Yesterday (Friday) I went for a brief stroll around Cranford Park. It was sticky and humid, overcast and threatening to rain for most of the day. There wasn't much in the way of bird-life to see, though plenty could be heard.
Back in late May a tree had come down across one of the main paths in Cranford Woods. I had spent quite a bit of time sitting on the fallen tree and realised it was a great place to listen to the birds around me. I emailed Alison Shipley about the fallen tree, and during our email conversations she said she would arrange for the tree to be cut up but the logs left at the side of the path, not just for the wildlife to make their own, but also so I could continue to sit there.
The local Park Officers went one better, and made me a proper seating area complete with foot rest, which I was chuffed to bits with and named it 'Wendy's Perch'......
But sadly when I went there Friday morning I was dismayed to see 'Wendy's Perch' has been cut up......
The foot rest is still there but my comfortable seat has been sliced up !!
Pfffffffft !
Luckily I have my second favourite area, the wood circle, so retreated there and watched the Stock Doves....
The pair of resident Magpies also joined me for some cheese...
and a Buzzard went over low...
Although it was warm, the sun didn't really show itself, so spotting any butterflies was quite hard work. I did find the two below though....
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| Holly Blue |
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| my first Cranford Park Small Heath of the year |
However it was a good day for critters. There were loads of Scorpion Flies around on the brambles and nettles. All of my photos below are of male ones, but I did spot a few females too. The males have the bulbous red tail end, whereas the females 'bottom' isn't bulbous but is still red.
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| Panorpa communis - male Scorpion Fly |
My favourite little beetles, the Thick-legged Flower Beetle were very abundant. Instead of just seeing lots of males as I have been, there were good numbers of females around too...
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| Ischnomera cyanea - Thick-legged Flower Beetle (male) |
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| Ischnomera cyanea - Thick-legged Flower Beetle (female) |
It was also a good day for seeing the 7 Spot Ladybird...
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| Coccinella septempunctata - 7 Spot Ladybird |
The one below was in prime position for a feast of aphids...
Another beetle I can watch for ages is the Sailor Beetle. They are bigger than the Flower Beetles, and much quicker when moving. When they fly they are often mistaken for Ladybirds....
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| Cantharis rustica - Sailor Beetle |
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| Cantharis rustica - Sailor Beetle |
The jury is out for an identification for this critter below..... |
| possible sawfly sp. |
It was also a good day for bumblebees and hover flies...... |
| Bombus lapidarius - Red-tailed Bumblebee |
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| Bombus lucorum - White-tailed Bumblebee |
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| Chrysotoxum bicinctum - Hoverfly sp. |
Like the butterflies, the damselflies and dragonflies were also hidden. I spotted a huge dragonfly at one point, but it didn't land so I couldn't get a proper identification. There were also some Banded Demoiselle damselflies by the river, but again it wasn't the right weather for them to settle so I couldn't get a photo.
Bird-wise, the Skylarks and Meadow Pipits were heard in their usual area, and I heard a Hobby alarm calling at one point but couldn't pinpoint it's location. The Kestrels were also vocal, usually the female calling to the male when a food pass was being made.
Still no sign of the Little Owls or their young yet, but looking back over my blog records it is still quite early. In 2013 the first sighting was on the 28th June and in 2014 the first sighting was on the 30th June. At other sites I visit, adult Little Owls are generally visible all year round but for some reason at Cranford Park they are only seen when the owlets have fledged.
The park was fairly quiet on Friday but I did bump into one of the Cranford Friends regulars, Edwina, and her two dogs, Dotty and Chalky. It's always nice to put a face to a name.
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| Dotty |
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| Chalky |
and while we were chatting a Red Kite flew over.....
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