New beginnings at Cranford Park

The forecast this morning was good for my weekly UKBMS butterfly transect but the wind was a little chilly so not many butterflies were on the wing

 

During the 75 minute walk I counted only 12 butterflies of 5 species

 

Green-veined White x 1

Orange Tip x 1

Common Blue x 5 (first of the season)

Holly Blue x 1

Speckled Wood x 4

 

Common Blue - female

The wildlife pond in front of the Information Centre has attracted three species of odonata

 

 

Large Red Damselfly

 

Common Blue Damselfly

Broad-bodied Chaser

That's not bad for a wildlife pond that is now in its second year plus a recent survey showed there were Common Newts there too

 

Nearly every buttercup contained a male Thick-legged Flower Beetle - only the males have the wonderful thunder thighs

 

 

There are quite a few young fledglings in the park now - I saw young Robins - Blue Tits - Great Tits and this juvenile Goldfinch

 

 

But the high light of my visit was accidentally finding a Nuthatch nest

 

I was taking photos near one of the apple trees when an alarm call made me look up

 

Looking down at me was a Nuthatch - I don't often see these in the park so I took a couple of pics and felt quite chuffed

When the bird didn't move I realised it was me it was alarm calling at and after looking around carefully I found I was standing right next to the birds nest hole

 

 

There was a tiny nestling Nuthatch peering out at me

 

Moving well out of the way I then spent a fantastic hour watching the adults bringing food to the nest

 

 

This is the first time I have ever seen a Nuthatch feeding young so it really has made my day

 

It will be interesting to see how big they have got on my next visit

 

 

 

 

May visit to Maple Lodge NR

Yesterday I went to Maple Lodge NR for a very overdue visit

 

The weather was fairly kind for the morning but by the afternoon it was very overcast

 

From the Teal Hide there was a pair of Canada Geese with four goslings

 

 

From the Clubhouse Hide there were two pairs of Stock Doves

 

and the resident Great Spotted Woodpecker

 

By the Shell Hide there was a flock of recently fledged Long-tailed Tits

 

and a very neat looking Gadwall

 

I enjoy this time of year when a lot of the critters are out and about

 

I found two species of hoverfly

 

Syrphus sp

Xanthogramma pedissequum

 and lots and lots of hoverfly larvae

 

 

There were Cardinal Beetles everywhere

 

 

and this tiny Froghopper

 

Red and Black Froghopper

 I think the beetle below is a type of Rove Beetle

Rove beetle ?

 

Soldier Beetle

As to be expected at this time of year there were plenty of ladybirds

 

7-spot Ladybird

Harlequin Ladybird

ladybird eggs

 There were plenty of other critters out and about

 

Dock Bug

 

Hairy Shield Bug

Damselfly season is now upon us - I had my first Large Red at Cranford CP last week and my first Common Blue at Maple Lodge NR yesterday

 

female Common Blue

But my favourite find yesterday (thanks to Chris) was this stunning female Banded Demoiselle

 

 

There were plenty of Scorpion Flies around too including this male with his bulbous tail

 

 

and several Nettle Tap micro moths

 

 

All in all a very enjoyable if overdue visit

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ladybird love-fest and other critters at Cranford Park

It was a Ladybird Love-fest at Cranford Park this morning

 

Every scrubby patch had at least one pair of Harlequins mating

 

 

And there were a few tiny 14-spot Ladybirds about as well

These are really really small and easily over looked

Harlequin

As to be expected in the sunshine the Dock Bugs were out in force as well

 

 

I had my first Large Red Damselflies of the season today - a welcome sign that early summer is on its way

 

 

I also found my first Wasp Beetle of the year

These beetles are completely harmless and by imitating a wasp it is merely protecting itself

 

 

Up by Cranford Lane there has always been a large spread of Greater Stitchwort along one of the paths - today it was looking particularly resplendent

 

I started my butterfly survey (UKBMS transect) at 1115 and finished by the stone bridge 90 minutes later - it was fairly disappointing count considering it was mild and sunny but maybe the breeze was a little too cool

 

I counted 19 butterflies of eight different species

 

Large White x 1

Small White x 1

Orange Tip x 1

Small Copper x 3 (first of the year)

Common Blue x 1 (first of the year)

Holly Blue x 9

Speckled Wood x 1

Small Heath x 2 (first of the year)

 

 

Speckled Wood

Large White

Small Copper

 It was the Small Heath that got me most excited - this tiny butterfly is in national decline and is under the watchful eye of the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UKBAP)

 

UKBAP has identified 24 species of butterfly that count as 'priority' and the Small Heath is one of them

 

Loss of habitat is mainly to blame for the decline but some pockets of Small Heaths can turn up on motorway grass verges and even coastal dunes

 

Small Heath

Small Heath

 Part of the butterfly route (transect) takes me past an old dead tree by the River Crane - this is the same tree where a few weeks ago I saw and heard a pair of Kestrels mating - and there at the top was the male Kestrel

 

 

Further down the river there was a juvenile Heron which was surprisingly not bothered about me taking photos

 

Another critter-filled visit to Cranford Park