RSPB Broxbourne local wander

Pine hawkmoth

At 7pm on Friday I met a party of keen birders/walkers from Broxbourne RSPB local group to lead a walk around the east of Little Hadham parish. Setting off the weather was fine and once on to footpaths we began noting several bird species as well as plants and insects.

Agapeta hamana: a micro moth

At East Wood, I released a small selection of moths that I had trapped the previous night: Large yellow underwing, elephant hawkmoth, poplar hawkmoth, pine hawkmoth and a burnished brass. Jays called from Plantings Wood and a party of mixed tits flew overhead near East Wood: blue, great, long tailed and a solitary coal tit. Also in the ash and oak trees were a single treecreeper and a calling chiffchaff. Several blackcaps were heard as we headed to Stocking Wood and Bury Green. In pastures near Bury Green, the grass moths Chrysoteuchia culmella and Crambus perlella flew as we flushed them, blackbirds, robin and dunnock got on to the list as did overhead swallows and an occasional swift. Several specimens of the micro moth Agapeta hamana  were observed. A lone lesser black backed gull headed west, perhaps a failed breeder returning early to its wintering quarters or possibly a wandered from the breeding colony on Harlow industrial estate.
As we approached Bury Green the forecast showers began, turning footpaths rapidly to sticky mud. The rook colony of Stocking Wood was noted as they roosted for the night, in total, in excess of 250 birds.

Marmalade Fly: Episyrphus balteatus

Elephant hawkmoth

Poplar hawkmoth

Yellowhammers called from hedgerows and a skylark was heard near Stocking Wood. We checked flowers on bramble to find Episyrphus balteatus, the Marmalade hoverfly whilst noting other species of hovers, too. White tailed bumble bees were nectaring on these flowers, too.
As we approached Tescos around about 9.15 a common buzzard flew into Plantings Wood, the last bird of a very pleasant wander in good company.

Burnished brass

female blackcap

whitethroat