Wednesday 19 June 2019

Hatfield Forest Find

Monday 17th June found me wandering along the Flitch Way from Start Hill for my fortnightly walk to collect nature sightings for my article in the Bishop's Stortford Independent.  I had checked the meadowland around the entrance from the old railway line for moths and butterflies, noting several species without anything being unexpected. I then decided to just wander the rides around the Portingbury Hills area as well as Hangman's Coppice. I recorded more insect species before arriving at a large ride I knew would lead to the road and ultimately, the cafe for refreshment. By now the temperature was over 20C, something I had not dressed for so was looking forward to a cold beer.
At the junction of the path I had come off and the large, wide ride I noted a patch of bramble in a ditch upon which were plenty of Meadow brown butterflies, a solitary male Large skipper and several bee species, mainly Bombus terrestris. I also clocked a small, very pale damselfly which I thought would make a good photo for my article as it was posing upon bramble leaves.
As I approached I noted the white legs and slightly pink tones to the abdomen towards  the final few segments . This immediately informed me it could be White Legged damselfly, a new species for me in Herts and Essex region. I managed a few photos with a macro lens and blew them up on the back of the camera to check further. I was fairly sure this was White legged but needed to check my field guides at home. Immature Common blue damsels can be a confusion species, so checking was vital.
I continued the walk, photographing 4 spot chaser and Red eyed damselfly by the pond before heading back to the car and home.
I checked my books and was now sure this was White legged damselfly (Platycnemis pennipes.)
The following day, I sent the photos off to the newspaper, labelling it as such and then took a few moth specimens around to Graeme J Smith for id confirmation. I casually mentioned I had recorded the damselfly and he was most surprised that I had encountered it. I returned home and forwarded a photo to Hatfield Forest office who then forwarded them to the recorder of all species for the Forest, Stuart Warrington.
This morning, Wednesday, he emailed to say that the id was correct and even better, it represented a new species for the forest.
He pointed out the diagnostic identification points: femur and tibia with bristles, stripes along the thorax, bar across the top of the head and an opaque shade to the pterostigma. Fortunately, all these important elements could be seen in the photo I had forwarded to Henry Buxton, Warden of the forest.
This afternoon, I returned to make sure I had given the correct directions and site to the office and also to improve on the photos from Monday afternoon.
A very pleasing find and a discovery of a new species for such a large area as Hatfield Forest is not something that comes along very often.
Original photo showing large white tibia with black stripe and also bar on top of the head. Whilst out of focus the pterostigma towards the end of the wing can be seen to be a shade of orange. All good for this species.

Femur and tibia markings with the diagnostic bristles

Who you looking at!

Legs and the stripes on the thorax fit for White legged

Good markings for this species

As this is an immature specimen, the orange/pink tones on the final few segments of the abdomen look perfect for White legged. The pterostigma can also be seen here to be opaque and orangey.


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This is me

This is me
At the end of another Norfolk Coastal footpath walk. 47 miles, 3 days 99 species of bird. September 2009

Caley Wood view

Caley Wood view
sunshine through the canopy 29.05.08

A walk along the Warta Valley, Poznan, Poland. Feb 2007

A walk along the Warta Valley, Poznan, Poland. Feb 2007
Best birds on this walk: black and middle spotted woodpecker and short toed treecreeper

About Me

My photo
A primary school teacher for 30 years, I retired from teaching in July 2009 to set up my own science enhancement and communication company. The Primary Works offers science clubs, workshops and staged science shows nationwide. I have always been interested in bird watching since my early years. Apparently my first tick was after inquiring about a chaffinch and then receiving the Observer book of birds. By the age of 9 I had moved on to Tory Peterson's collins guide and was now involved on YOC birding holidays to Northumbria, Essex coast, Slimbridge and Yorkshire. My twitching rule is that I will willingly travel 1km for each gram the bird weighs. However, I have had many rarities just by being in the right place. I have travelled widely throughout Europe and also visited Australia and Sri Lanka. In 2016 I spent time at Portland Bird Obs and two trips to Aviero, Portugal. 2017 found me back in Sri Lanka in Feb/March, then July and back for New Year's Eve celebrations in December. Also returned to The Camargue in May for a 4 day trip. Few plans for 2018, but nothing yet booked apart from a trip to the IOW.

Grey heron

Grey heron
Over the allotment 28.09.08

Southern Hawker

Southern Hawker
Ridge footpath 27.08.08

Juvenile green woodpecker (17.08.08)

Juvenile green woodpecker (17.08.08)
Note the stripes, denoting a bird fledged this year.

common blue

common blue
Ash Valley G.C. 15.08.08

Indian balsam (impatiens glandulifera)

Indian balsam (impatiens glandulifera)
River Ash

azure damselfly

azure damselfly
River Ash 28.07.08

marbled white

marbled white
Discovered at Westland Green 22.07.08

ruddy darter

ruddy darter
Bush Wood 21.07.08

honeysuckle 19.07.08

honeysuckle 19.07.08
growing in hedgerow in Chapel Lane

cinnabar moth caterpillar

cinnabar moth caterpillar
Photographed on ragwort 19.07.08

Bittersweet

Bittersweet
Study of petals 11.06.08

male yellowhammer

male yellowhammer
08.06.08

common blue butterfly

common blue butterfly
06.06.08

River Ash

River Ash
looking south from the bridge at Hadham Ford

Common poppy (papaver rhoeas)

Common poppy (papaver rhoeas)
in rape field 29.05.08

Caley Wood sunshine

Caley Wood sunshine
29.05.08

Millenium Wood fox

Millenium Wood fox
24.05.08

common comfrey (symphytum officinale)

common comfrey (symphytum officinale)
06.05.08 banks of the River Ash

Garlic Mustard or Jack by the Hedge,(Alliara petiolata)

Garlic Mustard or Jack by the Hedge,(Alliara petiolata)
flowers, leaves and fruit edible . Good in salad and pesto

April showers

April showers
Double rainbow 30.04.08

Caley Wood bluebells

Caley Wood bluebells
22.04.08

Yellow Archangel

Yellow Archangel
Chapel Lane (20.04.08)

sunlight 16.04.08

sunlight 16.04.08
looking south west from Bush Wood

snowy buds

snowy buds
06.04.08 in Bush Wood

Looking north west

Looking north west
05.04.08 evening shower approaching

Back Garden

Back Garden
Easter Sunday (23.03.08)

Brick Kiln Hill

Brick Kiln Hill
Looking east (23.03.08)

No play today

No play today
The 2nd hole at Ash Valley golf course

Teasel head

Teasel head
Bush Wood (21.03.08)

Reflections

Reflections
daffodils at Bush Wood pond (21.03.08)

Swollen River Ash

Swollen River Ash
The river at the bottom of Winding Hill 16.03.08

Daybreak over the chapel

Daybreak over the chapel
Thursday 13th March

Wild daffodils (narcissus pseudonarcissus)

Wild daffodils (narcissus pseudonarcissus)
growing in Bush Wood

January snowdrops

January snowdrops
Banks of River Ash, north of Much Hadham

Good Moon

Good Moon
From garden 24.01.08

Village Green

Village Green
Looking east towards Acremore Street

Looking south before Hadham Ford

Looking south before Hadham Ford
rare January blue sky

Useful sites

The following are some useful websites that may interest readers of this blog.
Firstly, Bishop's Stortford Natural History Society http://bsnhs.webplus.net/

Fellow birder, Gary Whelan's blog. Gives reports from our trips out together plus reports from his trips abroad. http://hairybirders.blogspot.co.uk
http://www.hertsbirdclub.org.uk/ The official herts bird club website. Frequently updated, listing bird sightings around the county. Offers links to many other websites. Both of these sites also offer links to yahoo discussion groups.
http://www.birdforum.net/ An international site. You can enter as a guest but become a member( free) to post comments, bird sightings and just about anything to do with wild birds. Good news updates, classified section for binoculars, cameras etc.
http://www.guidedbirdwatching.com/ A new site set up where you can contact people worldwide who will help you find good birds in their country. UK section being set up presently.
http://www.britainsbirder.co.uk/
Fellow birders blog. Strtford resident, Graeme Smith regulary birds the area south of Stortford as well as around Spellbrook and the River Stort from Spellbrook to Twyford Locks. Some superb bird photography: Graeme uses a digital camera attached to his powerful telescope to get detailled images of the birds he sees. Well worth a browse.
Two local sites that may be of interest can be found at
http://www.thehadhams.com/ www.thepelhams.net/content/section/12/139/

South Easterly walk

South Easterly walk
black, normal, red extended walk

South Westerly route.

South Westerly route.
Black usual, red extended

North Easterly walk

North Easterly walk
black short, walk. Red, extended

North West Patch

North West Patch
black route regular. Red route the extended wander