Walk Sunday 11th July

I have planned a Sunday walk this coming weekend. Meet at the village Hall (Little Hadham) at 11.00am and then via Bury Green, Much Hadham, Westland Green back to the car park. Refreshments to be taken at The Bull, Much Hadham. All welcome. Search for birds, butterflies and dragonflies, with hopefully a stop at Bury Green where there is a fantastic pond. I will, however, need to ask for permission to get into this private garden.

Marbled White

Whilst gardening in Little Hadham this morning, a marbled white butterfly alighted on a shrub. Spent 5 minutes posing superbly, but as is par for the course, no camera when required.
My first record of this in 2010 and my first actually in the village.

Long boundary walk 28.6.10

Monday 28th June found me with a whole day off from work, so I began the walk at Tescos, following footpaths all around the parish boundary. In all 41 species of birds, 4 dragonfly species, numerous butterflies, including in excess of 150 meadow browns. Species list was: red admiral, small heath, common blue, holly blue, gatekeeper, ringlet, essex skipper, small skipper, large white, small white.

Good birds were little owl, shown here on a post in poor evening light, bullfinch and little grebe whilst the dragonfly list contyained black tailed skimmer (photo attached) 4 spot chaser (brown insect with 4 spots per wing) and a solitary emperor dragonfly. In all 18 miles were covered, with a few around the back of Hadham Hall and Cradle End left to complete the whole circuit.

Photos are as follows, from the top:

• 4 spotted chaser
  
• 5 spot burnet moth


• 6 spot burnet moth


• view near Cradle End


• footpath poppies


• sunset at Millfield Lane


• small magpie moth


• small heath


• ringlet


• red admiral


• poppy


• musk mallow containing a male oedemera nobilis


• little owl


• large white


• holly blue


• essex skipper


• essex skippers


• common blue


• cape teal (escape from an ornamental pond)


• black tailed skimmers


• black tailed skimmer


• azure damselfly


• azure damselfly