Bunk

Sunny, 26°, light to breezy SW.

A bit samey birdwise along the Bunk area: Little Ringed Plover and several Lapwing at the gravel pit plus a few Gulls.

3 Sand Martin feeding overhead along with Several Swallow (a few young on the wing) and House Martin and c30 Swift.

Usual Yellowhammer, Common Whitethroat, Blackcap and Chiffchaff.

A flock of c30 Starling at CSW.

Dragonflies: Common Blue Damsel and Hairy Dragonfly. A probable Norfolk Hawker near gravel pit briefly.

Butterflies: Large Skipper, Small Skipper, Large White, Small White, Common Blue, Holly Blue, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Comma, Speckled Wood, Marbled White, Meadow Brown, Ringlet and Small Heath.

Moths: Scarlet Tiger and Hummingbird Hawkmoth in garden.

Spring still giving

Cloudy, 12°, breezy S.

Bunk line and Gravel pit:

75+ Hirundines feeding low over CSW, mainly House Martin and a fair number of Swallow and a Yellow Wagtail present.

GP hosted 2 Shelduck, a Great-crested Grebe, a Common Sandpiper, 2 Oystercatcher, 8 Lapwing and 4 Tufted Duck. 3 House Martin, 2 Swallow and a Sand Martin feeding overhead.

Several Chiffchaff and Blackcap on walk.

On Sunday spent some time in the garden and had an unusual garden tick. An Oystercatcher flew over then 5 minutes later a Kingfisher (5th garden record) flew downstream over the brook.

Butterflies: a few Peacock and a Speckled Wood.

A lot of Hawthorn Fly (Bibio marci) around today.

Unidentified Duck sp found along footpath

Summer arrivals

Mainly cloudy, 10°, light S.

Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Willow Warbler and Common Whitethroat, Cholsey Marsh. Per Brian Wyatt.

Bunk area: on the walk out there were 10+ House Martin feeding high over CSW. On the way back the numbers had grown to 20+ House Martin, 5+ Swallow and several Sand Martin, this time feeding a lot lower over the beds.

The Gravel pit hosted a Mute Swan, 2 Shelduck, 4 Gadwall, 3 Oystercatcher and 30+ Lapwing, c12 House Martin, 5 Swallow and several Sand Martin.

2 Peregrine over. I think I’ve mentioned these before and I believe these 2 males to be the ones raised in South Stoke last year. I’ve seen them together on several occasions this year and they appear to hunt together. Maybe a successful survival strategy.

Elsewhere on the walk: 2 Common Whitethroat, several Blackcap and Chiffchaff and a couple of Jay etc.

Butterflies: just a couple of Brimstone and Peacock.

Mallard & Muntjac both in garden today

A warm one

Sunny, 23°, light W.

A couple of hours well spent up by the gravel pit today:

3 Shelduck, an Egyptian Goose, 2 Gadwall, 2 pair of Mallard with 18 young between them, 2 Oystercatcher, 2 Little Ringed Plover, a Dunlin, 7 Lapwing, a Peregrine and 2 Grey Heron over, a Sedge Warbler, a Swallow and 2 Sand Martin.

On the walk out: a Willow Warbler at CSW, a Common Whitethroat, Green Lane, 4 Blackcap and 5 Chiffchaff.

A single Fieldfare flying alongside the road on Cholsey Hill.  

Good to see Michael P at the pit today. yesterday he had 3 Wheatear on Lollingdon Hill, 6 Fieldfare nearby and a singing Cetti’s Warbler on Cholsey Marsh.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock and Speckled Wood.

Another wet one

Sunshine and showers, 17°, fresh SW.

Along the Bunk Line this afternoon and fortunately missed most of the rain with a thunder storm passing a few kilometres to the east, then another passing closer but to the west.

A Wheatear, 2 Yellow Wagtail, several Pied Wagtail, a Grey Wagtail, 3 Meadow Pipit, 16 Chiffchaff (incl 2 in garden), 2 Blackcap, a single Common Whitethroat, 2 Yellowhammer, 26 Swallow, 30 House Martin, a single Sand Martin, 3 Raven etc.

Dragonflies: A Common Blue Damsel and a Migrant Hawker.

Butterflies: few: Large and Small White, 6 Red Admiral, a Speckled Wood and a Meadow Brown.

Moths: Hummingbird Hawkmoth.

A quiet start to July

Sunny periods, 23°, light SW.

Bunk area still pretty quiet birdwise: a Hobby heading north, a Sparrowhawk being mobbed by a flock of Hirundines, several Yellowhammer and Common Whitethroat, 20+ Swallow, 10+ House Martin, 3-4 Sand Martin, 20+ Swift, good numbers of Linnet in what looked like family groups, 2 Herring Gull at the usual site and couple of young Green Woodpecker.

Mammals: A Grey Squirrel in the garden feasting on Gooseberries.

Dragonflies: Beautiful and Banded Demoiselle, Common Blue Damsel, Azure Damsel and Southern Hawker.

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

Cholsey

Sunny at first then mostly cloudy, 15°, light S.

Bunk, Lollingdon and River/Marsh:

6 Shoveler, 4 Tufted Duck, Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Lapwing, 4 Black-headed Gull, 20+ Swallow, 3+ House Martin, 14+ Sand Martin, 2 Grey Wagtail, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Wheatear, many Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Cetti’s Warbler, 5+ Blackcap, 2+ Common Whitethroat, 3 Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Sparrowhawk and Tawny Owl.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Red Admiral, Peacock and Speckled Wood.

AD & PC.

Yellow Wagtail courtesy Alan ↕

Another day

Sunny, 16°, light N.

Usual areas covered again today:

Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, 8 Lapwing, 9 Tufted Duck, a Gadwall, 2 Little Grebe, 8+ Swallow, 2 Sand Martin, 1 House Martin, Yellow Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, 2 Meadow Pipit, a single Redwing, Blackcap, Cetti’s Warbler and a Sparrowhawk.

Mammals: unfortunately a dead Otter found by Alan along the river bank today.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Peacock and Speckled Wood.

AD & PC.

Common Sandpiper courtesy Alan

Lapwing courtesy Alan

Autumnal

Sunny intervals, 16°, light S.

With the weather feeling quite autumnal today, TW found a male Common Redstart out at Lollingdon today, quite a late one.

Elsewhere, along the Bunk area: 30 Cormorant over, 2 Grey Wagtail, 20+ Pied Wagtail, 35 Meadow Pipit, c10 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, several Swallow, House Martin and Sand Martin.

Butterflies: a single Small White.

Dragonflies: many Common Darter.

AD, PC & TW.

Meadow Pipit

Cormorant courtesy Alan

Greylag Geese and a single Canada Goose

Bunk & River

Overcast and showery, 15°, breezy NNE.

Relatively quiet along the Bunk area today: good numbers of Skylark and Meadow Pipit with 100+ of each, 20+ Pied Wagtail, 2 Grey Wagtail, 5 Swallow, a few Siskin heard overhead, 2 Mistle Thrush, a Jay, 6 Chiffchaff, 3 Teal and a lot of Gulls with most moving in a northerly direction.

River: several Meadow Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, Swallow, House Martin, Sand Martin, Reed Bunting and Chiffchaff.

Dragonflies: A Southern Hawker and several Common Darter. River: Willow Emerald, Migrant Hawker, Southern Hawker and Common Darter.

Butterflies: several Whites and 2 Red Admiral.

AD & PC.

Bunk

Mainly cloudy, 19°, breezy SW.

Pretty quiet along Bunk line today apart from a period mid-afternoon when Hirundines started passing through.

Over a period of just over an hour I counted 70+ Swallow (incl young birds), 20+ House Martin and 6 Sand Martin all moving purposefully in a southerly direction. This also included approx. 40 Swift.

Other than that it was somewhat quiet with bird song greatly diminished although usual regulars still visibly evident.

Dragonflies: Banded Demoiselle, Beautiful Demoiselle, Azure Damselfly and Common Blue Damselfly.

Butterflies: Large Skipper, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Red Admiral, Comma, Marbled White, Meadow Brown, Ringlet and Small Heath.

Green-veined White

Swollen-thighed Beetle

Bunk & River

Sunny spells, 15°, light WNW.

Bunk and River: A cooler day with a reasonable selection of birds, very few butterflies on the wing and a relatively poor showing of other insects.

Singles of Black-headed Gull and Lesser Blackback Gull, Kingfisher, Little Owl, Swift, Swallow, House Martin, Sand Martin, Yellow Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Chiffchaff, Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Cetti’s Warbler, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Goldcrest, Firecrest, Bullfinch, Reed Bunting and Yellowhammer.

Dragonflies: Banded Demoiselle, Beautiful Demoiselle, Common Blue Damselfly, Azure Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Emperor Dragonfly, Four-spotted Chaser.

Butterflies: did not see any myself but Alan found Brown Argus and Meadow Brown.

AD & PC.

Spotted Flycatcher courtesy Alan

WTF has someone done to Green lane? Very recent as foliage still green and dumped in ditch. Hedge cut and foliage gone. So very irresponsible!!!!!!!!!

adult Jackdaw above and youngster below.

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.

Sunny but cool

Sunny periods, 11°, breezy NW.

Usual areas covered today: 4 Wheatear, a Yellow Wagtail, 2 Willow Warbler, 3 Common Whitethroat, Cetti’s Warbler, several Chiffchaff and Blackcap, 10+ Swallow, 3 House Martin, 7 Sand Martin, a Bullfinch, 5 Yellowhammer, a Common Sandpiper, several Lapwing, 8 Lesser Blackback Gull, a Grey Heron, a Cormorant etc.

Mammals: Red Fox.

Dragonflies: Large Red Damselfly.

Butterflies: Orange Tip, Red Admiral and Peacock.

AD & PC.

Photos courtesy Alan

Yellow Wagtail

Large Red Damsel

Wheatear