Standon and back 15.08.10

4 of us met at the village hall to walk to Standon and then back via Bromley and Westland Green. A blustery, but dry day meant good numbers of white butterflies, gatekeeper, meadow brown and common blue along with several migrant hawker dragonflies.
The bird life remained quiet, with a female kestrel, common buzzard and 1st year grey heron being the highlight. A juvenile buzzard could be heard calling from the nest, but all in all, not too much to report. Good walk in good company

Brick Kiln Hill and Millennium Wood 14.08.10

An early morning wander around the local vicinity in the search for new flowering plants. I was not disappointed, discovering several new ones to add to my list. Agrimony, common stork's bill, bristly ox tongue and tansy were all found, as shown here.

Butterflies, despite the breezy conditions appeared in good numbers, with over 35 common blues on the footpath off Millfield Lane. 3 migrant hawkers were witnessed, Millennium Wood and Hoecroft Lane whilst other insects seen were; large white, small white, speckled wood, meadow brown, gatekeeper and a superb red admiral that was rather camera shy. The best was kept until last where only my 3rd holly blue of 2010 was photographed drinking on the footpath leading down to the Nag's Head.

Photos, from the top show:

1. Tansy
2. Rosebay Willowherb
3. hornet
4. holly blue
5. greater knapweed
6. common stork's bill
7. common blue
8. bristly oxtongue
9. view down Brisk Kiln Hill to Nag's Head
10. agrimony

Tescos to The Ford 02.08.10

A morning walk, setting off at 9.30 from Tescos and covering footpaths through Cradle End, Green Street, Millfield Lane and Brick Kiln Hill. Very few birds, with no notables except for the unusual sound of a calling chiffchaff. A pied wagtail flew over high, heading east and 5 lesser black backed gulls were clocked lazing their way north at 10.15.
However, huge numbers of butterflies, with common blue being most prevalent. In all over 100 were counted, along with the usual suspects such as meadow brown, gatekeeper and large and small white.

A few of the butterflies are shown here.; small skipper, small white and small heath.

Little Hadham Moths: July 1020

I have now begun to document the local moths. This is a new area for me so I am presently concentrating on photographing and then identifying them from my field guide. The best place locally, is the lights outside the Nag's Head as well as the outdoor lights in Chapel Lane.

At the moment 10 - 14 species per night is enough for me to sort out. I hope I have all the correct species named here, a list made up from the last week's observations.

From the top:

1. yellow shell

2. willow beauty

3. The Snout

4. small waved umber

5. silver y

6. scarce footman

7. ruby tiger

8. riband wave

9. beautiful hooktip

10. mother of pearl

11. least carpet

12. dagger species, probably grey dagger

13. ghost moth

14. ruby tiger and small wave umber

30.07.10. Hadham Hall lagoons

A wander around the lagoons searching for a possible migratory wader proved fruitless, but plenty of interest was still available, in the shape of insects, with the 1st common darter of the year being witnessed as well as numerous common blue butterflies, small whites, large whites, commas, meadow browns. Also: azure and common blue damselflies along with 2 balck tailed skimmers.
Highlights of the birds were a family of 4 lesser whitethroats, 30+ migratory sand martins, 2 juvenile kestrels and numerous swifts and house martins.
Upon returning home, I recorded 32 black headed gulls over the garden as well as a solitary song thrush.

Photos show the underwing pattern of a common blue butterfly, a grey heron, green woodpecker and a red admiral butterfly.

To Standon 18.7.10

A midday walk to Standon gave superb, if fleeting views of a disturbed tawny owl near Broken Green, along with the first year record of a southern hawker dragonfly. Another good find was discovering a green veined white butterfly near Muggins Wood along with 2 immaculate red admirals, as shown here.

Photos, from the top:

1. female common blue.

2. male common blue

3. meadow brown

4. small heath

5 comma

Nature Walk:11.07.10

6 of us met at the village hall for a walk around Bury Green to Much Hadham and then back along the River Ash.

A good walk in glorious weather gave the first records of a broad bodied chaser dragonfly near The Ford. A visit to a superb private garden gave views of brown hawker (1st for the year) , emperor dragonfly, 4 spot chasers and black tailed skimmers. On the bird front, all was sexceptionally quiet, with a calling tawny owl and little owl being the highlight.

Butterflies were recorded in good numbers with marbled whites being seen (2) along with Essex skippers, ringlet, speckled wood, comma, large and small white, gatekeeper and meadow brown, However, the highlight was the first year records of purple hairstreak, found in 2 locations. We were lucky enough to find one feeding on the floor, as shown here.

The other photos depict the broad bodied chaser, Essex skipper and a swallow on the wires at The Ford.