Light and Water at RSPB Minsmere

We reached RSPB Minsmere yesterday afternoon just as most folk were packing up their birding gear and heading for the cafe or the car park. There were a lot of ducks about, but all at distance from our hide. However, on this occasion it was the quality of autumnal light that particularly delighted us, though we were concerned to see just how much of the site was underwater.

More winter than autumn perhaps?

Massive areas underwater

A splash of bright colour (and, yes, there had been a Waxwing sighting earlier).

 

Shingle Street ... after the storms

 

Shingle Street, a favourite place on the Suffolk coast, is always changing. We wondered how this wild but vulnerable spot had fared in the recent gales and floods. The shelving ridges of sand and shingle looked steeper than usual. The photo immediately above shows a selection of shells, weed and wood thrust ashore by the tide.

The photo above that shows barnacles on a pebble, presumably hurled up and brought in from the sea bed.

The light is often magical here. I particularly like the second photo from the top, showing a landscape that somehow reminds me of a Ravilious painting. I wonder if you see what I mean! 

Wasp Spiders at Snape

Today's sighting: Wasp Spiders at Snape, Suffolk

You can see the web and the start of a stabilimentum

Underside - with bound-up grasshopper

The watery reedbed habitat at Snape, looking across to Iken church

 Sadly we have not seen any of these extraordinary spiders in our wild garden this year. I am wondering if they were eaten either by the grass snake or the resident frog.

Latest Reptile Sighting on my Garden Species List

 

Not a garden photo, but one showing a Grass Snake here in Suffolk

I had a huge surprise yesterday when I found a Grass Snake in our garden for the first time. It was long and thin, incredibly fast and easy to identify by its yellow collar marking. Grass Snakes are protected by law so do bear this in mind if you encounter one in your garden or while you are out and about.

Many of you will know that I have been keeping a list of the wildlife I see in our suburban Suffolk garden since 2014. For a creature to be counted, it must be seen in, under or above our boundary. Some years ago I began to keep an eye on the wildflowers that we noticed in the garden. I may decide to combine the two lists at some point.

* = an identification given via iSpot. 

Trailcam: this has given us photos of fox, hedgehogs and mice. One hedgehog continues to come (for water and Yora insect-based food) nearly every night. 

[R] = a regular visitor

[O] = an occasional one.  

Incidentally, the Migrant Hawker sightings in the list below inspired one of the poems in my 2021 poetry collection, Driftwood by Starlight, which is is now available in the online shop for The Seventh Quarry Press. Do take a look here. 

And now to my updated list...

Avian sightings

• HPb1   Great Spotted Woodpecker [O]  [early March, June, Aug 2020]early Mar., 17 June 2021, 17 April 2022 Jan 2023
• HPb2   Great tit [R] 2020202120222023
• HPb3   Long-tailed tit [R] 2020202120222023
• HPb4   Blackbird [R] 20202021, with young20222023
• HPb5   Song Thrush  [27 April 2019 - a pair] [27 March 2020]20222023
• HPb6   Blue tit [R] 20202021, with young20222023
• HPb7   Robin  [R]  20202021, with young20222023
• HPb8   Magpie [R] 2020202120222023
• HPb9   Wood Pigeon  [R] 2020202120222023
• HPb10 Dunnock [R] 2020202120222023
• HPb11 Starling [R] 20202021, with young20222023
• HPb12 Carrion Crow [R] 2020202120222023
• HPb13 Goldfinch [R] 20202021, with young20222023
• HPb14 Jay [O] 2020  Mar. 2021 (two)2022 2023
• HPb15 Green Woodpecker [O] seen in passing [May 2020]
• HPb16 Wren [O] [27 March 2020]202120222023
• HPb17 Bullfinch [19 January 2017] 2020
• HPb18 Sparrowhawk [June 2020] [25 Feb 2021]20222023
• HPb19 Mallard 
• HPb20 House Sparrow [1 June 2019] [June 2020] Mar. 202120222023
• HPb21 Chaffinch 2020 Mar. 2021 2023
• HPb22 Grey Heron [18 and 26 Feb 2020] early May 202120222023
• HPb23 Collared Dove [R] 2020 202120222023
• HPb24 Coal tit 202120222023
• HPb25 Redwing [20 January 2017] Feb 202120222023
• HPb26 Kestrel  [8 June 2017] 4 June 20212022 2023
  
• HPb27 Blackcap [Feb 2020] 28 Feb, 7 Mar 2021 18 Apr 2022 Jan 2023
• HPb28 Greenfinch [6 Feb 2020]29 Jan 2023
  
• HPb29 Swift [15 July 2020]16 June 202120222023
• HPb30 Buzzard [Sept 2020] 16 June 202120222023
• HPb31 Fieldfares [a flock, garden first, February 2021]
• HPb32 Common Gull Mar. 2021
• HPb33 RedKite 2022 30 Jan 2023
• HPb34 Redpoll  11 Feb 2023

• Cuckoo - not listed as such because it just missed our garden, but for only the second time since we moved here nearly a decade ago, I not only heard one calling but also caught sight of it. [2 June 2021]

 

Mammal sightings

• HPm1 (?Wood) Mouse Mar. 202120222023 Trailcam
• HPm2 Bat [1st 2015 sighting 7 May 2015] [Apr/May 2015]  [22 Jan 2017]  [Aug 2018]  [8 Aug 2019] [May, 17, 25 July 2020] 18 May, 15 June, 26 Aug 202112 July 20222023
• HPm3 Shrew 
• HPm4 Grey Squirrel [R] and now [O] 2020 15 Mar, Aug 202120222023
• HPm5 Stoat
• HPm6 Hedgehog  [9 Aug 2018] [1 June 2019]Aug, Sept 20222023 Trailcam
• HPm7 Fox  June 2022 Trailcam

Amphibian sightings

• HPam1 Common Frog [26 May 2019] 12 July, 27 Aug 20222023
• HPam1 Common Toad 2 Aug 2022 

Reptile sightings

• HPr1 Common Lizard (two: new species for the garden!) [1, 8 August 2020]
• HPr2 Grass Snake (new species for the garden!) 8 Aug 2023

Insect sightings 

• HPi1 Small Tortoiseshell butterfly [March 2014] [27 Feb 2017] three, Aug 202120222023
• HPi2 Buff-tailed Bumblebee [March 2014] [Jan/Feb 2016] [Mar/Apr 2016] [2017] 2020202120222023
• HPi3 Brimstone butterfly [April 2014] [5 June 2019] 2020202120222023
• HPi4 7-spot Ladybird [April 2014] [Oct 2014] [2015] [Jul/Aug 2015] [Sept/Oct 2015] [Mar/Apr 2016] 2020202120222023
• HPi5 Small Skipper butterfly [July 2014] [26 July 2019] [20,21 June 2020]20212022
• HPi6 Meadow Brown butterfly [July 2014] [Jul/Aug 2015] [12 June 2020, six!]20212022 2023
• HPi7 Large White butterfly [July 2014] [Jul/Aug 2016] [21 June 2020]7 June 202120222023
• HPi8 14-spot Yellow Ladybirds [July 2014] [May 2019] [1 July 2020]
• HPi9 Small White butterfly [May 2014] [Apr/May 2015] [Sept/Oct 2015 - larvae] [2 May 2019] 2020202120222023
• HPi10 Orange tip butterfly [May 2014] 2020 11 May 2021April 20222023
• HPi11 Harlequin ladybird  [May 2014] [October 2014] [Sept/Oct 2015] [1 April 2019, N.B. spotless] 
• HPi12 Garden Chafer (Phyllopertha horticola) [June 2014] [June/July 2016] [18 May 2018]
• HPi13 Ruby-tail Wasp [June 2014] [May/June 2015] [May/June 2016] [21 May 2017]  [May 2020] June 2023
• HPi14 Blackfly [R]  202020222023
• HPi15 Marmalade Hoverfly [July 2014] [Jul/Aug 2015] [Jul/Aug 2016] [20 June 2020]20222023
• HPi16 Gorse Shield bug [27 March 2020]
  
• HPi17 Migrant Hawker dragonflies [July 2014]2021Aug 2022
• HPi18 Gatekeeper butterfly [Jul/Aug 2016] [9 Aug 2019] 2020202120222023
• HPi19 Comma butterfly [August 2014] [June/July 2016] [2017] [8 Aug 2019] 2020202120222023
• HPi20 Red Admiral butterfly [August 2014] [October 2014] [Jul/Aug 2015] [8 Aug 2019] [14 June 2020]Aug 2021 16 May 20222023
• HPi21 Peacock butterfly [August 2014] [Jul/Aug 2015] [Nov/Dec 2015] [8 Aug 2019] [27 March 2020] [two on 25 March 202110 Mar 20222023
• HPi22 Green bottle flies [August 2014] [May/June 2015] 202020222023
• HPi23 Ants [R] [27 March 2020]202120222023
• HPi24 Squashbug aka Dock Bug, (Coreus marginatus ) [August 2014] [May 2018, mating]
• HPi25 Birch Shieldbug (late instar?) [September 2014]
• HPi26 Lacewing [October 2014] [Sept/Oct 2015]  [14 June 2020]
• HPi27 Cereal Leaf Beetle [Apr/May 2015]
• HPi28 Painted Lady [2018] [8 Aug 2019]three, Aug 202127 May 2022 Aug 2023
  
• HPi29 Rosemary Beetle [[Sept/Oct 2015] [May/June 2016 - four] [May 2017]
• HPi30 Hawthorn Shieldbug [May/June 2015] 
• HPi31 Forest Shieldbug (Pentatoma rufipes) [Sept/Oct 2015] 
• HPi32 Early Bumblebee [Mar/Apr 2016] 2021
• HPi33 *Species of Miridae [Mar/Apr 2016]  
• HPi34 Cranefly [R]  2020202120222023
• HPi35 Crossocerus, wasps family Crabronidae [May/June 2016] 
• HPi36 Wasp Beetle (Clytus arietis) [May/June 2016]
• HPi37 Tree Bumblebee (Bombus (Pyrobombus) hypnorum) [May/June 2016] 
• HPi38 Moth Least Black Arches (Nola confusalis) [May/June 2016] 
• HPi39 Holly Blue Butterfly  [26 May 2017]  [27 April and 6 June 2019] 202026 May 2021 2 May 20222023
• HPi40 Dark Bush Cricket (nymph) [18 May 2017] [10 June 2019] [10 June 2020] 25 May 2022
• HPi41 Common Cockchafer  [18 May 2017] [14 June 2019] [10 June 2020]5 June 202120222023
• HPi42 Scorpion Fly [May2017] [23 May 2017]  8 June 202126 May 2022
• HPi43 Soldier Beetle (Cantharis rustica)  [2017] [13 May 2018][2019] 20202022
• HPi44 Cabbage Bug (Eurydema (Eurydema) oleracea)  [2017]  [9 June 2017]  
• HPi45 Light Brown Apple moth (Epiphyas postvittana) [2017] [23 May 2017] 
• HPi46 Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula)   [9 May 2018] 
• HPi47  Common Blue butterfly (Polyommatus icarus)   [11 May 2018] 2020202116 July 2022 9 Aug 2023
  
• HPi48  Speckled Wood butterfly (Pararge aegeria)   [15 May 2018] 2020 24 May 2021 20 April 2022 14 June 2023
  
• HPi49  Ruby Tiger moth (Phragmatobia fuliginosa)   [18 May 2018] 2020
• HPi50  Mint Moth (Pyrausta aurata)   [24 May 2018]  [2019] 202015 June, 27 Aug 202120222023
• HPi51  Mullein Moth larva (Cucullia verbasci)   [14 June 2018] 
• HPi52  Silver Y moth [two - August 2018] 14 July 2020Aug 2021 26 May 20222023
• HPi53  Rove Beetle (Platydracus stercorarius)   [September 2018] 
• HPi54 *Green Long-horn moth 13 May 202120222023
• HPi55 Fire bug nymph [17 April 2019]2022
  
• HPi56 Pine Ladybird [1 April 2019]  2020202120222023
• HPi57 Cinnabar moth [4 and 5 April 2019] [21 June 2020]202214 June 2023
• HPi58 Small Red Damselfly [20 May 2019]  2020 
• HPi59 *Tortoise Bug [3 June 2019]   
• HPi60 *Cryptolaemus montrouzieri [6 June 2019] 
• HPi61 *Varied Carpet Beetle (Anthrenus (Nathrenus) verbasci)  [6 June 2019] 20202022
• HPi62 *Empis tessellata [31 May 2019] 
• HPi63 *Macrophya [22 May 2019] 
• HPi64 *Bagworm moth case (Psychidae) [31 May 2019] 22 May 202214 June 2023
  
• HPi65 *Greater Bulb-Fly (Merodon equestris) [22 May 2019]  2020
• HPi66 *Figwort Weevil larva (Cionus scrophulariae) [22 May 2019] 
• HPi67 *Arge Sawfly (Arge cyanocrocea) [22 May 2019]  2020
• HPi68 *Sarcophaga [16 May 2019]
• HPi69 *Juniper Shield Bug (Cyphosthetus tristriatus) [16 May 2019] 
• HPi70 *St Mark's Fly (Bibio marci) [28 April 2019] 19 May 20212022
• HPi71 Fairy Longhorn moth (Adela) [9 May 2019] 202120222023
• HPi72 *Dagger Fly (Empis Tessellata) [13 May 2019]  
• HPi73 *Honey bee (Apis mellifera) [31 May 2019]  2020202120222023
• HPi74 *Rutpela maculata [14 June 2019] 
• HPi75 *Soldier Fly (Stratiomyidae) [12 June 2019] 
• HPi76 *Small Dusty Wave moth (Idaea seriata) [31 May and 5 Sept 2019]
• HPi77 *Planthopper (Issus Coleoptratus) [18 June 2019]  
• HPi78 Sexton (Burying) Beetle [7 Aug 2019] 
• HPi79 Small Copper [3 Aug 2019]  [10 May 2020] 2 June 2021 26 May 20222023
• HPi80 *Speckled Bush Cricket [3 Aug 2019] 
• HPi81 Dark-edged Bee-fly (Bombylius major) [24 Mar 2020]20222023
• HPi82 *Rhyparochromus vulgaris Ground bug [2 April 2020] 13 Mar 2021
  
• HPi83 *Tawny Mining Bee (Andrena (Andrena) fulva) [11 April 2020] 27 May 20212023
• HPi84 *Dolichovespula media [19 April 2020] 
• HPi85 Mother Shipton moth [May 2020]
• HPi86 Green Hairstreak [May 2020] 12 May, 9 June 2021
• HPi87 *Angle Shades moth [25 May 2020] 
• HPi88 Green-veined White [Apr 2020]2023 
  
• HPi89 Malachite beetle [June 2020] 2023 
  
• HPi90 Thick-legged Flower Beetle [June 2020]20222023   
  
• HPi91 Common Froghopper [12 June 2020]     
• HPi92 Small Heath [13 June, 18 July 2020]    
• HPi93 Stag Beetle (female) [13 June 2020]202211 June 2023 
  
• HPi94 Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius, m & f) [18 June 2020]2022 2023  
• HPi95 Long hoverfly Sphaerophoria scripta [18 June 2020]    
• HPi96 Blue-tailed Damselfly [14 June 2020]    
• HPi97 Common White Wave moth [13 June 2020]    
• HPi98 Ringlet butterfly [25 June 2020] 202120222023
• HPi99 Leaf-cutter bee (Megachile centuncularis)  [26 June 2020]20222023  
  
• HPi100 *Lesser Stag Beetle (Dorcus parallelipipedus) [27 June 2020] 
• HPi101 Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth (see here) [3 July 2020]   
• HPi102 Ichneumon Amblyteles armatorius [10 July 2020]  
• HPi103 Emperor Dragonfly [16 July 2020]16 July 2022
  
• HPi104 Swallowtail moth [16 July 2020]2023
• HPi105 *Brown Argus (a first for the garden!) [18, 24 July 2020]202120222023
• HPi106 *White-point moth (another first for the garden!) [18 July 2020]24 May 2022
• HPi107 *Hairy-legged Mining Bee, aka Pantaloon bee (Dasypoda hirtipes) (a first for the garden!) [18 July 2020] 2023
• HPi108 White Plume moth (and another first for the garden!) [25, 27 July 2020]2022
• HPi109 *Southern Hawker (female, and another first for the garden!) [8 Sept 2020]
• HPi110 Field Grasshoppers [Aug and Sept 2020]20222023
• HPi111 Purple Hairstreak (a first for the garden!) [3 Aug 2020]  
• HPi112 Rove Beetle (Ocypus olens)  Aug 2022
• HPi113 Meliscaeva auricollis. [25 March 2021]
• HPi114 * Nomada marshamella [30 April 2021]
• HPi115 Rhopalid bug Corizus hyoscyami [30 May 2021]
• HPi116 Muslin moth [9 June 2021]
• HPi117 Banded Demoiselle [15 June 2021]
• HPi118 Box-tree moth [Aug 2021]larvae, April 20222023
• HPi119 Hummingbird Hawk-moth  [3 September 2021]20222023
• HPi120 Kite-tailed Robber Fly [July 2021] 
• HPi121 *Agriotes lineatus March 2022
• HPi122 * Early Thorn moth Selenia dentaria  17 April 2022 
• HPi123 * Turtle (shield)bug Podops inuncta 6 May 2022 
• HPi124 Grayling butterfly 6 August 20228 Aug 2023
• HPi125 Clouded Yellow butterfly (a first for the garden!) 13 September 2022
• HPi126 Queen of Spain Fritillary butterfly (a first for the garden, sighting confirmed by our County Recorder) 2023

 

Molluscs

• HPm1 Brown Lipped Snail (Cepaea (Cepaea) nemoralis) [May/June 2016] 2020202120222023
• HPm2 Field Slug (Deroceras) [May/June 2016] 20212023

 

Arachnids

• HPa1 Zebra Spider [Apr/May 2015] [May/June 2015] [Mar/Apr 2016] [May 2018] 20202022
• HPa2 Garden Spider (Araneus diadematus) [May/June 2015] [27 April 2019] 20222023
• HPa3 *Cucumber spider (Arianella) [31 May 2019]  
• HPa4 *Jumping spider (Heliophanus) [22 May, Sept 2019]  
• HPa5 Crab spider, with pink stripes, aka 'White Death' (Misumena vatia) [9 Aug 2019]   
• HPa6 Nursery Web spider (Heliophanus) [22 Mar 2020] (Spiderlings hatch: 27 June 2020) 20212022
• HPa7 *Noble False Widow 23 June 20212022
• HPa8 Wasp spider [new! four, 5-9 Sept 2020] three, Aug 20212022