Monday 30 July 2018

Monday 30th July 2018

0915 - 1230 fairly cloudy 20c : Garganey 3 (photo), Teal 5, Little Grebe 2, GC Grebe, Cormorant 3,  Heron 5, LBb Gull 11, Herring Gull, Lapwing 34, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Collared Dove 4, Swift 12, Swallow 2, House Martin 4, Sand Martin 8, etc



Thursday 26 July 2018

Wednesday 25 July 2018

Wednesday 25th July 2018

0900 - 1000 hazy, 19c : Little Grebe 5 (2 sum.plum.) Teal 2, Heron 2, Mute Swan pair + 6, Lapwing 42, Bh Gull 110, LBb Gull 4, Buzzard, Collared Dove 11, Jackdaw 30+, Pied Wagtail, a few Swifts Swallows & Martins, Greenfinch 2, Chaffinch f, etc.

Great Tit sunbathing in the heatwave

Monday 23 July 2018

Monday 23rd July 2018

0950 - 1120 Brook Meadow, sunny 25c : Peacock, Comma, Red Admiral, Holly Blue 2, Ringlet 2, Hedge Brown 30+, Meadow Brown 6, Speckled Wood 4, Small Skipper 2, Essex Skipper, Common Darter, Brown Hawker.   Blackcap, Cormorant over, Little Grebe 2 on the Swag.

Red Kite over Branton Hill at 1400.


Red Admiral & Small Copper yest.

Sunday 22 July 2018

Sunday 22nd July 2018

0900 - 1030 cloudy, breezy 20c : Mute Swan pair + 6, Cormorant, Heron 2, Tufted 10, Teal 3f, Little Grebe 4 (1 sum.plum.), GC Grebe 3, Coot 61, Lapwing 47, Bh Gull 135, LBb Gull 2, Collared Dove 18, Jay, Rook 15, Pied Wagtail 2, Swift 20, House Martin 12, Swallow 5, Song Thrush 2, Greenfinch 2, etc.

During the afternoon (sunny, 27c) 5 Purple Hairstreaks, 6 Holly Blues and a Comma were seen at Branton Hill (Aldridge), and a Small Copper, 5 Common Blues & Southern Hawker dragonfly at the Ramblers footpath, along with the usual whites and browns.


Doves today (and cat)

Saturday 21 July 2018

Saturday 21st July 2018

1330 - 1500 fairly cloudy, 24c : Oystercatcher 4, Lapwing 20, Bh Gull 300+, LBb Gull 4, Heron 2, GC Grebe, Green Woodpecker 2 juveniles, Jay, Buzzard 2, Stock Dove 2, Swift 4, Swallow 4, Blackcap 2, Willow Warbler.

Red Admiral, Peacock 2, Comma, Holly Blue 2, Common Blue 5, Essex Skipper, Small Skipper 2, Hedge Brown 40+, Meadow Brown 6, Ringlet, Speckled Wood 5, Shaded Broad Bar, Six Spot Burnet 5, Yellow Shell 5.

Hornet Hoverfly 7th July (photo RP)

Friday 20 July 2018

Friday 20th July 2018

1000 - 1230 sunny clouding over later,  23c : Bh Gull 283 at 1030 increasing to 544, LBb Gull 3, Herring Gull 2, GC Grebe, Heron 5, Mute Swan pair +6 cygnets, Lapwing 42, Oystercatcher 3, Swift 5, Collared Dove 2.

Painted Lady, Peacock 5, Comma 3, Red Admiral, Meadow Brown 30+, Hedge Brown (Gatekeeper) 60+, Speckled Wood 8 Ringlet 2, Purple Hairstreak, Common Blue 8, Holly Blue 2, Small Skipper 4, Essex Skipper 2, Large Skipper, Large + Small + Green-veined Whites 50+, Six Spot Burnet 4.

Brown Hawker 5, Southern Hawker 2, Broad-bodied Chaser, Common Darter.

(RP / GWR)


Common Blues today (RP)

Essex Skipper on 7th July (RP)

Tuesday 17 July 2018

Tuesday 17th July 2018

1015 - 1115 generally cloudy, 20c : Mute Swan pair + 6 cygnets,  Heron 3, Cormorant 2, Little Grebe 2, GC Grebe, Coot 32 + 6 young, Moorhen 6 + 3 young, Oystercatcher 2, Lapwing 41, LR Plover, Common Sandpiper, Bh Gull 40, Swift 8, House Martin 5, Green Woodpecker, Blackcap m singing & 3 juvs., Willow Warbler juv., Robin 2 juvs.

Peacock 2, Comma, Hedge Brown 30+, Speckled Wood 6, a few Ringlets & Meadow Browns, Large Skipper, a few whites.



Young Goldcrest & Willow Warbler

Sunday 15 July 2018

Blues and Hairstreaks

All seen this weekend (White-letter Hairstreaks at Rushall).







Purple Hairstreaks, Holly Blue female, Common Blue male, White-letter Hairstreaks.

Sunday 15th July 2018

0930 - 1300 sunny, to 26c : Painted Lady, Red Admiral 2, Peacock 3, Comma 3, Small Tortoiseshell, Purple Hairstreak 6, Holly Blue, Common Blue 4, Ringlet & Hedge Brown abundant, Meadow Brown 10+, Speckled Wood 6, Small & Green-veined & Large Whites abundant, Large Skipper, Small Skipper 8, Essex Skipper 5, Six-spot Burnet 4, Grass Pyralids abundant.

Southern Hawker 2, poss. Migrant Hawker, Brown Hawker 4, Broad-bodied Chaser 2, Common Darter, Common Blue Damselfly 2.

Canada Geese 150+, Heron 2, Lapwing 94, Bh Gull 95, LBb Gull, Sparrowhawk f, Buzzard 2, Swift 3, House Martin 2, Pied Wagtail, Stock Dove 2, Green Woodpecker, Blackcap 2, Chiffchaff 2, Chiff/Willow Warbler, Whitethroat, Goldcrest 2 juvs, Bullfinch 2.  (RP / GWR)






            Six-spot Burnets, Peacock and Painted Lady today.

Thursday 12 July 2018

Thursday 12th July 2018

1000 - 1330 becoming sunny, 22c : Small Copper, Essex Skipper, Large Skipper 3, Common Blue m, Ringlet 40+, Meadow Brown 20+, Hedge Brown 40+, Speckled Wood, Comma 9, Peacock 8, Small Tort., Large, Small & Green-veined Whites, Vapourer moth, Silver Y, Mother of Pearl, Hornet.

Little Grebe, GC Grebe 2, Common Sandpiper, Lapwing 20, Coot 42, Heron 3, Bh Gull 40+, LBb Gull 2, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard 2, Swift 12, House Martin 2, Swallow 2, Blackcap 3, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Pied Wagtail, etc.

Small Copper today

Comma on 8th July

Broad-bodied Chaser on 8th July


     Close up of Black-tailed Skimmer on 28th June (photo by RP)

Sunday 8 July 2018

Sunday 8th July 2018

0900 - 1130 hot & sunny again, 26c : Ruff, Common Sandpiper, Lapwing 38, Heron 5, Teal, Little Grebe 2 adults, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel m, Buzzard, Jackdaw 60+, Pied Wagtail 2, Swift 20+, Swallow 4, Sand Martin, Willow Warbler 3, Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Blackcap 2, etc.

Purple Hairstreak 4, Small Tortoiseshell 10, Comma 6, Peacock fresh out summer brood at Rushall, Hedge Brown 4, Ringlet 20+, Meadow Brown 8, Speckled Wood, Essex Skipper 6+, Small Skipper 10+, Large Skipper 3, Emperor Dragonfly, Brown Hawker 5, Black-tailed Skimmer 5m, Broad-bodied Chaser m & f,  Lesser Willow Sawfly larvae, Cinnabar 100+ larvae, etc.  (RP / GWR)



         Willow Warbler sunbathing at the marsh on 1st July.

Saturday 7 July 2018

Saturday 7th July 2018

0830 - 0930 sunny, 20c : Ruff, Common Sandpiper, Lapwing 19, Little Grebe 3, GC Grebe 2, Teal 2, Cormorant, Heron, Swan cygnets 6, Bh Gull 51, Collared Dove 4, Grey Wagtail, Swift 25+, House Martin 2, Swallow 2, Reed Warbler in song at the marsh, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap 2, Bullfinch 3.

Also a scarce Hornet Hoverfly seen (RP).


Ruff this morning (GWR)

Wednesday 4 July 2018

Wednesday 4th July 2018

1030 - 1230 sunny, 25c : Ruff, Common Sandpiper, LR Plover, Oystercatcher 2, Lapwing 30+, Cormorant, Heron 3, Mute Swan pair + 6 cygnets, Gadwall 2, Teal 2, Tufted 8, GC Grebe, Bh Gull 20 incl juveniles, Sparrowhawk with prey, Buzzard, Swift 20+, Swallow 2, House Martin 2, Pied Wagtail 2, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Linnet pair, Reed Bunting 2m. (RP)

Red Admiral, Small Tort.5, Large White, Small Whites, Ringlets, Hedge Brown 5, Speckled Wood, Small Skippers, Cinnabar.



        Male Ruff this morning. Thanks to Bob for the photo's.

Sunday 1 July 2018

Sunday 1st July 2018

0950 - 1220 hazy sun, to 27c : Purple Hairstreak 3 at oaks, Comma 2, Small Tortoiseshell 2, Small Skipper 2, Large Skipper 6, Hedge Brown 3, Ringlet 25+, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood 7, Cinnabar 2, Emperor Dragonfly, Brown Hawker 4, Broad-bodied Chaser f, Azure Damselfly pair, Common Blue Damselfly 10+, Green-veined Small & Large Whites.

Heron 5, Lapwing 35, Buzzard 2, Jay, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail 2, Swift 10, Swallow, House Martin 6, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap 2m, Greenfinch 3, Bullfinch 4, Reed Bunting 2m.  (RP / GWR)



        Purple Hairstreaks and Emperor Dragonfly this morning.