Lollingdon: Wheatear, Swallow.
Bunk: Little Egret on flood opposite school, Common Whitethroat, Blackcap and Gadwall.
Mammals: Brown Hare.
Dragonflies: Azure Damselfly.
Butterflies: Green-veined White.
Sightings and photos courtesy Alan.
Showing posts with label Azure Damselfly. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Azure Damselfly. Show all posts
Monday, 29 April 2024
Bunk & Lollingdon.
Sunny spells, 13°, breezy S.
Lollingdon: Wheatear, Swallow.
Bunk: Little Egret on flood opposite school, Common Whitethroat, Blackcap and Gadwall.
Lollingdon: Wheatear, Swallow.
Bunk: Little Egret on flood opposite school, Common Whitethroat, Blackcap and Gadwall.
Wednesday, 24 May 2023
Dragons & Butterflies Pt II
Some of the insects captured yesterday by Alan.
Brown Argus
Small Heath
Azure Damselfly
Common Blue Damselfly
Four-spot Chaser
Thursday, 12 May 2022
Bunk & River
Sunny periods, 16°, breezy SW.
Bunk line and River/Marsh covered today and the warmer weather is more amiable for larger insects.
Birdwise: a good number of Swift around now with most of the local population in as well as passage birds passing thru. Plus, good numbers of Swallow and House Martin.
A Lesser Whitethroat, Treecreeper along the Bunk and a Cormorant over. No change otherwise.
River/Marsh very much the same as well.
Mammals: Brown Hare.
Dragonflies: Large Red Damselfly, Azure Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Club-tailed Dragonfly, Four-spotted Chaser and a Common Darter.
Butterflies: Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Speckled Wood and Small Heath.
Bunk line and River/Marsh covered today and the warmer weather is more amiable for larger insects.
Birdwise: a good number of Swift around now with most of the local population in as well as passage birds passing thru. Plus, good numbers of Swallow and House Martin.
A Lesser Whitethroat, Treecreeper along the Bunk and a Cormorant over. No change otherwise.
River/Marsh very much the same as well.
Mammals: Brown Hare.
Dragonflies: Large Red Damselfly, Azure Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Club-tailed Dragonfly, Four-spotted Chaser and a Common Darter.
Butterflies: Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Speckled Wood and Small Heath.
Treecreeper
Azure Damselfly courtesy Alan
Large Red Damselfly courtesy Alan
Wednesday, 19 May 2021
Bunk Line & River Thames
Sunny periods with rain showers later, 15°, light WNW.
The Bunk line and river covered today with Alan finding some “first for the year” Dragonflies including Club-tailed and a good selection of Butterflies around today.
Firstly, Grundon’s in their wisdom (or not) are building an earth rampart around the gravel pit that blocks the pit from view! Why is this being done? And is there something they do not want us to see?
Bunk line: Relatively quiet, although a Lesser Whitethroat singing quite consistently along Green Lane and several Swift (6-8) overhead ranging over the village. Still negative for House Martin around Church road!
Several Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 6 Yellowhammer, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 6-8 Swallow,
Cholsey Marsh and The Thames: All the usual present including Lesser Whitethroat, Cetti’s Warbler and Tawny Owl to name a few.
Mammals: Red Fox and Brown Hare.
Dragonflies: Common Blue Damselfly, Azure Damselfly, Large Red Damselfly and Club-tailed Dragonfly.
Butterflies: Dingy Skipper, Brimstone, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Marsh Fritillary, Small Heath and Speckled Wood.
The Bunk line and river covered today with Alan finding some “first for the year” Dragonflies including Club-tailed and a good selection of Butterflies around today.
Firstly, Grundon’s in their wisdom (or not) are building an earth rampart around the gravel pit that blocks the pit from view! Why is this being done? And is there something they do not want us to see?
Bunk line: Relatively quiet, although a Lesser Whitethroat singing quite consistently along Green Lane and several Swift (6-8) overhead ranging over the village. Still negative for House Martin around Church road!
Several Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 6 Yellowhammer, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 6-8 Swallow,
Cholsey Marsh and The Thames: All the usual present including Lesser Whitethroat, Cetti’s Warbler and Tawny Owl to name a few.
Mammals: Red Fox and Brown Hare.
Dragonflies: Common Blue Damselfly, Azure Damselfly, Large Red Damselfly and Club-tailed Dragonfly.
Butterflies: Dingy Skipper, Brimstone, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Marsh Fritillary, Small Heath and Speckled Wood.
Whilst out walking this morning I was thinking I have not seen a Fox for a while. I had this feeling to turn around and when I did I saw this handsome creature looking right back at me. Law of Attraction at work?
Painted Lady
Goldfinch
Club-tailed Dragonfly
Field full of Buttercup
The Rampart
Saturday, 9 May 2020
Dragons
Sunny with high cloud, 23°, light E.
Some Dragonfly photos of Alan's from this week.
Broad-bodied Chaser
Azure Damselfly
Club-tailed Dragonfly
Wednesday, 6 May 2020
4-Arches to Bow Bridge
A clear sky, light frost, 2° and no wind.
An 04:30 start this morning for a “Dawn Chorus” along Cholsey Marsh. At that time of day the huge Moon (an almost full supermoon and called the Flower Moon) was just about to set as the Sun was rising almost in opposition.
The air was full of birdsong with Sedge Warbler and Blackbird appearing to dominate for volume.
55 species noted in 4 hours walking from the 4-Arches to Bow Bridge.
Most of the Warblers seen/heard with Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Cetti’s Warbler, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff.
The Cuckoo appeared several times and very close, very vocal but was very mobile and impossible to get a photo of!
A Mute Swan was being very aggressive towards both Canada Geese and Greylag Geese.
A few other species seen were An Oystercatcher (flew downriver then back upriver), Little Grebe, 2 Tufted Duck, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel.
Swift, House Martin and Swallow also noted.
Too cold for any insects early this morning.
Approx. 11:00 a Spotted Flycatcher appeared in one of the garden Lime trees but was scared off by a gardener with a mower nearby and flew off into Whitehead Meadow. Second record of this species for the garden.
A Raven reported again near the Cholsey/Moulsford border. Per MA.
Dragonflies: Azure Damselfly,
Butterflies: Alan was out later in the day and has seen 6+ Marsh Fritillary with some egg laying happening and some Green Hairstreak butterflies, also Dingy Skipper and Small Blue. The latter 2 both new for the year.
The garden has produced several Brimstone, Orange Tip and Holly Blue.
An 04:30 start this morning for a “Dawn Chorus” along Cholsey Marsh. At that time of day the huge Moon (an almost full supermoon and called the Flower Moon) was just about to set as the Sun was rising almost in opposition.
The air was full of birdsong with Sedge Warbler and Blackbird appearing to dominate for volume.
55 species noted in 4 hours walking from the 4-Arches to Bow Bridge.
Most of the Warblers seen/heard with Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Cetti’s Warbler, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff.
The Cuckoo appeared several times and very close, very vocal but was very mobile and impossible to get a photo of!
A Mute Swan was being very aggressive towards both Canada Geese and Greylag Geese.
A few other species seen were An Oystercatcher (flew downriver then back upriver), Little Grebe, 2 Tufted Duck, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel.
Swift, House Martin and Swallow also noted.
Too cold for any insects early this morning.
Approx. 11:00 a Spotted Flycatcher appeared in one of the garden Lime trees but was scared off by a gardener with a mower nearby and flew off into Whitehead Meadow. Second record of this species for the garden.
A Raven reported again near the Cholsey/Moulsford border. Per MA.
Dragonflies: Azure Damselfly,
Butterflies: Alan was out later in the day and has seen 6+ Marsh Fritillary with some egg laying happening and some Green Hairstreak butterflies, also Dingy Skipper and Small Blue. The latter 2 both new for the year.
The garden has produced several Brimstone, Orange Tip and Holly Blue.
Willow Warbler ↕
Common Whitethroat in the early morning sun
Common Whitethroat
Angry Swan
Linnet
Yellowhammer
Marsh Fritillary (courtesy Alan Dawson)
Speckled Wood (courtesy Adrian Bennett)
Marsh Fritillary (courtesy Alan Dawson)
Friday, 21 June 2019
The Lees and beyond
Sunny spells, 19°, light W.
A walk out to the Lees and beyond today and a little warmer than of late.
The “long ditch” out beyond the Lees was dredged over the winter and subsequently all the growth in and around the ditch was either disrupted or destroyed.
There are no birds breeding along the ditch this year and it seems the Reed Buntings that bred along the ditch have moved out into the crop fields (5 singing males). A lot of the Bullrush, Reed and other plants that were in the ditch have been destroyed but some of the plants on the bank have survived. Any larvae or other life that was in the ditch has also been partially destroyed.
However nature has a way of coming back!
Several Dragonfly species seen along the ditch and a few small fish present (probably Stickleback) and a few Orchid species along the bank.
The “Reedy ditch” at the far end had 5 singing Sedge Warbler and 3 singing Reed Warbler (plus others present) present along with several Reed Bunting and Yellowhammer.
A family group of Swallow spent time feeding over the area (2 adults & 5 young) and a few Swift overhead and a distant Grey Heron.
Mammals: Brown Hare.
Dragonflies: Banded Demoiselle, Large Red Damselfly, Azure Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, 4-spot Chaser and Emperor Dragonfly. Per Alan: Brown Hawker and White-legged Damselfly.
Butterflies: Large Skipper, Large White, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Speckled Wood, Marbled White and Meadow Brown. Per Alan: Small Heath, Meadow Brown, Common Blue, Marbled White, Small Copper and Large Skipper.
Moths: Cinnabar Moth and Scarlet Tiger. Per Alan: Burnet Companion.
Orchids: Pyramid Orchid, Common Spotted Orchid and Poss Marsh Orchid hybrid.
A walk out to the Lees and beyond today and a little warmer than of late.
The “long ditch” out beyond the Lees was dredged over the winter and subsequently all the growth in and around the ditch was either disrupted or destroyed.
There are no birds breeding along the ditch this year and it seems the Reed Buntings that bred along the ditch have moved out into the crop fields (5 singing males). A lot of the Bullrush, Reed and other plants that were in the ditch have been destroyed but some of the plants on the bank have survived. Any larvae or other life that was in the ditch has also been partially destroyed.
However nature has a way of coming back!
Several Dragonfly species seen along the ditch and a few small fish present (probably Stickleback) and a few Orchid species along the bank.
The “Reedy ditch” at the far end had 5 singing Sedge Warbler and 3 singing Reed Warbler (plus others present) present along with several Reed Bunting and Yellowhammer.
A family group of Swallow spent time feeding over the area (2 adults & 5 young) and a few Swift overhead and a distant Grey Heron.
From Alan: 2 Common Tern again on the river and Lesser Whitethroat.
Mammals: Brown Hare.
Dragonflies: Banded Demoiselle, Large Red Damselfly, Azure Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, 4-spot Chaser and Emperor Dragonfly. Per Alan: Brown Hawker and White-legged Damselfly.
Butterflies: Large Skipper, Large White, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Speckled Wood, Marbled White and Meadow Brown. Per Alan: Small Heath, Meadow Brown, Common Blue, Marbled White, Small Copper and Large Skipper.
Moths: Cinnabar Moth and Scarlet Tiger. Per Alan: Burnet Companion.
Insects: Black and Yellow Long
Horn Beetle. Per Alan.
Orchids: Pyramid Orchid, Common Spotted Orchid and Poss Marsh Orchid hybrid.
Reed Warbler
Emperor Dragonfly
Burnet Companion
Common Spotted Orchid
Scarlet Tiger
Small Tortoiseshell
Large Skipper
4-spot Chaser
Azure Damselfly
Tuesday, 14 May 2019
Dragons & Butterflies
Sunny, 18°, light E.
Another sunny day with quite a lot of butterflies on the wing.
A Lesser Whitethroat heard singing on the north side of Cholsey Hill and several Swift, Swallow and House Martin over Church road today.
Alan Dawson has been out along the Thames today and found most of the Dragons and Butterflies along with, Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Kingfisher, Buzzard, Kestrel, Swallow, House Martin, Swift, Yellowhammer, Linnet, Kingfisher and a single Common Tern along with the rest.
Dragonflies: Azure Damselfly, Four-spotted Chaser.
Butterflies: Brimstone, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Green Hairstreak, Small Copper, Brown Argus, Holly Blue, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock and Speckled Wood.
Another sunny day with quite a lot of butterflies on the wing.
A Lesser Whitethroat heard singing on the north side of Cholsey Hill and several Swift, Swallow and House Martin over Church road today.
Alan Dawson has been out along the Thames today and found most of the Dragons and Butterflies along with, Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Kingfisher, Buzzard, Kestrel, Swallow, House Martin, Swift, Yellowhammer, Linnet, Kingfisher and a single Common Tern along with the rest.
Dragonflies: Azure Damselfly, Four-spotted Chaser.
Butterflies: Brimstone, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Green Hairstreak, Small Copper, Brown Argus, Holly Blue, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock and Speckled Wood.
All todays photos courtesy Alan Dawson.
Four-spot Chaser
Brown Argus
Dingy Skipper
Small Copper
Swallow
Friday, 19 June 2015
Dragons and Butter
Sunny, 22°, light SW.
Little of note other than the usual, bird wise, 2 Stock Dove on the hill and 9 Swift drifted north.
A young Crow turned up in the meadow today along with the 2 adult birds!
More about the insects today!
Dragonflies: 2 mating Emperors again plus another male, 2 4-spot Chasers and several of each Common Blue and Azure Damselflies on the pond. In addition a Southern Hawker on the north side of the hill.
Butterflies: fewer around today, Large White, Speckled Wood, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell and Meadow Brown.
Little of note other than the usual, bird wise, 2 Stock Dove on the hill and 9 Swift drifted north.
A young Crow turned up in the meadow today along with the 2 adult birds!
More about the insects today!
Dragonflies: 2 mating Emperors again plus another male, 2 4-spot Chasers and several of each Common Blue and Azure Damselflies on the pond. In addition a Southern Hawker on the north side of the hill.
Butterflies: fewer around today, Large White, Speckled Wood, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell and Meadow Brown.
Southern Hawker
Meadow Brown
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