Four nice suprises at Cranford Park today

I was off work today and took the opportunity to have a short wander around Cranford Park. I am still waiting to see any signs of bird migration. In parks all around the area Spotted Flycatchers, Stonechats, Whinchats and Wheatears are being spotted. At Cranford Park ? A big fat zero. Not even a Spotted Flycatcher by the river, which is usually a normal sighting for me in spring and autumn. The only birds I saw during my short visit was a Kestrel, Common Buzzard, Red Kite, three Blackcaps, four Common Whitethroats and the usual large mixed flock of Tits and Goldcrests. No migrating birds at all (although the Common Whitethroats will eventually leave the Headland area and fly back to Africa)

 

The Stinkhorn fungi that I found on the 3rd Sept (photo below).....

 

......now looks like this.......

 

It looks as if it has been kicked over rather than gone over as nature intended.

However surprise number one was finding a very very immature one just a couple of feet away.

In fact it is so immature that it's still in its 'egg' stage......

 

 

and to give an indicator of size, it really is like a standard chicken egg that looks partially buried.....

 

A nice first for me.

 

Surprise number two was finding TWO more Wasp Spiders to add to the two that I found on Sunday......

Sadly again both were facing outwards which meant I couldn't get photos of their colourful abdomens. All four were in the same area and add weight to my suggestion on Sunday that there are probably loads at Cranford Park hidden in the long grasses....

 

 

There were a few butterflies around today but I wont be doing the UKBMS transect until the weekend.

 

Comma

Speckled Wood

 

Surprise number three was finding a Small Copper with an aberration. In this case the Small Copper below has blue spots on the lower wing. This is known as a 'form' called caeruleo-punctata and although not particularly rare, it is unusual.

 



 

 

This is the first time I've seen this form and I will be closely checking any other Small Coppers that I find. For more about aberrations and forms in Small Coppers please take a look at this article on the UK Butterflies website.

 

The cloudy weather didn't deter most critters. There were plenty of Green Shield Bugs around in various instars (stages of life)...

 

 

and even more Dock Bugs.....

 

I found a nice Leaf Beetle.....

 

 

and partook in my favourite pastime of hoverating......all ids under the photos...

 

Myathropa florea

Episyrphus balteatus

Chrysotoxum bicinctum

 Which brings me to my fourth nice surprise of my visit. Not one, but two hovers of a new species for me. The very handsome Xanthogramma pedissequum......

 

 

 

I had hoped to find Ivy Bees today but although a lot of the ivy at Cranford Park have flower buds, only a few are actually in flower. Hopefully I'll have more luck on my next visit.

 

There were more signs of autumn as I was leaving the park.

The hops that grow wild over the fenced off cellar are in full 'fruit'....

 

 

and the large acer species behind the stable block by the M4 underpass has started to get it's wonderfully coloured autumnal leaves.....

 

Not a bad three hour visit at all.