76 Year Ticks

Date: 07/07/2016

Location: 
Al-sorted Bugs and Patch - Newton St Loe

Weather: Mostly Cloudy but warm.

Other Species: 

Green Woodpecker, Buzzard, Raven, Yellowhammer, Whitethroat, Swift, House Martin, Barn Swallow, Chiffchaff, Skylark, Goldcrest, Kingfisher, Stock Dove, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Spotted Flycatcher - 40 Species

Butterflies: 

Comma, Small White, Large White, Large Skipper, Small Skipper, Meadow Brown, Marbled White, Ringlet

Observation: 

Did the normal rounds of Bannerdown for butterflies but very little there few Marbled Whites and Meadow Browns, then Browns Folly @ Bathford but also not much about.

On getting home checked my pond out and had a Broad Bodied Chaser 

female buzzing about the males were a week earlier? 

Check that wing structure out! 

Amazing!

Also a few Common Darters also female. 

This one really small but notice white lines on legs .Common darters very similar to Ruddy Darter but white line say Common Darter.

That was earlier in week it's now Thursday and a Patch walk is in order!

As usual out through Bath Mill and the Grey Wagtail family present with this juvenile posing nicely. I think that's 2 little ones this year.

Up on to fields and fewer Whitethroats about but Yellowhammer seem to be everywhere doing the

 " Little bit of bread and no cheese! " call, sort of.

Apart from a fly over A400M Plane and 2 Ravens very little else until village. Barn Swallows numbers good this year with at least 50 Juveniles seen with House Martins also doing well. Seems quiet today grey clouds but still warm. At Lakes saw Kingfisher on Lower Lake, Top Lake normal stuff Mallard, Mute Swan with 7 Cygnets still, Jackdaw seem to be absent from lakes, none! Carried on up through Dog Kennel Wood by Sports Field towards ponds and saw a Spotted Flycatcher!! 

Excellent year total now 76 not a new tick as seen 2010/2014 but where I saw it makes sense as in 1970's as in report they were nesting there so possibly still nesting will check again soon.

On the small ponds a few dragons around with Four Spotted Chasers, Common Darters and Emperor Dragonflies.

Also a lonely looking Stock Dove perched looking towards Stanton Prior.

Headed back a slightly different way today, through Stanton Prior and back across fields through Wooden House Convert Woodland then returned back the way I'd come but saw this crop?

Turns out it's Flax or Linseed, looked amazing very pretty.

Nothing new or old seen on rest of walk, back at Village a group of 25 Starlings were perched up, a few Juveniles mixed up too. Then returned home, 7.5 miles just mapped it didn't seem that long, O well a lovely walk all the same.

Thanks For Looking !

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