Bee-flies and more at Cranford Park

The warm weather meant a lot of Bee-flies were seen today

 

These sneaky little critters are about the size of a thumb nail - they have a long slender proboscis (tongue) that some people think is their stinger

 

With their furry brown bodies and patterned wings they are very attractive bee mimics

 

When feeding they often hover next to nectar rich flowers and rest two legs on the flower head whilst feeding with their elongated tongue

 

Female Bee-flies hover above ground nesting bee holes (eg Mining Bees) and flick their eggs into the holes - When the Bee-fly egg hatches the larva attaches itself to the Mining Bee grub and literall sucks it dry

 

 

I also done my usual UKBMS transect this morning (butterfly count and record)

 

I spotted 12 butterflies of 5 different species along the transect route

Brimstone x 3

Orange Tip x1

Peacock x 5

Comma x 2

Speckled Wood x 1

 

Not bad for a March count although the numbers would have probably been higher had I walked the transect in the warmer afternoon

 

Speckled Wood

Peacock

Along the river I had both Kingfishers whizz past and my first Blackcap of the year

 

I also heard a very much missed bird call - the female Kestrel was calling to her partner and although I could see her perched on one of the dead trees - I couldnt see him until they both flew off

 

The last time I heard that call last year it was just after the pair had mated so hopefully we'll some juveniles in July

 

record shot of Kestrel

Also seen was a lovely Nuthatch on the brick wall by the Information Centre - two Red Kites - one Common Buzzard

 

All over the park the air was full with calling birds but probably the most exciting for me was at least seven Green Woodpeckers calling from various sites - this proves to me that the Ring Necked Parakeets have NOT pushed this species of woodpecker out (some people say the parakeets take over all the available woodpecker nesting holes but I beg to differ and today certainly seemed to prove that)

 

 

Overdue visit to Cranford CP

With various things going on in my life over the last few months today was my first proper visit to Cranford Park this year

 

The sun was out - the sky was blue - and the birds were singing

A perfect early Spring day

 

I saw four species of butterfly today but only managed to photograph two

 

Brimstone (male)

Comma

 On my UKBMS butterfly walk I had a total of eight male Brimstones and three female Brimstones

And a nice fat count of ten Commas

There was also one Peacock and two male Orange-tip

 

The majority of the Commas were very fresh and new but there were a couple of scruffy ones like the one below

 

 

And this one posed with wings closed showing exactly why they are called Comma - note the white 'comma' mark on the lower wing

 

The Brimstone is one of the earliest butterflies to be seen in Spring

Males are bright yellow (almost sulphur) and females are much paler

Their foodplant is Buckthorn and Alder Buckthorn

Brimstones are long living butterflies that spend the winter months in hibernation

 

The Comma is also one of the first butterflies on the wing in Spring

Just like the Brimstone they can also hibernate though the winter months

 

Up by the Headland area of the park there were a pair of Common Buzzards soaring the thermals but I could only get one of them in the camera frame

 

 

In the Memorial Garden there was a Green Woodpecker looking for ants - not very good photos as it was a little far away

 

 

I had my first true hovefly sighting today (I've seen a few in the last couple of weeks but none have settled for id purposes)

 

Eristalis pertinax

 I was also pleasantly surprised to see my first Green Shield Bug of the year today - I dont normally see these until late April

 

I was at the park briefly on Friday too but without my camera - I saw one of he Kingfishers go under the M4 viaduct and a Little Egret was feeding up by the black iron bridge - there was also one of the Little Owls calling from the oaks but I couldnt see it

 

 

Overdue visit to London Wetland Centre

I popped over to the London Wetland Centre yesterday (7th Oct) for a short visit

 

The usual suspects were about

 

 

and I found quite a few critters including one shrub by the Peacock Tower that was covered in Harlequin Ladybirds in various states of development from larva to pupa to adult

 

 

 

There were also plenty of Common Green Shield Bugs out basking in the sun

 

 

 

There were lots of Hawkers inflight all over the reserve but I managed to find one fresh specimen that was perched nicely by the Wildside ponds - I think this is a Migrant Hawker

 

 

There were lost of Darters around too - they seemed to like settling on the warmth of the bridges

This is a Common Darter

 

 

The first bench as you walk into the Wildside area has always been a good place to spot Common Lizards - there is a hole in the side of the bench and this little beauty was obligingly curled up in it - as the sun warmed the bench so the little lizard popped out to get as much of the sun as possible

 

 

Only a short visit but still a good one

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kingfisher overload at Cranford Park

When I was last at the park earlier this week there were two very active Kingfishers going up and down the River Crane - but I was distracted by the Ivy Bees so didn't linger to see where the birds were going

 

Today I had a bit more time on my hands so went back to try and get a photograph or two of these beauiful little birds

 

I started off at the Iron Bridge and walked down towards the M4 so the sun was behind me - but it wasnt until I got near to the Stone Bridge that I could both hear and see the birds

 

Definitely two birds I told myself and happily watched them from the Stone Bridge trying to second guess where they were going to land

 

There were certainly favouring the stretch of river between the bridge and the M4 viaduct - I know from previous experience that they often perch on a grate by the viaduct so made my way there and thats when I realised there werent just two Kingfishers but actually FOUR !

 

I've always suspected they nest along the river after the viaduct where the banks are much higher and the woods are much more secluded and it looks as if Im right as all four birds often flew through the viaduct before re-emerging calling to each other

 

None of my photos were very good today - it was incredibly hard trying to photograph the birds without moving and spooking them so lots of pictures were taken through swaying branches or from hiding behind a tree trunk

 

And excuse the complete overload

 

Spot the Kingfisher