Friday 31 July 2015

Silver-washed Fritillary, 31st July 2015

Two unusual butterflies seen in the garden at nearby Rushall this afternoon were White-letter Hairstreak and Silver-washed Fritillary. The White-letter Hairstreak is an elusive insect associated with English Elm and Wych Elm trees, and is often found in small colonies where these trees grow, usually in uncut old hedgerows and wooded areas. More unusually, Silver-washed Fritillary (photo's) is found in ancient Oak woodland, the larval foodplant being Dog & Sweet Violet. However the insect is a great wanderer and strong flier, which no doubt explains it's presence on my Buddleia bushes this afternoon! Another Silver-washed was reported from Sutton Park today, and it is just possible that a small breeding population exists there. (GWR)

Friday 31st July 2015

0950 - 1130 sunny, to 20c : Cormorant 3, Greylag, Mute Swan 2, Heron 2, GC Grebe, Moorhen, Coot 15 incl young, Canada's 150+, Mallard 50+, Tufted 2, Lapwing 26, Oystercatcher, LBB/Herring gull 80+, YL Gull, BH Gull 70, Rook 2, C Crow 3, Jackdaw 5, Magpie 8, Pied Wagtail, Starling 20 incl juvs, Blackbird 3, Robin, Wren 2, Dunnock, Chiff/Willow 3, Swallow, House Martin 2, Linnet 2, Goldfinch 3, Great Tit, Blue Tit 2, Long-tailed Tit 2 + 3 juvs, Wood Pigeon 35+. Pergrine Falcon over at 1645 on Wednesday.
Also seen - Comma, Small Tortoisehell 8, Hedge Brown 26, Meadow Brown 7, Speckled Wood 2, Ringlet 2, Large Skipper, Small Skipper 5, Essex Skipper, Large White, Green-veined White 2, Small White 6, Holly Blue (summer brood), Six-spot Burnet 12, Shaded Broad-bar, Yellow Shell, Grass Pyralid 6, Brown Hawker dragonfly 2, Common Blue Damselfly. Photo's show Comma, mating pair of 6-spot Burnets (female just out of the cocoon), Small Tortoiseshell at creeping thistle and Brown Hawker.

Tuesday 28 July 2015

Tuesday 28th July 2015

0900, overcast, westerlies, 11c : Greylag 2, Cormorant 2, Heron, Lapwing 2, Mute Swan 2 + 2y, GC Grebe, LBB/Herring Gull 60, Swift 4, Pied Wagtail, Blackbird 2, Robin etc. Rook 77 on Anchor Meadow at 1240.
Record shots of Peregrine on 20th July.

Sunday 26 July 2015

Sunday 26th July 2015

1300, rain, 12c : Common Sandpiper (photo), Little Ringed Plover 2, Lapwing 22, LBB Gull 151, Herring Gull 11, Sand Martin 7, House Martin 4, Swallow 2, Pied Wagtail 2, Mute Swan 2 + 2 young, Heron, Blackbird. (GWR)
Early evening added : Oystercatcher 4, YL Gull 3, Herring Gull 40+, LBB Gull 175+ and a Peregrine Falcon.(KC)

Saturday 25th July 2015

Oystercatcher 2, Common Sandpiper, Lapwing 95, Cormorant, Tufted 3, Mallard 180, LBB Gull 203, Herring Gull 15, BH Gull 203. (KC).
Common Tern on 16th July.

Friday 24 July 2015

Friday 24th July 2015

Early evening, rain, 13c (thanks to Kevin for this report) : Green Sandpiper 2, Common Sandpiper 2, Oystercatcher, Little Ringed Plover, Lapwing 14, YL Gull 4y, Herring Gull 28, LBB Gull 243, GC Grebe, Greylag 2, Canada Goose 190, Tufted 6, Grey Wagtail, Mute Swan 2 + 2 young. (KC). Cormorant 3 at 1530.

Thursday 23 July 2015

Thursday 23rd July 2015

1100 - 1125 : Cormorant 6, Heron 2, Greylag, Mute Swan pair, GC Grebe, YL Gull, Herring Gull 5, LBB Gull 40, BH Gull 60+, Moorhen 4, Oystercatcher, Lapwing 8, Swift 7, Swallow 2, Pied Wagtail 2, Buzzard. Also Green-veined White 2 & Hedge Brown.

Tuesday 21 July 2015

Tuesday 21st July 2015

0930 - 1030, breezy, 18c : Cormorant 6, Lapwing 2, Oystercatcher, YL Gull, Herring Gull 2, LBB Gull 80, BH Gull 100+, Heron 2, Mute Swan 2 + 2 young, Greylag, Moorhen 2, Swift 2, Blackcap 1 + 2 young, Whitethroat, Chiffchaff 2, Skylark, Linnet 4, LT Tit 6 incl young, Wren, Robin, + usuals. Also seen - Small Tortoiseshell 5, Hedge Brown 12, Meadow Brown 11, Ringlet 12, Speckled Wood, Green-veined White, Small White 2, Small Skipper, Small Magpie, Yellow Shell 4. House Martin 4 at Winterley Lane.
Coot feeding young bird, 16th July.

Monday 20 July 2015

Monday 20th July 2015

1010 - 1050 overcast, 18c : Heron 3, Cormorant 3, Mute Swan 2+2 young, Greylag, Common Tern, LBB Gull 22, Herring Gull, Oystercatcher, Little Ringed Plover, Swift 6, Swallow 7, Chiffchaff, Pied Wagtail, Skylark, Raven over, Peregrine made several stoops & mobbed by tern, Goldfinch 2, Linnet 2, Collared Dove etc.
Juvenile Black-headed Gull.

Sunday 19 July 2015

Sunday 19th July 2015

Sunny after showers, 19c : Black-tailed Godwit (bird present during the morning, then 4 early afternoon, as per Kev Clements), Teal (f), Grey Wagtail 2, Cormorant 4, YL Gull. (KC). At 1800 - Heron, Lapwing 20, Oystercatcher, Mute Swan pair + 2 cygs, LBB Gull 40+, YL Gull, Swift 2. (GWR)
Cormorants on 19th July.

Saturday 18 July 2015

Saturday 18th July 2015

0915 - 0945 strong westerlies, 17c : Cormorant 4, Heron, Greylag, Mute Swan 2 + 2, Oystercatcher, Lapwing 29, LBB Gull 36, BH Gull 41, Swift 5, Swallow 4, House Martin 2, Pied Wagtail, Jay, Jackdaw 7, Greenfinch, Blackbird 2, Song Thrush, Wren. Also seen - Brown Hawker & Hedge Brown.
Cinnabar and Six-spot Burnet on 14th July.

Thursday 16 July 2015

Thursday 16th July 2015

1100 - 1200 sunny, to 20c : Redshank, Little Ringed Plover 2, Oystercatcher, Lapwing 56, Greylag, Cormorant, Heron 3, Mute Swan pair + 3, GC Grebe, Common Tern, LBB Gull 61, Herring Gull 2, YL Gull, BH Gull 100+, Swift 5, Swallow 4, Skylark, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Moorhen 2, Song Thrush, Robin, Blackbird, Wren, Goldfinch, Sparrowhawk over, + usuals. Also seen were Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell and Ringlet.
Tails up - these four drake Common Scoters were found at Ryders Mere yesterday by Gareth Clements.

Tuesday 14 July 2015

Tuesday 14th July 2015

1130 - 1220 cloudy, drizzle, 18c : Hobby (over Swag pursued by Swallows, than flew off to the NW), Common Tern, Little Ringed Plover 4, Oystercatcher, Lapwing 9, LBB Gull 25, BH Gull 50+, Greylag 2, Heron 3, Cormorant, Mute Swan 2 + 3 juvs, GC Grebe, Moorhen 2, Tufted 21, Swift 5, Swallow 8, House Martin 4, Chiffchaff, Pied Wagtail 4, Skylark, Linnet 2, Goldfinch, Wren, Blackbird, Long-tailed Tit 7, Blue Tit 2, Jackdaw 4, Mallard/Canada's/Magpie/Wood Pigeon.
Record shots of Hobby over the Swag this morning. Also seen were Six Spot Burnet, Cinnabar, Comma, Small Tortoiseshell 3 summer brood, Ringlet 2. (GWR)

Monday 13 July 2015

Monday 13th July 2015

1130 - 1215 rainy, 17c : Oystercatcher 3, Little Ringed Plover 2 + 2 juveniles, Lapwing 26, Herring Gull 2, LBB Gull 77, BH Gull 112 incl juvs, Greylag 2, Heron 2, Mute Swan 2 + 3 young, Tufted 4, Moorhen 2, Swallow 2, Swift 5, Sand Martin 4, Pied Wagtail, Skylark, Starling 26, Blackbird 3, Song Thrush, Goldfinch 2, Great Tit, Jackdaw 6.
Juvenile birds - Little Ringed Plovers and Black-headed Gull today, and Oystercatcher (with parent bird) at Aldridge, late evening 3rd July 2015. (GWR)

Saturday 11 July 2015

Saturday 11th July 2015

1300 - 1430, sunny 22c : Hedge Brown 15, Ringlet 50+, Meadow Brown 20+, Speckled Wood 5, Small Heath, Small Skipper 8, Large Skipper 3, Large White, Small White, Comma 2, Shaded Broad Bar 11, Snout, Clouded Border, Common Wave, Yellow Shell 9, Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet 3. Southern Hawker, Brown Hawker, Blue Tailed Damselfly 2, Field Grasshopper 2.
Photo's - Shaded Broad Bar, Snout, Comma, Hedge Brown male, NB 5-Spot Burnet, Small Skipper. Also seen - Oystercatcher, Lapwing 21, LBB Gull 121, Herring Gull 3, BH Gull 80, Greylag 2, Canada's 221, Tufted 15, Mallard 80+, Great Crested Grebe 3, Coot 15, Moorhen, Heron 2, Mute Swan 2 + 4 young, Swift 5, Swallow, House Martin 4, Garden Warbler, Chiffchaff 2, Skylark, Bullfinch 2, Goldfinch 5, Linnet, House Sparrow 2, Starling 9, Blackbird 2, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove 2, Jackdaw 4, Magpie 8, Buzzard. (GWR)

Wednesday 8 July 2015

Wednesday 8th July 2015

0930 cloud/wind: Cormorant 2, Greylag 2, Heron, Tufted 16, GC Grebe, Oystercatcher, Lapwing 20, YL Gull, LBB Gull 21, BH Gull 40, Pied Wagtail 2, Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Swift 3.

Tuesday 7 July 2015

Tuesday 7th July 2015

0930 & 1530, sunny between showers, windy 17 - 19c : Cormorant, Greylag, Mute Swan pair + 4, LBB Gull 88, YL Gull, Herring Gull 4, BH Gull 152, Lapwing 28, Moorhen 2, Coot 15, GC Grebe, Tufted 12, Swift 20 (50+ yesterday evening), Swallow 4, Sand Martin, Chiffchaff, Starling 6, Blue Tit, Blackbird, House Sparrow, Buzzard 2, etc. (GWR)
At Aldridge : House Martin 4, Comma (summer brood 'hutchinsoni'), Large White, Meadow Brown, Ringlet. (PPN)

Sunday 5 July 2015

Sunday 5th July 2015

0950 - 1100 cloudy but humid, 18c : Teal, Mallard 60, Tufted 12, Greylag, Canada's 180+, Heron 2, Mute Swan 2 + 4 cygnets, Great Crested Grebe 3, Coot 15, Moorhen, LBB Gull 14, Herring Gull, BH Gull 51, Oystercatcher 2, Lapwing 2, Swift 20+, Sand Martin 3, Swallow 4, House Martin 2, Pied Wagtail, Reed Bunting, Skylark, Willow Warbler, Blackcap 2, Green Woodpecker, Bullfinch 2, Greenfinch, Goldfinch 2, Linnet, Dunnock 2, Blackbird 3, Wren, House Sparrow 2, Jay 2, Jackdaw 3, Rook 2, Carrion Crow 5, Magpie 9, Stock Dove 4, Wood Pigeon 12, Buzzard.
Also seen - Hedge Brown (or Gatekeeper) 3 males (photo's), Ringlet 24, Meadow Brown 4, Speckled Wood 3, Small Skipper 2, Large Skipper 3, Latticed Heath 4, Narrow-bordered Five Spot Burnet 3, S Ambigualis (micro) 2.