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

Evening Walk along Ridge and to allotment: 02.06.10

A super summer's evening with many birds singing. At my allotment a kestrel hunted whilst whitethroat, blackcap and chiffchaff sang. A nearby song thrush was also in fine voice.

Photos attached show a few of the 25 species listed within the hour and half. Shown here, a Chapel Lane jackdaw and starling along with a goldfinch. A fine village view from Ford Hill and (as yet) an unidentified moth at the allotment that appeared to be laying eggs.

Also, a rather mysterious photo taken on long exposure of the lights in the garden late in the evening.

The moth has now been identified as a dark sword grass individual

Evening wander 25.5.10

A few photos from the end of May. Speckled wood butterfly, swallow and chaffinch on wires at The Ford and red campion found along Hoecroft Lane. Further details to follow of this evening walk to Millenium Wood to follow

Dawn chorus walk 16.05.10

9 of us met at the village hall at 5.00am, a bright but frosty morning . A route round to the school, around Hadham Hall to Hadham Lodge, under the A120 to Cradle End for coffee (most welcome) and then via Green Street and Millfield Lane back to The Ford.
In all 39 species were observed and/or heard. Good birds included several whitethroats, lesser whitethroats, 2 sparrowhawks, 2 sand martins at the church, 1 garden warbler and numerous blackcaps.

The coots still have the 6 young at Hadham Hall, shown here, but the hoped for 100th bird species eluded us. No butterflies at this time of the morning, but a super wander with good company. Next walk will be an lunchtime stroll for birds and butterflies over to Standon for tea and cakes at the superb tearooms as well as the opportunity for a pint at The Star. Further details soon.

Photos show a couple of sunrise views, a greenfinch, 2 yellowhammers, a blue tit, a trotting fox at Millfield Lane, a field full of dandelion heads at Green Street and the young coot. Compare to the photo taken on 28th April. To find this just scroll down or use the archive feature at the bottom of the page.

Swift arrival 11.05.10

2 swift over the back garden this evening (6.30pm) were the first sightings within the parish this year. Too high for a worthwhile photograph

River Stort: 10.05.10

As a precursor to giving a talk to the local RSPB group on the Natural History of the River Stort, I spent a few hours along the river updating photos of the views, with a few bird efforts as well.

A super 2 hours with 36 species recorded. A hobby over Wallbury was a highlight along with my first local swift, a high sparrowhawk and 2 soaring buzzards.
Warblers were in good numbers with chiffchaff, willow warbler, white throat, sedge warbler and reed warbler all present but the highlight being a cetti's warbler; my first for this patch.

Photos included today show several river views, a grey heron, long tailed tit (looking worn out from clearly feeding young) a female whitethroat, a greenfinch and a large carp.

Amwell visit 5.10.10

A quick trip to Amwell in rainy conditions didn't give any sightings of planned for dragonflies, but good views of great crested grebe, lapwing, sand martin, swallow and house martins were had, along with my first common terns of the year.

Photos show a great crested grebe and lapwing, both taken from the White Hide