Southern Migrant Hawker

Sunny spells, 24°, light E.

Congrats to Alan today for finding a new species for Cholsey this afternoon. A Southern Migrant Hawker. An anticipated arrival that Alan has spent hours searching for and finally found one.

“Since 2010 the Southern Migrant Hawker has been breeding around the Thames Estuary. Over the past two decades reports of migrant influxes have become more frequent, with most sightings coming from the south-east coast.” (courtesy BDS)

Very quiet on the hill today due to harvesting taking place with a combine and baler up and down several fields.

Just a few Chiffchaff and Yellowhammer noted.

Alan had better luck along the Bunk line this morning with a Stonechat, 2 Raven, Goldcrest, Yellow Wagtail and Grey Wagtail plus a Hobby overhead.

I walked the Bunk line this afternoon, a Little Egret flew ENE, a Grey Heron, 2 Raven, a light passage of c50 Swallow and several House Martin, a Common Whitethroat and Blackcap and several Chiffchaff and Yellowhammer.

The Bee swarm has left the hedge after approximately, a 3-week occupation and left an empty wax honeycomb behind.

Dragonflies: Banded Demoiselle, Southern Hawker, Southern Migrant Hawker, Brown Hawker, Common Darter, Emperor, Ruddy Darter, Common Blue Damselfly and Small Red-eyed Damselfly.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Common Blue, Red Admiral, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Small Heath, and Brown Argus.

Southern Migrant Hawker courtesy Alan ↕

Common Darter

Grey Heron

Bee swarm (above) and honeycomb (below) left when they vacated

Southern Migrant Hawker courtesy Alan

Swallows

Bunk

Sunny spells with odd rain shower, 21°, breezy SW.

Four hours out along the Bunk Line area today with the highlight being a Turtle Dove. It flew from behind me and landed briefly on some wires but before I could get the camera on it, it flew off and disappeared over CSW.

100+ Hirundines noted, all generally moving south, mainly House Martin with 30’ish Swallow and 8 Swift.

Also, Peregrine Falcon, 2 Kestrel, a Sparrowhawk, 2 Raven, 7 Green Woodpecker, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 5 Common Whitethroat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Blackcap, 1 Willow Warbler and c 20 Chiffchaff.

Dragonflies: Banded Demoiselle, Common Blue Damselfly, Brown Hawker and Common Darter.

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

Yellow Wagtail

Migrants & Mammals

Sunny periods, 24°, breezy SSW.

An interesting time on the hill today. As soon as I arrived, I could hear a Willow Warbler calling, eventually seeing it around an hour later when it showed briefly.

Again after about an hour I heard the Redstart calling, which then showed itself briefly before moving to the hedgerow over the top of the hill.

An intermittent flow of around 60 Lesser Blackback Gull moving overhead from the south west.

A few Chiffchaff and a Common Whitethroat was about it in 2.5 hours on the hill.

A mammal encounter was also on the cards as I heard some movement behind me and out of the field shot 2 of what initially thought were dogs but turned out to be 2 Roebuck with one chasing the other.

They were quite close and one run towards me but stopped about a metre from me before his awareness stepped in and he turned and run off up the track followed by the other. Presumably some territorial dispute?

Only other bird of note was a lone Swift seen flying over the church.

I had not long got back from Lollingdon when Alan messaged me to say he had found a Whinchat and a Redstart along the bunk line.

So back on with the boots, grabbed the bins and camera and out again.

Fortunately not too far to walk before I found Alan watching the Whinchat on some telegraph wires but the Redstart had disappeared.

We watch the Whinchat for a few minutes and Alan carried on taking Bella (dog) for a walk further along.

I spent some more time with the chat and heard the Redstart calling from a hedge bordering a large garden and got some brief views before it flipped into the garden and disappeared.

Also a Common Whitethroat present.

Mammals: Brown Hare and Roe Deer.

Dragonflies: Beautiful Demoiselle and Common Darter.

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

Whinchat

Whinchat courtesy Alan

Willow Warbler

Roe Deer ↕

Whinchat

Dunnock

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

The Hill

Sunny, 23°, light W.

Very little noted on the walk out to Lollingdon today apart from a Willow Warbler and a couple of Chiffchaff. Even the Yellowhammers seem to have stopped singing.

The hill was a different matter though with a Redstart, 5 Common Whitethroat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 10+ Chiffchaff, a Willow Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 3 Greenfinch, 20+ Goldfinch, a few Linnet and a Hobby and a handful of Swallow flew overhead.

The resident Robin seemed most aggrieved by the amount of birds in his hedgerow and spent a lot of time chasing various species. Especially the Redstart, maybe because they have similar feeding strategies?

Approx. 50 Swallow feeding over the cattle field.

The last 3 days has seen a southerly movement of Swift passing overhead, however none seen today.  

Mammals: Brown Hare.

Dragonflies: Beautiful Demoiselle, Southern Hawker and Common Darter.

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

Redstart

Bunk Line & River

Sunny, 23°, light W.

Bunk line: Per Alan:

c25 Yellow Wagtail, Lesser Blackback Gull. Black-headed Gull, Common Whitethroat, Chiffchaff and a Raven over.

River: Reed Bunting, Chiffchaff, Common Whitethroat Etc.

Dragonflies: Emperor, Ruddy Darter, Common Darter, Common Blue Damselfly, Small Red-eyed Damselfly, Brown Hawker, Migrant Hawker and Southern Hawker.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Peacock, Red Admiral, Comma, Common Blue and Brown Argus.

Had a quick look at the Redstart, I see that it has a ring on its left leg.

Yellow Wagtail courtesy Alan

Common Redstart ( note ring on left leg)

The Lees

Cloudy, 19°, light NW.

A pleasant walk out to the Lees and along the Long Ditch and Reedy Ditch.

2 Sedge Warbler, 1 Reed Warbler, 2 Common Whitethroat, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 6+ Reed Bunting, 3 Yellowhammer, 2 Blackcap and an adult Song Thrush feeding a recently fledged youngster.

A light passage of Swift, Swallow and House Martin (c200 birds) all moving in a southerly direction plus a Hobby seen in pursuit of a Swallow.

Mammals: An encounter with both Muntjac and Roe Deer, plus a couple of Brown Hare.

Dragonflies: 1 Beautiful Demoiselle and 3 Common Darter.

Butterflies: Large White, Small White, Red Admiral, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown and Small Heath.

Roe Deer ↕

Lollingdon

Sunny periods, 20°, light NNW.

A Redstart still present on the hill but extremely elusive, seen briefly twice but heard calling frequently.

Up to 12 Mistle Thrush, a few Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap and 2 Common Whitethroat plus a handful of Swallow over.

Dragonflies: 3 Beautiful Demoiselle, 1 Southern Hawker and 3 Common Darter.

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

Blackcap

Common Whitethroat

Bunk Line

Sunny periods, 20°, light NNW.

Per Alan: Bunk Line: Raven, Lesser Blackback Gull, Chiffchaff, Common Whitethroat, Swift, Swallow, House Martin and Reed Bunting.

Dragonflies: Beautiful Demoiselle, Southern Hawker, Migrant Hawker, Emperor, Common Darter, Common Blue Damselfly, Small red-eyed Damselfly.

Butterflies: Gatekeeper, Brimstone, Meadow Brown, Common Blue, Brown Argus, Peacock, Red Admiral, Comma and Small Skipper.

photos courtesy Alan  

Green Woodpecker (juv)

Common Blue

Gatekeeper

House Martin

Common Buzzard

Migrant Hawker

Showers

Overcast with a few rain showers, 18°, breezy WSW.

Somewhat quiet on the hill today, unlike yesterday when Alan found a Wheatear and a Redstart there and on Saturday 4 Raven over Bunk line.

Elsewhere on the walk a Sparrowhawk, 2 Green Woodpecker, a handful of Swallow and House Martin, a few Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Yellowhammer noted.

A large flock of c200 Swift passed thru stretching from the Lees to my location near the Bullshole. The flock steadily drifted south west until lost from view. Also noted, numbers of Swift passing over the Church Road area, late afternoon and still moving thru at 17:30.

Alan covered the Bunk and Fair Mile/River area. Spotted Flycatcher family still present, Goldcrest, Green Woodpecker, Sparrowhawk, c60 Swift, several Swallow and House Martin, Common Whitethroat and Yellowhammer.

Butterflies: few considering the weather, Large Skipper, Large White, Small White, Red Admiral, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown.

The Bee swarm relocated.

A bit quiet

Mainly cloudy, 21°, light SW.

Very little bird wise noted today, the hill was exceptionally quiet apart from 2 Grey Partridge and c50 Swift passing over heading south west.

Elsewhere just a couple of Common Whitethroat, Chiffchaff and a Yellow Wagtail.

Mammals: Brown Hare and (deceased) Pipistrelle Bat.

Dragonflies: Beautiful Demoiselle and Common Darter.

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

Speckled Bush Cricket

Common Pipistrelle courtesy Alan & Jane

Sparrowhawk

Lollingdon

Hazy sunshine, 20°, light SSW.

The Redstart still present on Lollingdon Hill plus a handful of Mistle Thrush, 2 Kestrel, 6 Chiffchaff, a Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler and Blackcap.

Elsewhere rather quiet with up to 5 Yellowhammer still in song.

Several Swallow, House Martin and Swift over Church Road and a Sparrowhawk.  

Mammals: Brown Hare.

Dragonflies: Beautiful Demoiselle, Brown Hawker and Common Darter.

Butterflies: Small Skipper, Large Skipper, Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Brown Argus, Common Blue, Holly Blue, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Peacock, Comma, Speckled Wood, Marbled White, Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown.

Redstart

Common Blue

Beautiful Demoiselle ↕

River

Hazy sunshine with rain later, 20°, light SSW.

Per Alan: River area:  

Spotted Flycatcher family still present, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Kingfisher, Blackcap, Yellow Wagtail, Reed Bunting, Swallow, House Martin and Swift.

Mammals: Red Fox, Brown Hare.

Dragonflies: Emperor, Black-tailed Skimmer, Migrant Hawker, Brown Hawker, Common Darter, Small Red-eyed Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Emerald Damselfly and Southern Hawker.

Butterflies: Painted Lady, Brown Argus, Meadow Brown, Common Blue, Red Admiral, Peacock and Gatekeeper.

Photos courtesy Alan  

Spotted Flycatcher ↕

Green Woodpecker

Brown Hare

Mistle Thrush

Swallow

A wet one

Cloudy with light rain showers, 16°, light NW.

A bit of a damp trek up to the hill today, however still pretty busy out there.

The Redstart still present but elusive in the top Hawthorns. A large Tit flock passed thru with over 80 birds incl 10+ Chiffchaff, Great-spotted Woodpecker and a Lesser Whitethroat.

The Mistle Thrush flock appeared on the hill mid-way thru the watch and a flock of 100+ Starling nearby.

50 odd Swallow seen in several flocks moving south.

Nearby 2 Raven over, a Jay, a Little Owl, a couple of Common Whitethroat and Blackcap and several Yellowhammer.

Mammals: Brown Hare.

Butterflies: few, given the weather. Small Skipper, Large White, Small White, Common Blue, Meadow Brown and Gatekeeper.

Raven

Brown Hare

Bunk Line

Sunny at first then clouding up, 19°, light W.

Bunk Line fairly quiet today, a small passage of c20 Sand Martin passing thru plus several Swallow and Swift and the odd House Martin.

3 Lesser Whitethroat noted along with several Chiffchaff and Yellowhammer plus singles of Common Whitethroat and Blackcap.

A Cormorant high overhead and a couple of Black-headed and Lesser Blackback Gull in the area and both Kestrel and Sparrowhawk hunting.

Dragonflies: Common Blue Damselfly, Southern Hawker and Migrant Hawker (in garden).

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

Migrant Hawker

Yellowhammer