A cool wind blowing today keeping the temperature low but still quite a few bugs etc.
Apart for the Holly Blue and Speckled Wood butterflies we have not ID’d any of the other insects etc yet.
All photos courtesy Loren
Tuesday, 18 April 2017
Arachnids & Insects
Mainly sunny, 11°, breezy NNE.
A cool wind blowing today keeping the temperature low but still quite a few bugs etc.
A cool wind blowing today keeping the temperature low but still quite a few bugs etc.
Monday, 17 April 2017
Slowly but surely
Cloudy with a few sunny periods, a cooler 10°, light NNE.
An afternoon visit to Cholsey Marsh and Lollingdon and slowly but surely more migrants are appearing.
Cholsey Marsh: A Cormorant on the river, 1 Water Rail, 2 Kingfisher, a Cuckoo, 20+ Swallow, 6 Blackcap, 2 Common Whitethroat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Willow Warbler, 10+ Chiffchaff, 1 Cetti’s Warbler, 1 Reed Warbler and 10+ Sedge Warbler.
Lollingdon: 6 (poss 8) Wheatear, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Meadow Pipit, 5 singing Corn Bunting, 2 Yellowhammer and 6 Swallow. A Little Owl heard nearby and 3 Blackcap and 2 Chiffchaff.
I bumped into Tony Williams out at Lollingdon and he had seen 2 Wheatear on the hill. After parting I made my way up the hill and initially found 2 Wheatear. The sheep on the hill started to move along the face of the hill and out of nowhere more Wheatear appeared, being pushed along in front of the sheep. Not easy to count but at least 6 and possibly 8 Wheatear and the Yellow Wagtails and Meadow Pipits became more obvious. Also the 6 Swallow feeding over the sheep as they moved along the hill.
A Cuckoo and several Swallow, Cholsey SF yesterday. Per Tony Williams.
An afternoon visit to Cholsey Marsh and Lollingdon and slowly but surely more migrants are appearing.
Cholsey Marsh: A Cormorant on the river, 1 Water Rail, 2 Kingfisher, a Cuckoo, 20+ Swallow, 6 Blackcap, 2 Common Whitethroat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Willow Warbler, 10+ Chiffchaff, 1 Cetti’s Warbler, 1 Reed Warbler and 10+ Sedge Warbler.
Lollingdon: 6 (poss 8) Wheatear, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Meadow Pipit, 5 singing Corn Bunting, 2 Yellowhammer and 6 Swallow. A Little Owl heard nearby and 3 Blackcap and 2 Chiffchaff.
I bumped into Tony Williams out at Lollingdon and he had seen 2 Wheatear on the hill. After parting I made my way up the hill and initially found 2 Wheatear. The sheep on the hill started to move along the face of the hill and out of nowhere more Wheatear appeared, being pushed along in front of the sheep. Not easy to count but at least 6 and possibly 8 Wheatear and the Yellow Wagtails and Meadow Pipits became more obvious. Also the 6 Swallow feeding over the sheep as they moved along the hill.
A Cuckoo and several Swallow, Cholsey SF yesterday. Per Tony Williams.
Butterflies: 1 of each, Orange Tip, Small Tortoiseshell and Speckled Wood.
Sunday, 16 April 2017
A few garden visitors
Cloudy with light rain showers p.m., 11°, light W.
A Willow Warbler in the garden around midday and 2 Swallow overhead and both Coal Tit and Nuthatch on the feeders. A Song Thrush and a Chiffchaff regularly visiting.
Green Woodpecker, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Mistle Thrush and Blackcap in the meadow.
A Willow Warbler in the garden around midday and 2 Swallow overhead and both Coal Tit and Nuthatch on the feeders. A Song Thrush and a Chiffchaff regularly visiting.
Green Woodpecker, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Mistle Thrush and Blackcap in the meadow.
Saturday, 15 April 2017
Otmoor
Sunny spells, 11°, breezy NW.
A sunny day with a cool breeze and a visit to Otmoor.
As soon as we got out at the car park we could hear, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat and Willow Warbler in song.
So the next 3-4 hours spent wandering around Otmoor:
Species noted: Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Mallard, Gadwall, Shovelor, Teal, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Pheasant, Little Grebe, Great-crested Grebe, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Red Kite, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Hobby, Water Rail, Moorhen, Coot, Lapwing, Redshank, Lesser Blackback Gull, Wood Pigeon, Stock Dove, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Skylark, Swallow, Pied Wagtail, Yellow Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler, Cetti’s Warbler, Reed Warbler, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Wren, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Starling, Chaffinch, Linnet, Goldfinch, Greenfinch and Reed Bunting.
Mammals: Muntjac Deer.
Reptiles: Common Lizard.
Butterflies: Orange Tip, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock.
A sunny day with a cool breeze and a visit to Otmoor.
As soon as we got out at the car park we could hear, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat and Willow Warbler in song.
So the next 3-4 hours spent wandering around Otmoor:
Species noted: Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Mallard, Gadwall, Shovelor, Teal, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Pheasant, Little Grebe, Great-crested Grebe, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Red Kite, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Hobby, Water Rail, Moorhen, Coot, Lapwing, Redshank, Lesser Blackback Gull, Wood Pigeon, Stock Dove, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Skylark, Swallow, Pied Wagtail, Yellow Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler, Cetti’s Warbler, Reed Warbler, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Wren, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Starling, Chaffinch, Linnet, Goldfinch, Greenfinch and Reed Bunting.
Mammals: Muntjac Deer.
Reptiles: Common Lizard.
Butterflies: Orange Tip, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock.
Marsh Harrier (above & below).
Common Lizard & Common Carder Bee (courtesy Loren).
Tufted Duck
Teal
Tufted Duck, Gadwall and Coot
Friday, 14 April 2017
The Birds
A cooler day today and a bit breezy on the hill.
The first Yellow Wagtail of the year flew over the hill and the male Common Redstart still present on the hill but has moved to the more sheltered NE side.
At least 4 Wheatear (2m, 2f) on the south face maybe more as a couple of the birds appeared from over the top of the hill.
3 Swallow spent around 30 minutes on the hill, feeding around the sheep and resting up on the fence.
Several Corn Bunting also present on the south side and 5 Blackcap and 4 Chiffchaff on the north side.
The first Yellow Wagtail of the year flew over the hill and the male Common Redstart still present on the hill but has moved to the more sheltered NE side.
At least 4 Wheatear (2m, 2f) on the south face maybe more as a couple of the birds appeared from over the top of the hill.
3 Swallow spent around 30 minutes on the hill, feeding around the sheep and resting up on the fence.
Several Corn Bunting also present on the south side and 5 Blackcap and 4 Chiffchaff on the north side.
Loren's Bugs
Cloudy, 13°, breezy WSW.
A cooler day today and a bit breezy on the hill.
No butterflies today but Loren was busy photographing various insects that she found.
A cooler day today and a bit breezy on the hill.
No butterflies today but Loren was busy photographing various insects that she found.
We have not managed to ID any of these yet, so any help appreciated.
Gooden's Nomad Bee, Nomada goodeniana. (ID Glen Maddison, Richard Broughton & Gavin Broad).
This one had us going, Loren said it moved assuming it was a micro moth but I thought it was a piece of tree bark.
St Mark's Fly (ID Richard Broughton).
fallen flower
Hoverfly sp?
St Mark's Fly
Thursday, 13 April 2017
Redstart & Wheatears
Cloudy, 11°, light WNW.
1 male Common Redstart and 4 Wheatear (3m, 1f) present on Lollingdon Hill today. per Brian Wyatt.
1 male Common Redstart and 4 Wheatear (3m, 1f) present on Lollingdon Hill today. per Brian Wyatt.
Wednesday, 12 April 2017
Wheatears & a Redstart
Mainly sunny, 13°, breezy WNW.
Cholsey Marsh this morning with Brian Wyatt, 4 Willow Warbler singing and a Cetti’s Warbler, several Blackcap, Chiffchaff and 10+ Sedge Warbler.
Lollingdon Hill early afternoon: A male Common Redstart, 5 Wheatear (4m, 1f), 1 Common Whitethroat and a Willow Warbler and a Garden Warbler nearby.
Several Chiffchaff and Blackcap in song and the usual Corn Bunting.
Mammals: A belated report (3 weeks ago) of an Otter Cholsey Brook. Per TR
Reptiles: Red-eared Terrapin.
Butterflies: Brimstone, Small White, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock and Speckled Wood.
Cholsey Marsh this morning with Brian Wyatt, 4 Willow Warbler singing and a Cetti’s Warbler, several Blackcap, Chiffchaff and 10+ Sedge Warbler.
Lollingdon Hill early afternoon: A male Common Redstart, 5 Wheatear (4m, 1f), 1 Common Whitethroat and a Willow Warbler and a Garden Warbler nearby.
Several Chiffchaff and Blackcap in song and the usual Corn Bunting.
Mammals: A belated report (3 weeks ago) of an Otter Cholsey Brook. Per TR
Reptiles: Red-eared Terrapin.
Butterflies: Brimstone, Small White, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock and Speckled Wood.
Tuesday, 11 April 2017
Quiet
A sunny day, 14°, light to fresh W.
Not a lot on the hill today on a brief visit, a single Wheatear seen briefly but disappeared soon after probably over the top and the usual Corn Buntings present.
Apart from several Chiffchaff and Blackcap no other migrants noted other than the above Wheatear.
Mammals: A Stoat crossed the path in front of us.
Not a lot on the hill today on a brief visit, a single Wheatear seen briefly but disappeared soon after probably over the top and the usual Corn Buntings present.
Apart from several Chiffchaff and Blackcap no other migrants noted other than the above Wheatear.
Mammals: A Stoat crossed the path in front of us.
Butterflies: Brimstone, Orange Tip, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock and Speckled Wood.
Peacock butterfly courtesy Loren.
Monday, 10 April 2017
Wheatears
Cloudy with a few sunny spells, 12°, light NW.
Looking quiet on the hill initially, walked along the south face twice and only seeing a Green Woodpecker fly over.
I thought it was worth a wait in case anything else flew over and about 30 minutes later 3 Wheatear appeared along the fence line. Maybe they had just arrived? They stayed along the fence line for a time and then flew higher up the hill and continued to feed.
Shortly after 2 Swallow flew over and continued west.
Little else of note other than several Chiffchaff and a couple of Blackcap in song and a couple of Mistle Thrush feeding on the playing fields.
Butterflies: Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and Speckled Wood.
Looking quiet on the hill initially, walked along the south face twice and only seeing a Green Woodpecker fly over.
I thought it was worth a wait in case anything else flew over and about 30 minutes later 3 Wheatear appeared along the fence line. Maybe they had just arrived? They stayed along the fence line for a time and then flew higher up the hill and continued to feed.
Shortly after 2 Swallow flew over and continued west.
Little else of note other than several Chiffchaff and a couple of Blackcap in song and a couple of Mistle Thrush feeding on the playing fields.
Butterflies: Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and Speckled Wood.
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