| Birds=20
27/07/10=20
As the weather has been fine for the last 2 days =
I decided=20
to walk to work along the Emm through Areas 4 &5. This has =
been very=20
productive and I have seen and heard the following Coot, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Gt Spotted =
Woodpecker,=20
Chiffchaff, Blackcap , Wren , Grey Wagtail, Carrion Crow, Red =
Kite Wood=20
Pigeon, Collared Dove, Nuthatch, Green Woodpecker, Blue Tit, =
Great Tit,=20
House Sparrow not bad for a 15 min walk.=20
20/07/10=20
Following the Bridge naming ceremony (See News =
page) a=20
Hobby were seen flying through Area =
5.=20
19/07/10=20
At 06:30 a Common Tern =
were=20
seen flying SE in Area 5.=20
18/07/10=20
A Sparrowhawk were =
seen in Area=20
5.=20
13/07/10=20
At 20:00 4 Green =
Woodpeckers=20
were seen in Area 5.=20
11/07/10=20
At 07:00 2 Common Tern =
were=20
seen flying NW over Area 5. The birds were calling and one was =
carrying=20
a fish in its beak.=20
10/07/10=20
In Area 4 a Hobby =
was seen and=20
a singing male and a juvenile Chiffchaff =
.=20
Sighting by Paul Bright Thomas.=20
06/07/10=20
Seen over Area 5 today aRed=20
Kite=20
05/07/10=20
Seen at 07:00 over Area 4, 3 immature Cormorrant's flying NE. Sighting by Paul =
Bright=20
Thomas=20
04/07/10=20
Seen today in Area 5 Nuthatch, Great=20
Spotted Woodpecker, Goldfinch, Green Woodpecker=20
01/07/10 =20
A Green =
Woodpecker=20
has been noisely calling in Area 5 during the last few =
days. in=20
Area 4 2 Grey Wagtails, a Mistle Thrush =
& Red=20
Kite were seen by Sue Farrington |
Insects=20
24/07/10
=20
=20
Finally managed to ID the Blue Butterfly as a =
Common Blue this butterfly was enjoying =
the morning=20
sun in Area 5. A lot of butterflies were seen getting nectar =
from the=20
stands of Creeping Thistle. These included Red=20
Admiral , Gatekeeper , Meadow Browm =
, Comma=20
, Ringlet & Large White. Nearby a Speckled=20
Wood was seen.=20
18/07/10=20
In Area 5 Blue Butterflies have been seen. =
Unfortunately=20
not close enough to be ID. But I'll keep looking. Also =
Dragonflies seen=20
but again they don't stay still long enough either.=20
A very industrious Leaf =
Cutter=20
Bee has been filling the tubes in an Insect Nest box.=20
04/07/10 =20
On the wing in Area 5 to the =
rear of=20
Morrisons were the following Butterflies Comma,=20
Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Large White, Small Tortishell, Small =
Skipper=20
& Green veined White .=20
03/07/10=20
Last nights moth trap in Area 5 produced 100 + =
moths of 35=20
species. Identification of some is still being sought. Details =
to=20
follow.=20
01/07/10 .=20
Keep an eye out for the Common Pollen Beetle (Meligethes aeneus)=20
This is a small black beetle with a metallic brassy =
or=20
blue-green sheen. It is very common, feeding in a very wide =
variety of=20
flowers, especially yellow species, from spring to late autumn, =
and may=20
descend in huge numbers on yellow items of clothing or washing =
hung out=20
to dry! It is an important pollinator. Along the Emm it can =
often be=20
seen in the flowers of Buttercup. |
Other Wildlife
09/07/10=20
Whilst my fish ID skills are not 100 % =
especially as they=20
allways swim off as soon as you cast a shadow over the water I =
am sure=20
that I saw Roach of varying sizes =
at 3=20
locations in Area 5 .=20
Spiders =20
Alongside the Emm you can now =
see the=20
distinctive webs of the Dictyna =
genus of=20
spiders. These webs can be found on dry & dead heads of =
vegetation.=20
Mammals .
Plants=20
27/07/10
=20
The Wildflower Meadow in Riverside Walk was mown =
today.=20
Meadows are usually managed in one of two ways, depending on =
when most=20
of the plants flower. Spring flowering meadows like Riverside =
Walk are=20
not mowed until after midsummer, then kept short into the =
autumn. The=20
arising hay is boxed and then removed , to help lower soil =
fertility.=20
23/07/10 .=20
Ragwort(Senecio=20
jacobaea. ) & Purple =
Loosestrife (=20
Lythrum salicaria ) . can now be seen alongside the =
Emm.=20
Other plants that are easily visible include Meadow=20
Sweet (Filipendula ulmaria ) , Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense.) =
Bramble (Rubus fruticosus ) the =
first ripe=20
Blackberries are now appearing Hedge =
Bindweed=20
(Calystegia sepium) & Greater=20
Burdock( Arctium lappa ) .=20
04/07/10 .=20
Alongside the brook keep an eye =
out for=20
Great Hairy Willowherb Epilobium =
hirsutum.=20
.=20
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