for Lollingdon Hill.

2 Wheatear present in a ploughed field on the lower slopes of the hill, 2 Blackcap, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Common Whitethroat and 2 Chiffchaff along one of the hedgerows. A single Yellow Wagtail overhead and up to 20 Meadow Pipit over and a few Skylark.

4-5 Kestrel hunting around the hill. And a lot of Lesser Blackback Gull loafing in various fields in the area.

3 Spotted Flycatcher in the cattle field along with another Blackcap.

6 Yellowhammer still out at Little Lollingdon and a single Swallow seen.

A Hobby flew south over the garden just after midday.

2 Wheatear at Silly Bridge along with several Meadow Pipit, Skylark and a few Yellow Wagtail and c20 House Martin along the Bunk Line. Per Alan.

Dragonflies: a single Southern Hawker and a lot of Common Darter.

Butterflies: as usual of late, a number of Large and Small White and 2 Red Admiral.

Blue Tit & Spotted Flycatcher ↕

One of the Wheatears from today (courtesy Alan)

Peregrine Falcon (from yesterday, courtesy Alan)

Spotted Flycatcher (from yesterday, courtesy Alan)

Lesser Blackback Gulls

Wheatears

Sunny spells with variable cloud, 19°, light NNW.

Alan took the long hike today, initially the Bunk line and then Silly Bridge and onto Lollingdon.

The Bunk line was fairly quiet this morning but a Hobby seen.

3-4 Wheatear (at last) around the Silly Bridge area and moving along to fields near Westfield road.

3 Spotted Flycatcher out at Lollingdon and a Peregrine Falcon nearby.

I didn’t get out until this afternoon and hiked out to the Lees then back along the Bunk line.

The Lees area was fairly quiet with a few Yellow Wagtail and Chiffchaff around and a Tawny Owl heard.

The Bunk line was also fairly quiet but as the weather closed in Hirundines started to appear with a large flock of 100+ House Martin over CSW. Then for the next hour or so good numbers of Swallow and more House Martins and then when the sun appeared again it all went quiet.

A few more Yellow Wagtail seen, a possible Hobby and a flock of 120+ Starling feeding in the fields.

Mammals: Brown Hare and Roe Deer.

Dragonflies: Southern Hawker and Common Darter.

Butterflies: Both Large and Small White and a single Speckled Wood.

Than you Alan for the Wheatear pics. Peregrine and Flycatcher pics later.

Wheatear ↕

distant shot

One of those days 👍

Cloudy, 21°, light WSW.

A walk out to the Lees area today and turned out to be one of those good days!

Firstly a subdued song coming from the corner of a maize field turned out to be a Reed Warbler. I began to suspect a Reed Warbler but it was not until about 30 minutes later the bird appeared on the edge of the field briefly before disappearing again.

Secondly, happened to notice a butterfly on Dandelions near some farm buildings that turned out to be a Painted Lady. My first for the year!

Thirdly, walking back towards Manor farm I heard an alarm call of a falcon. Then next a small falcon shot by being pursued by a corvid. I managed to get onto the falcon and it was a juvenile Merlin. The birds had come from the direction of Cholsey hill, they shot by me and disappeared over the main railway line towards Lollingdon.

It was only then as the corvid broke off the pursuit I realised it was a Raven that had been chasing the Merlin. The Raven then flew back overhead and moved off towards Cholsey hill and was joined by another.

Then walking thru by the Church I saw a Sparrowhawk take a Greenfinch out of the sky. No matter what the finch did the hawk tracked it with precision and caught it.

Other birds seen were Chiffchaff (5), a Blackcap, Reed Bunting (3), Yellow Wagtail (4), 2 Raven, and a Kestrel.

A light movement of Swallow and House Martin (c100), fizzled out by midday.

Alan was out on Lollingdon Hill today: 1 Lesser Whitethroat, several Meadow Pipit (first of the autumn) and an amazing number of up to 15 Kestrel around the hill!

Dragonflies: several Southern Hawker, a Four-spot Chaser (egg laying) and several Common Darter.

Butterflies: several Large White and Small White, 2 Red Admiral, 1 Painted Lady and 1 Speckled Wood.

Painted Lady

A pale Buzzard that frequents the Lollingdon area. (courtesy Alan). ↕