May ends on a quiet note

Cloudy day, 14°, breezy N.

A fairly quiet day and a little cooler.

Good news with 2 well grown young Lapwing noted. Second year running that Lapwing has bred locally and hopefully a few more young to be noted.

The River, Bunk and Lollingdon all pretty static at the moment and very few insects on the wing today.

2 Little Egret noted by Alan and c30 House Martin feeding over CSW.

Mammals: Brown Hare.

Brown Hare

Teneral Black-tailed Skimmer courtesy Alan. earlier in week

Large Skipper (yesterday) courtesy Alan

White-legged Damselfly (yesterday) courtesy Alan

Firecrest

Overcast with showers, 16°, light to breezy SW.

River/ Fairmile grounds:

Alan found a Firecrest at Cholsey Meadows/Fairmile, (4th record this year). Plus, Goldcrest, 2 Nuthatch, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Reed Bunting, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Garden Warbler, Cetti’s Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Swift, Swallow, House Martin and Black-headed Gull.

Not the best weather for Dragons.

Dragonflies: Banded Demoiselle, Beautiful Demoiselle, Azure Damselfly and Four-spotted Chaser.

Firecrest courtesy Alan

White Ermine Moth

Buff-tailed Bumblebee courtesy Bill Nicholls

Dingy Skipper courtesy Alan (from weekend)

A few pics from the week end

 All pics courtesy Alan

Broad-bodied Chaser (f)

Broad-bodied Chaser imm male

Bee Orchid

Blue Emperor

Cuckoo

A couple from yesterday

 Pics courtesy Alan Dawson

Red-eyed Damselfly

Chiffchaff with Mayfly

LBR

Sunny, 20°, light NE.

Lollingdon, Bunk & River areas covered.

We have a strong suspicion that we have 2 Lapwing (4 pairs) breeding areas in Cholsey at the moment, so fingers crossed that we can confirm it over the next few weeks. Providing dog walkers don’t let their dogs run amok over the fields!

L&B: 8 Common Whitethroat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Blackcap, 7 Chiffchaff, 10+ Swallow, 20+ House Martin, 4-6 Sand Martin, a Sparrowhawk, 3 Reed Bunting, 8 Yellowhammer and 2 Corn Bunting.

R: 2 Cuckoo, not calling much but quite active. As for the rest, a bit samey.

Mammals: Brown Hare.

Dragonflies: Beautiful Demoiselle, Banded Demoiselle, Red-eyed Damselfly, Broad-bodied Chaser,

Butterflies: Dingy Skipper, Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Common Blue, Holly Blue, Peacock, Speckled Wood and Small Heath.

PC & AD.

Common Whitethroat

Broad-bodied Chaser

A Cuckoo at last!

Sunshine, 20°, light NE.

At last. Alan has finally confirmed (2) Cuckoo in Cholsey! Had several reports of Cuckoo heard along the river but no specifics, so could have been up to a kilometre or more away.

Cetti’s Warbler, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Reed Bunting, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Chiffchaff, Swallow, Swift, House Martin, Common Whitethroat and a Raven over.

Dragonflies: Banded Demoiselle, Beautiful Demoiselle, Large Red Damselfly, Azure Damselfly, Four Spotted Chaser, Hairy Dragonfly and Broad-bodied Chaser.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Painted Lady, Peacock & Small Heath.

AD.

A little quiet

Mainly sunny, 18°, light SSE.

A brief visit to Lollingdon and Bunk areas today and proved somewhat quiet:

Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Corn Bunting, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Yellow Wagtail, Lapwing, Swallow, House Martin and Swift.

A Barn Owl earlier in week. Per Andy King.

Mammals: Brown Hare & Red Fox.

Dragonflies: Beautiful Demoiselle, Banded Demoiselle & Large Red Damselfly.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Large White, Orange Tip, Peacock & Speckled Wood.

AD, AK, PC & TW.

Barn Owl courtesy Andy King

Hairy Dragonfly courtesy Alan

Mother Shipton courtesy Alan

Speckled Wood

Common Whitethroat doing its best to avoid the camera

Bunk & River

Sunny spells, 18°, light SSE.

Bunk line relatively quiet today apart from SSEN contractors chopping tops from trees and bushes under some power cables: Poor timing!

Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Reed Bunting, Yellowhammer, Swift, Swallow, House Martin and Sparrowhawk.

No change at the river re birds: Raven over, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Cetti’s Warbler, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Goldcrest, Swift, Swallow, House Martin, Black-headed Gull, Sparrowhawk, Grey Wagtail and Kingfisher.

Dragonflies: Beautiful Demoiselle, Banded Demoiselle, Azure Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Large Red Damselfly, Hairy Dragonfly, Broad-bodied Chaser and Four-spot Chaser. A possible Downy Emerald seen but not re-located to confirm ID.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Large White, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Common Blue, Painted Lady, Peacock and Small Heath.

AD & PC.

Hairy Dragonfly courtesy Alan

Great-spotted Woodpecker

A couple of Swallow resting up

Painted Lady courtesy Alan

Common Blue courtesy Alan

Cholsey

Cloudy with the odd sunny spell, 17°, breezy SSE.

Lollingdon, Long Ditch, Reedy Ditch, Bunk and River areas:

Cetti’s Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Chiffchaff, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, a good number of Swift, Swallow and House Martin and at least 6 Sand Martin and 2 Black-headed Gull.

Andy King did the Aston Loop:

Flooded Field – 4 Lapwing, 2 Yellow Wagtail. 4 Skylark, Common Whitethroat – no singing sedge warbler.

Along the way – Linnet, Song Thrush, Skylark, Yellowhammer, Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, Dunnock, Jackdaw.

Long Ditch – Reed Bunting, Yellow Wagtail, 8 Lapwing on the stubble field, Skylark.

Reedy Ditch – Reed Warbler (5), Sedge Warbler (1 or 2); Great-spotted Woodpecker, Common Whitethroat, Reed Bunting.

Track back from Aston – Common Whitethroat, Song Thrush.

Everywhere Wrens – based on one every 100 yards there must have been at least 50. And of course the usual Blackbird, Robin, Blue Tit, Great Tit. Magpie, etc.

Thanks to Andy for his detailed account.

A Cuckoo has been heard along the river a couple of times this year but no specific information as to whether it was within the parish boundary!

Mammals: Muntjac Deer.

Amphibians: Smooth Newt. (Per BN). 

Not good weather for dragons or butterflies, however: 

Dragonflies: Banded Demoiselle, Beautiful Demoiselle, Azure Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Large Red Damselfly, Four-spot Chaser and from Sunday: Hairy Dragonfly and Broad-bodied Chaser.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Small White, Orange Tip, Holly Blue (yesterday) and Peacock.

Other Insects: Ashy Mining Bee and Mint Moth (yesterday per LC).

Contributors: AD, AK, BN, LC & PC.

Four-spot Chaser courtesy Alan

Broad-bodied Chaser courtesy Alan

Reed Bunting courtesy Andy

Yellow Wagtail courtesy Andy

Blue-tailed Damselfly courtesy Alan

Wren's nest courtesy Bill Nicholls

Smooth Newt with insect prey courtesy Bill Nicholls

Muntjac Deer in garden

Magpie

Rook. as the garden is close to the Rookery up to 16 Rook are frequent and decimating the feeders.

A warm one

Sunny, 22°, light SSE.

Lollingdon and Bunk area: 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 8 Common Whitethroat, 5 Blackcap, a Willow Warbler, several Chiffchaff, a Sedge Warbler, Yellow Wagtail, Corn Bunting, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Swallow, Swift, House Martin, Lapwing, 2 Herring Gull, 2 Black-headed Gull and 2 Lesser Blackback Gull.

River: Birds & Insects, no change. Per Alan.

Mammals: Brown Hare.

Dragonflies: Beautiful Demoiselle, appear to be more numerous now than Banded.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Peacock & Speckled Wood.

AD, AK & PC.

Lapwing courtesy Andy King ↕

Azure Damselfly courtesy Alan

Green Hairstreak courtesy Alan

Common Whitethroat courtesy Andy King

Yellowhammer courtesy Andy King

Fox & Hare

Sunny, 19°, light SSE.

A good day for  a stroll, most of our summer visitors are in now but still missing a few. 

Lollingdon and Bunk areas: 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 8 Common Whitethroat, 9 Chiffchaff, 5 Blackcap, a Sedge Warbler, 2 Corn Bunting, 1 Reed Bunting, 3 Yellowhammer, a Grey Heron, a Raven, 4 Black-headed Gull, 15 Swallow, 11 Swift, 2 House Martin and a Yellow Wagtail, etc.

River: Swallow, Swift, Sparrowhawk, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Reed Bunting, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Chiffchaff and Cetti’s Warbler.

Mammals: Red Fox and Brown Hare.

Reptiles: Grass Snake.  

Dragonflies: Beautiful Demoiselle, Banded Demoiselle, Azure Damselfly, Large Red Damselfly and Four-spotted Chaser.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Green Hairstreak, Holly Blue, Common Blue, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Speckled Wood and Small Heath.

AD & PC.

Red Fox

A down of Hares

A couple of Dragons

Sunny, 18°, light NNE.

A couple of Dragonflies found by Alan. Common Clubtail and Four-spot Chaser.

Out & About

Mainly cloudy with rain later, 15°, light SSE.

Lollingdon: Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat and Blackcap. Per Andy King.

Mammals: Brown Hare and Roe Deer. Per Andy King.

Dragonflies: Four-spot Chaser. Per Alan.

Photos courtesy Andy King and Alan Dawson

Brown Hare courtesy Andy King

Four-spot Chaser courtesy Alan

Roe Deer courtesy Andy King

Common Carpet courtesy Andy King