Showing posts with label wildlife-recording. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wildlife-recording. Show all posts

Monday, 10 June 2024

The New 'Wild Spaces' Project From Butterfly Conservation

 

David and I joined Butterfly Conservation at the start of the lockdowns. For the last two years I have been counting butterflies for the Garden Butterfly Survey. 

Butterfly Conservation has launched a new initiative called 'Wild Spaces'. Participants have the chance to write about their particular wild space and to post photographs. They also have the opportunity to see who else is taking part in their area (for obvious security reasons actual addresses are not shown).  

You can read about the project here

Sadly, with a few exceptions such as Holly Blue and Orange Tip, this has not been a good start to the 'butterfly season' for us in our neck of the woods. We noticed that Matthew Oates was saying much the same on X (Twitter) today. However, we finally saw our first Meadow Brown on Saturday, so perhaps things will start to pick up ...


 

Tuesday, 20 September 2022

Another Butterfly Species for the Garden List

 

Old photo from a 2006 sighting

 

We were having lunch in the garden one day last week when a Clouded Yellow butterfly flew into the garden. I have rarely encountered this species before. I have seen a couple here in Suffolk at RSPB Minsmere on the path that leads to the sea, but the only one I have ever been able to photograph (and even then only as a quick record shot) is the male in the photo above, which alighted on the footpath to the 12th century remains of Slebech Old Church in South Wales.

 

Slebech Old Church
 

I am continuing to record butterfly sightings from our wild suburban garden for the Garden Butterfly Survey run by Butterfly Conservation. The list of species I have counted this year in our garden alone (thus far and in alphabetical order) is as follows:

  1. Brimstone
  2. Brown Argus
  3. Clouded Yellow
  4. Comma
  5. Common Blue
  6. Gatekeeper
  7. Grayling
  8. Holly Blue
  9. Large White
  10. Meadow Brown
  11. Orange Tip
  12. Painted lady
  13. Peacock
  14. Red Admiral
  15. Ringlet
  16. Small Copper
  17. Small Skipper
  18. Small Heath
  19. Small Tortoiseshell
  20. Small White
  21. Speckled Wood

On the day-flying moth front, we have had several Hummingbird Hawk-moths in the garden this summer, though Silver Ys, Cinnabars and Burnets have been noticeable by their (relative) absence.

 

Friday, 15 October 2021

NT Sutton Hoo ... Largely Late Butterflies

 

We had a brief spin around the wooded path that leads to a view of the river Deben at NT Sutton Hoo last weekend. There were spells of warm sunshine, and insects were making their presence felt in the less shady areas. I rather like these carvings that appear at intermittent points along the track. The path is covered in needles and the occasional chestnut case. 

Sadly, I expect it will be some months before we find four species of butterfly in so small a patch again. And on the subject of lepidoptera, I was saddened, if not surprised on account of the cold spring, to find a very disappointing result from the 2021 Butterfly Conservation Big Butterfly Count (see here, too). The new Saving Butterflies and Moths strategic plan for 2021 to 2026 looks an ambitious one.



Common Darter dragonfly



Small Copper, 1st species of butterfly

Comma, 2nd species

Another Small Copper

Red Admiral, 3rd species of butterfly

Speckled Wood, 4th species

Ichneumonid - or possibly Amblyteles Armatorius?


I am assuming that the insect in the next two photographs is a species of Robberfly. It seems to be eating a beetle with caramel-coloured elytra. 

On a bench

Tuesday, 2 February 2021

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch, 2021

 


A bird watch has to begin somewhere, and mine began with the small but distinctive features of this beautiful Blue tit, almost hidden in a woody patch beneath one of our coconut feeders. The three images below show that other sightings were to follow.



As you can see, I finally succeeded in uploading my Big Garden Birdwatch Results for 2021 on to the RSPB site. There are not really any surprises on my list, although, typically, Long-tailed tits and Wood Pigeons have been around in much greater numbers since my counting hour. 

Ours is a medium-sized suburban garden. It is in close proximity to a Local Nature Reserve. We have a mix of trees, shrubs and the somewhat battered stalks of last year's long grass. Our sandy soil contains a fair amount of old builders' rubble. 

We usually put out fatballs with seeds or mealworms. We replenished our supply of these, adding a new canister of sunflower seeds, which attracted the Goldfinches. 

I wonder what birds you were able to count. Results can be uploaded, I believe, for the next few days (possibly until 19 February, but do check). Here are a few photos of our avian visitors, taken from behind double-glazing ...

 

female Blackbird

Long-tailed tit

Starling

Blue tit

Robin

Wednesday, 9 September 2020

Updated Homepatch List




Back in July I was delighted to report that I had finally counted 100 (+1) insect species in our suburban Suffolk garden.

Before I post my records below, I want to mention a creature that so nearly made the list: the impressive Elephant Hawk-moth caterpillar which was spotted on 4 September 2020 so close to our home, but beyond our boundary. Perhaps next year...

For a creature to be counted in my list, it must be seen in our garden, under or above it. A red star * means an identification given via iSpot. [R] means a regular visitor and [O] an occasional one. And now to my updated list...

Avian sightings

  • HPb1   Great Spotted Woodpecker [O]  [early March, June, Aug 2020]
  • HPb2   Great tit [R] 2020
  • HPb3   Long-tailed tit [R] 2020
  • HPb4   Blackbird [R] 2020
  • HPb5   Song Thrush  [27 April 2019 - a pair] [27 March 2020]
  • HPb6   Blue tit [R] 2020
  • HPb7   Robin  [R]  2020
  • HPb8   Magpie [R] 2020
  • HPb9   Wood Pigeon  [R] 2020
  • HPb10 Dunnock [R] 2020
  • HPb11 Starling [R] 2020
  • HPb12 Carrion Crow [R] 2020
  • HPb13 Goldfinch [R] 2020
  • HPb14 Jay [O] 2020
  • HPb15 Green Woodpecker [O] seen in passing [May 2020]
  • HPb16 Wren [O] [27 March 2020]
  • HPb17 Bullfinch [19 January 2017] 2020
  • HPb18 Sparrowhawk [June 2020]
  • HPb19 Mallard 
  • HPb20 House Sparrow [1 June 2019] [June 2020]
  • HPb21 Chaffinch 2020
  • HPb22 Grey Heron [18 and 26 Feb 2020]
  • HPb23 Collared Dove [R] 2020
  • HPb24 Coal tit  
  • HPb25 Redwing [20 January 2017] 
  • HPb26 Kestrel  [8 June 2017]  
  • HPb27 Blackcap [Feb 2020]
  • HPb28 Greenfinch [6 Feb 2020]
  • HPb29 Swift [15 July 2020] 
  • HPb30 Buzzard [Sept 2020]
Mammal sightings
  • HPm1 (?Wood) Mouse
  • HPm2 Bat ... [1st 2015 sighting 7 May 2015] [Apr/May 2015]  [22 Jan 2017]  [Aug 2018]  [8 Aug 2019] [May, 17, 25 July 2020]
  • HPm3 Shrew 
  • HPm4 Grey Squirrel [R] and now [O] 2020
  • HPm5 Stoat
  • HPm6 Hedgehog  [9 Aug 2018] [1 June 2019]

Amphibian sightings
  • HPam1 Common Frog [26 May 2019] 

Reptile sightings
  • HPr1 Common Lizard (two: new species for the garden!) [1, 8 August 2020]

Insect sightings 
  • HPi1 Small Tortoiseshell butterfly [March 2014] [27 Feb 2017]  2019, 2020: where are these butterflies?
  • HPi2 Buff-tailed Bumblebee [March 2014] [Jan/Feb 2016] [Mar/Apr 2016] [2017] 2020
  • HPi3 Brimstone butterfly [April 2014] [5 June 2019] 2020
  • HPi4 7-spot Ladybird [April 2014] [Oct 2014] [2015] [Jul/Aug 2015] [Sept/Oct 2015] [Mar/Apr 2016] 2020
  • HPi5 Small Skipper butterfly [July 2014] [26 July 2019] [20,21 June 2020]
  • HPi6 Meadow Brown butterfly [July 2014] [Jul/Aug 2015] [12 June 2020, six!]
  • HPi7 Large White butterfly [July 2014] [Jul/Aug 2016] [21 June 2020]
  • 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] 2020
  • HPi10 Orange tip butterfly [May 2014] 2020
  • 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]
  • HPi14 Blackfly [R]  2020
  • HPi15 Marmalade Hoverfly [July 2014] [Jul/Aug 2015] [Jul/Aug 2016] [20 June 2020]
  • HPi16 Gorse Shield bug [27 March 2020] New!
  • HPi17 Migrant Hawker dragonflies [July 2014]
  • HPi18 Gatekeeper butterfly [Jul/Aug 2016] [9 Aug 2019] 2020
  • HPi19 Comma butterfly [August 2014] [June/July 2016] [2017] [8 Aug 2019] 2020
  • HPi20 Red Admiral butterfly [August 2014] [October 2014] [Jul/Aug 2015] [8 Aug 2019] [14 June 2020]
  • HPi21 Peacock butterfly [August 2014] [Jul/Aug 2015] [Nov/Dec 2015] [8 Aug 2019] [27 March 2020]
  • HPi22 Green bottle flies [August 2014] [May/June 2015] 2020
  • HPi23 Ants [R] [27 March 2020]
  • 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]
  • 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] 
  • HPi33 *Species of Miridae [Mar/Apr 2016]  
  • HPi34 Cranefly [R]  2020
  • 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] 2020
  • HPi40 Dark Bush Cricket (nymph) [18 May 2017] [10 June 2019] [10 June 2020]
  • HPi41 Common Cockchafer  [18 May 2017] [14 June 2019] [10 June 2020]
  • HPi42 Scorpion Fly [May2017] [23 May 2017]  
  • HPi43 Soldier Beetle (Cantharis rustica [2017] [13 May 2018][2019] 2020
  • 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] 2020
  • HPi48  Speckled Wood butterfly (Pararge aegeria)   [15 May 2018] 2020
  • HPi49  Ruby Tiger moth (Phragmatobia fuliginosa)   [18 May 2018] 2020
  • HPi50  Mint Moth (Pyrausta aurata)   [24 May 2018]  [2019] 2020
  • HPi51  Mullein Moth larva (Cucullia verbasci)   [14 June 2018] 
  • HPi52  Silver Y moth (two)   [August 2018] 14 July 2020
  • HPi53  Rove Beetle (Platydracus stercorarius)   [September 2018] 
  • HPi54 *Species of Nomada [27 April 2019] 
  • HPi55 Fire bug nymph [17 April 2019] 
  • HPi56 Pine Ladybird [1 April 2019]  2020
  • HPi57 Cinnabar moth [4 and 5 April 2019] [21 June 2020] 
  • 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] 2020
  • HPi62 *Empis tessellata [31 May 2019] 
  • HPi63 *Macrophya [22 May 2019] 
  • HPi64 *Bagworm moth case (Psychidae) [31 May 2019]  
  • 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] 
  • HPi71 Fairy Longhorn moth (Adela) [9 May 2019]  
  • HPi72 *Dagger Fly (Empis Tessellata) [13 May 2019]  
  • HPi73 *Honey bee (Apis mellifera) [31 May 2019]  2020
  • 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]
  • HPi80 *Speckled Bush Cricket [3 Aug 2019] 
  • HPi81 Dark-edged Bee-fly (Bombylius major) [24 Mar 2020]
  • HPi82 *Rhyparochromus vulgaris Ground bug [2 April 2020] 
  • HPi83 *Tawny Mining Bee (Andrena (Andrena) fulva) [11 April 2020] 
  • HPi84 *Dolichovespula media [19 April 2020] 
  • HPi85 Mother Shipton moth [May 2020]
  • HPi86 Green Hairstreak [May 2020] 
  • HPi87 *Angle Shades moth [25 May 2020] 
  • HPi88 Green-veined White [Apr 2020]  
  • HPi89 Malachite beetle [June 2020]   
  • HPi90 Thick-legged Flower Beetle [June 2020]    
  • HPi91 Common Froghopper [12 June 2020]     
  • HPi92 Small Heath [13 June, 18 July 2020]    
  • HPi93 Stag Beetle (female) [13 June 2020]    
  • HPi94 Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius, m & f) [18 June 2020]    
  • 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]    
  • HPi99 Leaf-cutter bee (Megachile centuncularis)  [26 June 2020]   
  • 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] 
  • HPi104 Swallowtail moth [16 July 2020] 
  • HPi105 *Brown Argus (a first for the garden!) [18, 24 July 2020]
  • HPi106 *White-point moth (another first for the garden!) [18 July 2020]
  • HPi107 *Hairy-legged Mining Bee, aka Pantaloon bee (Dasypoda hirtipes) (a first for the garden!) [18 July 2020] 
  • HPi108 White Plume moth (and another first for the garden!) [25, 27 July 2020]
  • HPi109 *Southern Hawker (female, and another first for the garden!) [8 Sept 2020]
  • HPi110 Field Grasshoppers [Aug and Sept 2020]
  • HPi111 Purple Hairstreak (a first for the garden!) [3 Aug 2020] 
Molluscs
  • HPm1 Brown Lipped Snail (Cepaea (Cepaea) nemoralis) [May/June 2016] 2020
  • HPm2 Field Slug (Deroceras) [May/June 2016] 
Arachnids
  • HPa1 Zebra Spider [Apr/May 2015] [May/June 2015] [Mar/Apr 2016] [May 2018] 2020
  • HPa2 Garden Spider (Araneus diadematus) [May/June 2015] [27 April 2019]
  • 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
  • HPa7 Wasp spider [new! four, 5-9 Sept 2020]