Monday 31 October 2016

Autumn colour and a Hornet at the RSPB Wildlife Garden in Flatford

Spindle

Spindle

An array of insect hotels
Fiery autumn shades

A prolific species of Blackfly

European Hornet

Crab apple

RSPB Wildlife Garden, Flatford

Last of the season's caterpillars...

Wonderful leaves...

... in red, green, brown, yellow and gold.

Busy bee

Last time we were here the Nasturtiums were covered in caterpillars. The flowers were still in bloom, but no caterpillars.

Acer (with keys)

Guelder rose berries

It would be a shame to visit the Flatford ...

... without watching the Mute Swans on the Stour.

Monday 3 October 2016

Gondwanaland...


We 'visited' Gondwanaland last weekend. I always think that words along these lines could be the opening of a novel...

This particular Gondwanaland, however, is only about an hour away from our home. It forms part of the landscape that makes up Marks Hall Gardens and Arboretum. I hope my photos demonstrate the reason we try to visit each autumn before the trees lose their leaves.


Claret Ash 'Raywood' (Fraxinus angustifolia)

Claret Ash

Guelder rose berries (I think)

Autumn Crocus

Holly

Edge of the lake

Autumn sunlight

Teasel

Acer

I should know this one...

Acer

A peep through the undergrowth

Mr and Mrs

Cornflower... last hint of summer

Poppy, paving the way for November

Tree Following for October to Early November 2016 (Sightings to Date)

Linked to my Tree Following reports, I am posting my updated list of wildlife sightings 'in, on, under and around' the two trees in my home patch. My trees are a relatively mature Silver Birch and a four year old Ornamental Cherry, barely more than a sapling.

Silver Birch

Ornamental Cherry (planted four years ago)

I am hoping to keep this list updated as I see new species or have cause to comment on ones that are already on the list. I began the list with the help of sites which show pictures of different species, like the one for the RSPB. A certain amount of guesswork was involved, and there are still huge holes in my knowledge, hence the question marks and 'unidentified' entries below. I have now subscribed to iSpot and iRecord, and am very grateful to those who spend time confirming IDs.


Avian sightings
  • TFb1   Great Spotted Woodpecker
  • TFb2   Great tit
  • TFb3   Long-tailed Tit
  • TFb4   Blackbird  
  • TFb5   Song Thrush   
  • TFb6   Blue tit 
  • TFb7   Robin
  • TFb8   Magpie 
  • TFb9   Wood Pigeon
  • TFb10 Dunnock  
  • TFb11 Starling 
  • TFb12 Carrion Crow 
  • TFb13 Goldfinch
  • TFb14 Jay 
  • TFb15  Green Woodpecker
  • TFb16  Wren 
  • TFb17  Bullfinch
  • TFb18  Sparrowhawk
  • TFb19  Mallard
  • TFb20  House Sparrow 
  • TFb21 Chaffinch
  • TFb22 Grey Heron 
  • TFb23 Collared Dove 
  • TFb24 Coal tit

Mammal sightings
  • TFm1 (?Wood) Mouse
  • TFm2 Bat ... [first 2015 garden sighting 7 May 2015] [Apr/May 2015]
  • TFm3 Shrew 
  • TFm4 Grey Squirrel  [Jan/Feb 2016] [Feb/Mar 2016] [Mar/Apr 2016] [Jul/Aug 2016]  
  • TFm5 Stoat
  • TFm6 Hedgehog

Insect sightings
  • TFi1 Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly [March 2014]
  • TFi2 Buff-tailed Bumblebee [March 2014] [Jan/Feb 2016] [Mar/Apr 2016]
  • TFi3 Brimstone Butterfly [April 2014]
  • TFi4 7-spot Ladybird [April 2014] [Oct 2014] [Apr/May 2015] [Jul/Aug 2015] [Sept/Oct 2015] [Mar/Apr 2016]
  • TFi5 Skipper Butterfly [July 2014]
  • TFi6 Meadow Brown Butterfly [July 2014] [Jul/Aug 2015]
  • TFi7 Large White Butterfly [July 2014] [Jul/Aug 2016]
  • TFi8 14-spot Yellow Ladybirds [July 2014]
  • TFi9 Small White Butterfly [May 2014] [Apr/May 2015] [Sept/Oct 2015 - caterpillars]
  • TFi10 Orange tip Butterfly [May 2014]
  • TFi11 Harlequin ladybird  [May 2014] [October 2014] [Sept/Oct 2015]
  • TFi12 Garden Chafer (Phyllopertha horticola) [June 2014] [June/July 2016]
  • TFi13 Ruby-tail Wasp [June 2014] [May/June 2015] [May/June 2016]
  • TFi14 Blackfly [June 2014
  • TFi15 Marmalade Hoverfly [July 2014] [Jul/Aug 2015] [Jul/Aug 2016]
  • TFi16 Shield bug [July 2014] [Apr/May 2015]
  • TFi17 Migrant Hawker dragonflies [July 2014]
  • TFi18 Unidentified Damselfly [August 2014]
  • TFi19 Comma butterfly [August 2014] [June/July 2016]
  • TFi20 Red Admiral butterfly [August 2014] [October 2014] [Jul/Aug 2015]
  • TFi21 Peacock butterfly [August 2014] [Jul/Aug 2015] [Nov/Dec 2015] 
  • TFi22 Green bottle flies [August 2014] [May/June 2015]
  • TFi23 Ants [August 2014] [Apr/May 2015]  [May/June 2015] [Jul/Aug 2015] [Sept/Oct 2015 ] [Jun/July 2016]
  • TFi24 Squashbug aka Dock Bug, Coreus marginatus [August 2014]
  • TFi25 Birch Shieldbug (late instar?) [September 2014]
  • TFi26 Lacewing [October 2014] [Sept/Oct 2015]
  • TFi27 Cereal Leaf Beetle [Apr/May 2015]
  • TFi28 Unidentified Moth [Nov/Dec 2014] [Feb/Mar 2015] [Jul/Aug 2015] [Sept/Oct 2015]
    [Jan/Feb 2016] [June/July 2016]
  • TFi29 Rosemary Beetle [[Sept/Oct 2015] [May/June 2016 - four]
  • TFi30 Hawthorn Shieldbug [May/June 2015] 
  • TFi31 Forest Shieldbug (Pentatoma rufipes) [Sept/Oct 2015] 
  • TFi32 Early Bumblebee [Mar/Apr 2016] 
  • TFi33 Species of Miridae [Mar/Apr 2016]  
  • TFi34 Cranefly [May/June 2016] 
  • TFi35 Crossocerus, wasps family Crabronidae [May/June 2016] 
  • TFi36 Wasp Beetle (Clytus arietis) [May/June 2016]
  • TFi37   Tree Bumblebee (Bombus (Pyrobombus) hypnorum) [May/June 2016] 
  • TFi38  Moth Least Black Arches (Nola confusalis) [May/June 2016] 
  • TFi39  Gatekeeper Butterfly [Jul/Aug 2016 *New*]
  • TFi40  Holly Blue Butterfly [Jul/Aug 2016 *New*]
  • TFi41  Painted Lady [2016] ... And don't forget to watch the programme about this beautiful butterfly!

Molluscs

Arachnids