First butterfly transect of 2017 at Cranford Park and a new patch tick

Only a short visit to Cranford Park today to complete the first butterfly transect of the year.

Not only were there some butterflies out in the fine sunny weather, but plenty of Ladybirds and other critters too.

 

The three above are all 7-spot ladybirds, but I also found one tiny Pine ladybird next to the monster Harlequin ladybird for size comparison.....

 



 

It's also the first Pine Ladybird I have ever found at Cranford Park so I'm pretty chuffed that I stopped to take a closer look.

 

The fine weather had also bought out my first hoverflies of the year. The one below is one of the Syrphus family....

 

 

The park was full of Lesser Celandine.....

 

 

and there was plenty of Alkanet and violets in flower too.

 

 I found my first Bee fly of the year too.....one of my favourite critters

 

They are, for me, an indicator that spring really is here.

 

Sadly along the transect route I came across a dead shrew....

 

I don't see many of these, and I'd rather see them alive.

 

But back to the butterfly transect.

 On a walk that took 70 minutes I found seven butterflies / four species:-

 

Comma (4)

Brimstone (1)

Peacock (1)

Red Admiral (1)

Comma

Red Admiral

Peacock

All of my sightings are submitted to the UKBMS (United Kingdom Butterfly Monitoring Scheme).

 

Two firsts for the year at Cranford Park

When Storm Doris hit last week I was in north Wales so today was the first chance I had to see what damage it had done to Cranford Woods.

It wasn't as bad as I had feared although a few trees are down, and several lost branches......

 

 

The bluebells are starting to really come up now....

 

 

It's looking to be another really good year for them.

 

Other wild flowers are emerging too, like the lovely Sweet Violet....

 

and the Anemone....

 

and still more Snowdrops are showing in the church yard.....

 

I found my first Ladybird of the year on one of them. A fresh looking 7-spot.....

 

 

and in the Headland area I found my first butterfly of the year, a rather worn looking Red Admiral...

 

Something else I saw today which really pleased me, were the signs that finally the Information Centre is being refurbished after the arson attack nearly three years ago......

 

 

In the Memorial Garden (the grassy area between the back of the church yard and the river) several brand new bird nest boxes have been put up......

 

 

It's the first time I've seen them in this area, and I'll be interested to see if they are occupied this season.

 

As always there were plenty of Parakeets to be seen today, including this one who looked down on me in disdain....

 

The air was full of bird song, with Robins probably being the most heard and the loudest. At this time of year the birds are calling territorially or to attract a mate......

 

Long-tailed Tits are also pairing up now after spending the winter months flying around in family groups. In the Memorial Garden copse there were a pair flitting around together pecking at the branches.....

 

The flowering crocus were still attracting the Honeybees......

 

 

and all three wild hives were still active today.

 

The previous days rain meant the ground was still very soft and it was easy to pick out Muntjac deer tracks in the mud......

 

and lastly, but by no means least, I spent a good few minutes watching our Martyn playing with Maureen's dog Perry........