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Latest Sightings August 2012

Click on the link to send in your sightings [email-masked]

For previous months sightings see Archive

The "Area Seen" refers to the 10
sections that the Brook has been split into for monitoring purposes (see
Wildlife page under Monitoring ). .

All sightings unless stated are from personal observations by Eddie Napper

Birds

Click on any picture to see a larger image

30/08/12 In Area 10 today whilst looking for
yesterdays Wryneck a Peregrine and a Hobby were seen by Les Seward.

29/08/12 A fantastic find in the Lavells
Lake Car Park off Sandford Lane in Area 10 today by Fraser Cottingham
was a Wryneck . This migrant of the
Woodpecker family is a rare summer visitor to the UK. The last recorded
Emm Brook sighting was 15 years ago (1997). Whilst waiting for this bird
to appear from the shrubs a Swallow and 13
Canda Goose flew over the Emm.

26/08/12 For the first time in a few months
the Kingfisher was seen in Area 5. It was
perched on Ripplestream Bridge before flying downstream at 07:50. A pair
of Goldcrests were seen in fir trees to the
rear of Arthur Road.

25/08/12 In Area 4 a Swift was flying S and Song
Thrush, Chiffchaff, Bullfinch & Nuthatch were all seen by
Paul Bright Thomas.

21/08/12 Another reasonable day in in Area 5
with Blue Tit, Great Tit , Coal Tit & Long
tailed Tit all seen.

20/08/12 Today's highlight in Area 5 was a
Cormorrant seen flying East at 06:45. A flock
of 20+ House Sparrows were seen in the bushes
near Brookside.

19/08/12 A good day for summer migrants
today with Willow Warbler, Swallow, Hobby &
House Martin all seen by Paul Bright Thomas over Area 4. Chiffchaff's were still singing by the Balancing
pond. A Red Kite was seen over Area 8 (Forest
Road) during the Balsam pulling. A Sparrowhawk
was hunting high over Area 5 late evening.

18/08/12 In Area 4 this morning Paul Bright
Thomas saw a pair of Bullfinch's and singles
of Chiffchaff, Swallow and Swift . The vast majority of Swifts have now
returned to Africa, leaving at the end of July.

16/08/12 In Area 4 around the Balancing pond
a Chiffchaff was calling with its distinctive
song.

14/08/12 A Sparrowhawk
was seen circling over Area 5 this evening.

10/08/12 A Swallow
was seen flying N this mornng in Area 5. Todays walk to work
highlight was a skein of 29 Canada Geese
flying low over Area 4 calling by Kingfisher Bridge just before
08:00.

08/08/12 Early evening a Sparrowhawk was seen flying over Area 5.

03/08/12 A total of 31 species of birds
seen in Area 4 & 5 today. Highlights were Mistle
Thrush,Swift & 9 Crossbills flying
low S. All seen in Area 4 by Paul Bright-Thomas. In Area 5 a family of
Moorhen have bred on the Emm, the 2 adults
and 4 chicks was seen sticking close to the bankside vegetation this
morning.

01/08/12 A reasonable day in Area's 4 &
5 with 28 species of birds seen and heard. These were Goldfinch, Carrion Crow, Robin, Wood Pigeon, Song Thrush,
Blackbird, Chaffinch, Great Tit, House Sparrow, Mallard, Swift, Dunnock,
Herring Gull, Starling, Blue Tit, Greenfinch, Chiffchaff, Blackcap,
Great spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Collared
Dove,Wren,Moorhen , Grey Heron, Long tailed Tit & Jay A Hobby was hunting over Area 5 at 06:30 and a pair
of Grey Wagtails were feeding in the channel
through the balancing pond in Area 4.

Insects/ Spiders

Click on any picture to see a larger image

30/08/12 Another FOTEB Year first today in
the shape of a Painted Lady butterfly. This
one was photographed in Charles Stickler's Area 5 garden. This brings
the FOTEB Butterfly year list to 17 species so far this year.

21/08/12 With the warm weather continuing
the moth trap was put out in my Area 5 garden. This resulted in a catch
of 80 moths of 32 species of Micro and Macro Moths. Also attracted to
the light were 2 Caddis Flies Mystacides
longicornis & Mystacides azurea , along with 2 Forest Bugs Pentotoma rufipes .

20/08/12 Whilst walking around Area 5
(Riverside Walk ) today my attention was drawn to the stripped leaves of
a Hazel. The cause of this was the caterpillars of the Buff tipped Moth Phalera bucephala This is a
common moth in woods and parkland throughoutthe UK. The caterpillars are
gregarious and feed on trees such as oak, willow and lime as well as
roses. They can do great damage to the foliage of such plants, as they
always feed in large numbers. Their black and yellow colouration serves
to warn predators that they are distasteful, and their hairs cause
irritation to anything trying to swallow them.

14/08/12 The gall wasp Andricus quercuscalicis has been very busy
on the Oak tree next to Dragonfly Bridge in Area 5. These distinctive
shaped Knopper galls develop on Acorns. The Knopper Gall first appeared
in Britain in the 1960's.

01/08/12 In the last couple of days Roland
Ramsdale has been exploring Area 9 in Winnersh. This is proving to be a
good area for Butterflies with 9 species seen . These were Small Copper ,Gatekeeper (Hedge Brown), Comma,Small
Skipper,Large Skipper,Ringlet,Meadow Brown,Small Tortoiseshell &
Green-veined White (female) . A Comma
hutchinsoni was also seen. This is a deep orange form of
Comma. Also seen were Cinnabar Moth & 6 spot
Burnet both day flying moths and Cinnabar
moth caterpillars feeding on its host plant Ragwort. Male and
female Banded Demoiselle Damselflies were
also on the wing.

Plants/Trees

18/08/12 This striking flowers of Purple Loosestrife can now be seen all along the
banks of the Brook . Its impressive spikes of magenta flowers are a
valuable food source of nectar for long-tongued insects like bees, moths
and butterflies, including Brimstones, Red-tailed Bumblebees and
Elephant Hawk-moths.

09/08/12 Quite a few ripe Blackberries can now be found along the Brook..

08/08/12 Along the banks of the Emm Ragwort, Rosebay Willowherb and Meadowsweet are all
in flower

Other Wildlife

Click on any picture to see a larger image

Fish

Molluscs

Fungi

20/08/12 Despite the warm weather Autumn
is on its way. Fungi are starting to reappear. On the base of the Oak
near Dragonfly Bridge Sulpher Tuft Hypholoma
fasciculare fungi can can be seen growing in its characsteric
clump and 2v Field Mushroom,s Agaricus campestris
can be see adjacent to the subway by Woosehill roundabout.

Mammals

19/08/12 In Area 8 again before the Balsam
pulling today 2 Roe Deer were seen in the
fields by the Brook.

12/08/12 In Area 6 today (Clifton Road), Sue
and Dave Bacon saw a Water Vole in their
garden and on the banks of the Emm. They have previously seen this
species in Arundel, West Sussex and are confident of their sighting.

05/08/12 In Area 8 before the Balsam
pulling 2 Roe Deer were seen in the fields by
the Brook.

01/08/12 I haven't seen many Hedgehogs this year. Unfortunately the one I saw
today on Meadow Road by the bridge in Area 4 was dead.

Reptiles & Amphibians

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