Butterflies, damselflies and demoiselles at Cranford CP

On this glorious warm day I was at Cranford CP to complete the UKBMS butterfly transect across the park. I felt at the time that there were not that many butterflies on the wing, and as I have to follow a set route each transect I decided to compare todays numbers to the past few years. 

I first started undertaking the UKBMS transect at Cranford CP in August 2016, so no records for June of that year, but below are the numbers for the nearest dates in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 ....

11/06/2017

average temp: 21c

wind speed: low

sunshine: 100%

Large Skipper x 3

Green-veined White x 2

Red Admiral x 4

Small Tortoiseshell x 1

Comma x 2

Speckled Wood x 11

Meadow Brown x 10

Total 7 species

06/06/2018

average temp: 20c

wind speed: low-med

sunshine: 100%

Large Skipper x 2

Large White x 1

Small Copper x 1

Common Blue x 6

Holly Blue x 3

Red Admiral x 1

Comma x 2

Speckled Wood x 9

Meadow Brown x 7

Small Heath x 7

Total 10 species

29/05/2019

average temp: 21c

wind speed: med

sunshine: 90%

Green-veined White x 1

Orange-tip x 1

Common Blue x 5

Holly Blue x 1

Speckled Wood x 4

Total 5 species

13/06/2020

average temp: 21c

wind speed: low-med

sunshine: 100%

Small Skipper x 1

Large White x 7

Small White x 1

Comma x 8

Speckled Wood x 2

Meadow Brown x 11

Small Heath x 5

Total 7 species

03/06/2021

average temp: 21c

wind speed: low

sunshine: 80%

Brimstone x 1

Large White x 1

Brown Argus x 1

Holly Blue x 1

Red Admiral x 1

Speckled Wood x 4

Small Heath x 1

Total 7 species

So today was pretty average in terms of species seen, but numbers are fairly low compared to previous years. I can only hazard a guess that this years mild March, cold April and wet May have not been good for our butterflies. Hopefully numbers will bounce back as the season goes on. 

Brimstone

Red Admiral

I always finish my transect at the stone bridge and walk up to the wildlife pond to tally up my figures. Whilst sitting there today I noticed very good numbers of one of the earliest damselflies to emerge, the dainty Large Red, and couldn't resist taking loads of photos from my great vantage point (the tree stump by the end of the pond) 

But my 'sight of the day' were the sheer numbers of the characteristic Banded Demoiselles. Both males and females were in great numbers not only along the River Crane but also in the nettle patches, and along the row of immature oaks that run along side the grass paths from the cattle paddock down to the iron bridge. The males were so intent on displaying to the females that I was often able to get quite close for some of my photos. 

According to one of my favourite ID books 'Britain's Dragonflies' by Dave Smallshire and Andy Swash, the 'males are territorial but large numbers can be found among lush bankside herbage and on floating plants. They court females by flicking their wings open and performing an aerial dance in front of them. Like many damselflies, females stay away from water unless looking for a mate or egg-laying. The adults make use of luxuriant vegetation like nettle beds and tall emergent grasses'

They really have to my favourite of all the dragonflies. The colours are so intense and bright that in Ireland they are often known as the Banded Jewelwing, and that name could not be more fitting. Be prepared for a complete photo overload of these stunning little damsels.....

male

female

Whilst sitting by the wildlife pond I noticed a lot of the resident Honeybees were taking advantage of the submerged log, to have a safe drink ... 

A very fitting end to a very pleasant day. 

 

I'm still around.....

I am still around, just have not been as active as I usually am ......

Everything is ok but after a number of invasive medical tests since March, I've been diagnosed with a condition called Hydronephrosis. It basically means a kidney blockage. In some people that might be a kidney stone, scar tissue or even the dreaded big C, but in my case I have a sac hanging off my ureter and right kidney which needs some more investigating. I've got a couple more procedures to get through, then hopefully my consultant will decide on the best treatment. 

However it has meant I have not been out and about as much as I would have liked. Today was my first complete day with no medication, pain killers or antibiotics for nearly two weeks, and so I ventured out not too far from my Lockdown Loftroom to the nearby church where many of my relatives are laid to rest, St Marys in Harefield. 

It was so lovely to be out and about with my camera, even if it was only for a couple of hours. 

I saw plenty of my favourite critter, the dinosaur like Dock Bug .... 

They weren't the only ones feeling frisky in the warm temperatures, these Soldier Beetles below were also busy making the next generation ... 

As many of you know, butterflies are my real passion but I only spotted three species today. Could this be because of the cold April and wet May that we've had this year ? When I next do my UKBMS Butterfly Transect at Cranford Park, I will compare the figures to previous years. 

Today I saw a very fresh Peacock ... 

a rather battered Peacock .... 

and a couple of very new Small Heaths ...

including the one below that seemed just as interested in me as I was in him/her ...

but it was the delicate, small Brown Argus that really made my afternoon. At least four of these little beauties in the long grasses by St Marys churchyard ....

One of their predators is this well disguised Crab Spider hiding in a buttercup flower. They have the ability to slightly change their colour allowing them to merge more in to the background ...

I havent seen any dragonflies this season yet, but I did spot this Common Blue damselfly ...

and every nettle patch had at least one 7-spot Ladybird ... 

Early last month, I was lucky enough to watch some fox cubs playing in the field behind my Mums house. I only managed to grab a few photos at the time, and sadly I havent seen them since ....

 

Whilst I was confided to the Lockdown Loftroom I made these little Fairy houses from log slices, clay, moss, pebbles, grit, various containers like pill bottles, herb pots and even an empty KFC gravy container. Very theraputic and a lot of fun ...

I'm planning on making some more of these, my project for rainy days, but it was really nice to be out and about this afternoon enjoying the warm weather and the feel of my old faithful camera in my hand. 

Back on the patch at Cranford CP with the bluebells and butterflies

 It is butterfly season again and I undertook my first UKBMS transect of the year on 30th March. As to be expected at that time of year, there were not too many butterflies on the wing but I did count nine butterflies of two different species. 

Brimstone x 6

Peacock x 3

Yesterday, the 23rd April the count was higher with a total of 15 butterflies of six species....

Brimstone x 3

Large White x 1

Orange Tip x 6 (all males)

Holly Blue x 1

Peacock x 3

Comma x 1

Peacock butterfly

Brimstone - female

I was also at the park yesterday to meet up with Bob Barton, the Cranford Park Friends secretary, Susan Dalloe, the Borough Curator for the London Borough of Hillingdon, and the incredibly talented camera-man and sound-man, Tom. 

Susan and Tom are putting together a short video about springtime at Cranford Park, and I was more than happy to help by writing a short dictation and pointing out the best places to see the parks wildlife and spring flowers, including the good display of bluebells currently blooming in the ancient woods. 

Whilst we were looking at the river, this delightful Grey Wagtail flew in and posed perfectly for Tom and myself ....

and we watched a Grey Heron fishing near the stone bridge...

We also had a great flyover view from our resident male Kestrel, and watched one of the Common Buzzards soaring over the woods. 

The woods were full of bird song, including many Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs, Robins, Blackbirds, Song Thrushes and Goldcrests.

The bluebell display will probably be at it's peak in about a weeks time, but there were still plenty to see yesterday ... 

The rarer pure white 'bluebell'

Large White butterfly nectaring on bluebells

The fine weather also bought out numerous Bee-flies. These ones are called the Dark-edged Bee-fly and are the largest in the Bombylius family...

They look similar to a bumblebee with a long straight proboscis that it uses to feed on spring flowers like primroses, violets and lesser celandine. They have yellowy brown hair on their body and dark markings on the edges of the wings. The larvae of this bee-fly feed on the grubs of ground nesting and solitary bees. The female bee-flies actually hover near a solitary bee nest hole, and flick her eggs in to the hole so they land in the right place to start feeding as soon as they have hatched. They are completely harmless even if they do 'buzz' a bit. 

Later in the day I found a pair of Mistle Thrush feeding in the orchard, a possible Common Buzzard nest deep in the woods and another Grey Wagtail at the other end of the River Crane. 

Sadly I did not hear or see any Skylarks, which really is not good news. Cranford Park used to have a thriving population of these stunning ground nesting birds along with another ground nesting bird, the Meadow Pipit. But yesterday there was no sign of either species. 

Apart from that it was a lovely day to wander around the park, and it was great to show Bob, Susan and Tom some of my favourite places within the park and I'm really looking forward to seeing the video.