Random pics

Sunny, 27°, light SSW.

A few pics from recent times.

Roesel's Bush Cricket courtesy Alan. This is a long-winged form that normally constitutes less than 1% of the population. For various reasons this allows the species to populate new areas. 

Buff Tip, courtesy Andy King. The colouration of this moth resembles a broken Birch twig.

Black-headed Gull, adult and young, courtesy Alan.

Hedgehog courtesy Bill Nicholls gardencam.

River

Mainly cloudy, 19°, breezy SW.

River area: Per Alan. Swallow, Swift, Yellow Wagtail family, Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Chiffchaff, Sparrowhawk and Reed Bunting.

Dragonflies: Emperor, Four-spotted Chaser, Black-tailed Skimmer, Broad-bodied Chaser, Common Blue Damselfly, Azure Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Red-eyed Damselfly and Small Red-eyed Damselfly.

Butterflies: Marbled White, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Small Heath, Common Blue, Small Skipper and Green-veined White.

Other Insects: Scarlet Tiger Moth and Roesel’s Bush-cricket.

Roesel's Bush Cricket

Four-spot Chaser

Marbled White

Scarlet Tiger

Yellow Wagtail

The Lees

Sunny spells, 25°, breezy SSW.

The Lees was very quiet today just a couple of Yellowhammer and Chiffchaff noted and a few Swallow passing thru.

The best find was a Roesel’s Bush Cricket an increasingly common insect in the area.

Dragonflies: Banded Demoiselle, Southern Hawker and Common Darter.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Common Blue, Holly Blue, Red Admiral, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown.

Roesel's Bush Cricket

Banded Demoiselle

All about Insects

Sunny periods, 23°, light NNW.

Quite static birdwise at the moment. A Chiffchaff on Lollingdon hill on the move and a Little Owl nearby.

A Sparrowhawk carrying prey and being mobbed by several Swallow.  

Alan reporting very similar along the river area.

Mammals: Stoat, a family of 4 with the 2 adults hunting Rabbit. Brown Hare also noted. A Red Fox seen by Alan recently.

River Dragonflies: Blue-tailed Damselfly, White-legged Damselfly, Brown Hawker, Emperor, Four-spot Chaser & Black-tailed Skimmer.

Dragonflies: Beautiful Demoiselle, Banded Demoiselle, Emperor & 2 Common Darter.

River Butterflies: Large Skipper, Small Skipper, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Speckled Wood, Marbled White, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown & Small Heath.

Butterflies: Small Skipper, Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Common Blue, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshell, Comma, Speckled Wood, Marbled White, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Ringlet & Small Heath.

Moths: 3-4 Scarlet Tiger Moth in the garden yesterday evening.

Insects: Roesel’s Bush Cricket.

Common Blue

Gatekeeper

Comma

The rest courtesy Alan

Emperor

Blackcap

Brown Hare

Red Fox

Roesel's Bush Cricket

Four-spot Chaser

Roesel’s Bush Cricket

Alan found a rare form of the above Cricket at Cholsey Marsh yesterday.

Wikipedia has this to say regarding the Long-winged form:

“Both male and female adults are normally brachypterous. However, a macropterous form, f. diluta (described by Charpentier 1825) also exists. These have much longer wings, and usually make up less than 1% of the total population, but in some populations occur in much higher numbers, usually in areas where the bush-cricket's range has recently expanded to.

They are more common in long, warm summers where populations reach higher densities. It has also been suggested that a very localised hostile environment may also produce a higher level of macropterous forms. The macropterous form is a dispersal phase, and it provides the advantage of reaching new, more favourable habitats, within which there is a lower density of Roesel's bush-crickets residing. Well established populations tend to be more highly brachypterous, as high dispersal ability is correlated with lower fecundity in Orthoptera.”

End of Month Insects

Tony Rayner has caught 16 Small Elephant Hawk Moth in his trap over the last few days. A record number in such a short period.

A Roesel's Bush Cricket found by Alan, a Cinnabar Moth found by Loren and a Large Skipper by Tony R.

Small Elephant Hawk Moth (courtesy Tony Rayner)

Roesel's Bush Cricket (courtesy Alan Dawson)

Cinnabar Moth (courtesy Loren Chaplin)

Cockchafer

Large Skipper (courtesy Tony Rayner)

Roesel's Bush Cricket

A video and photos of Roesel's Bush Crickets courtesy Alan Dawson.

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)