Red-eyes, Black-headed Mason Wasp and Hares - Chambers Wall to Shuart 05/06/21

With the weather showing a marked improvement from this morning I thought I would try a second visit today and this time headed to Chambers Wall to see what damselflies I could catch up with. It was rapidly becoming much warmer as the periods of unbroken sunshine became longer. Several Harlequin Ladybirds were on the nettles and the distinctive keel on the elytra were showing well in the strong light.

Harlequin Ladybird

Harlequin Ladybird

Good numbers of Red-eyed Damselflies were on the wing with many of them conjoined or in tandem. They are beautiful damselflies, particularly when the light makes the red of their eyes into glowing jewels.

Conjoined Red-eyed Damselflies

Conjoined Red-eyed Damselflies

A fish was resting up in the shallows of the river and though its head was mostly under cover I think from the patterning on its body and position of fins that it is a young Pike.

Pike

The females, to oviposit on submerged stems, were going right under the water and then staying there for prolonged periods of time. Only the tips of there wings were above water and sometimes not even that.

female fully submerged while ovipositing

female fully submerged while ovipositing

It was great to be able to spend an extended period of time just enjoying the beauty of these damselflies and gave lots to look up when I got home, such as how the female manages to breath while submerged. Many of the males were showing a pale blue pruinescence as the light caught their abdomens.

male showing blue pruinescence

male showing blue pruinescence

A females eyes and face glowed yellow from the reflected colour from the Fringe Lily on which she was perched.

Azure, Variable Damselflies and smaller numbers of Blue-tailed Damselflies were also present. It was time to be moving on but just before I left, a beetle that had been moving from Fringe Lily pad to lily pad decided to use the damselflies as a bridge, half submerging the male as it did so.

I headed for the railway embankment and decided to see what I might catch up with along that rather than walk down to Coldharbour particularly as the sea wall appeared to be very busy. Heading towards Shuart it was nice to see the Foxglove was out in flower.

Foxglove

Foxglove

Small numbers of Azure, Variable and Blue-tailed Damselflies were resting up amongst the grasses with more on the wing. A smart Red Admiral Butterfly was one of several along the path.

Red Admiral Butterfly

A Gooden's Nomad Bee Nomada goodeniana was busy amongst the Buttercup flowers .

Gooden's Nomad Bee Nomada Goodeniana

A little further on I came across an insect that I did not recognise but was striking with its white bands. I looked it up when I got home and I think that it is a Black-headed Mason Wasp Odynerus melanocephalus. It was a joy to watch but extremely active. It had several projections on the mid femora but I do not think that it is a Spiny-legged Mason Wasp because of the white rather than yellow bands and apparently both have the projections. Also the S2 band is broadened at the sides which also suggests Black-headed.

Black-headed Mason Wasp Odynerus melanocephalus

Black-headed Mason Wasp Odynerus melanocephalus

Black-headed Mason Wasp Odynerus melanocephalus

Black-headed Mason Wasp Odynerus melanocephalus

A Common Carpet Moth fluttered up from the vegetation on the path and flew for cover but could just about be seen by peeping through the grasses.

Common Carpet Moth

A flash of orange caught my eye and I was treated to views of my first Small Copper Butterfly of the year. Though it was quite worn and missing several chunks from its wings it was still a little beauty.

Small Copper

Small Copper

A Small White Butterfly was feeding on the Sainfoin while a Small Heath Butterfly was resting up, the orange shining out amongst the surrounding greens.

Small Heath Butterfly

I was watching a Variable Damselfly when a Goldfinch flew down to check me out before returning to the top of the bush and recommencing his song.

Variable Damselfly

Goldfinch

As I crossed the railway line and started my way to Shuart Reed and Sedge Warbler as well as Reed Bunting song and calls filled the air. Three Tufted Duck flew up from one of the dykes and wheeled round before going down on another dyke.

Tufted Duck

Variable and Azure Damselflies were plentiful as I made my way along the track and a small moth that had fluttered up from the path settled amongst the grass stems. At the moment I haven't been able to identify it and will have to come back to it when I can.

It had been an enjoyable afternoon and on reaching Shuart I finished with a wander up to the top of the bridleway. A couple of Ring-necked Parakeet flew over calling loudly and two Red-legged Partridge stood out in the sprouting Sweetcorn field.

Ring-necked Parakeet

Red-legged Partridge

A pair of Hare were also in the Sweetcorn field, right on the far side. One suddenly sprinted across the field and moved closer, the other following shortly. The speed they run is incredible to watch as they covered a large amount of ground in a very short space of time. It was nice to be able to see them a little closer and after a little while I was lucky enough for them to run my way as they headed towards the next field. 

Hares

Hares

Hare

Hare

Hare

They brought an enjoyable and relaxing visit to a close.

Wall Brown, Juvenile Med Gull and ringed Golden Plover - Reculver 21/07/19

I headed to Reculver after work and thought I would have a round trip via the path along the back of the oyster farm, as the sea wall was so busy, and return via the sea wall once it was quieter. It was sunny and warm with building cloud and a south south westerly breeze. 4 Pied Wagtail were around the tower area and as I came down to the bottom path I could see a Wall Brown butterfly. It had a duel with another Wall Brown before settling long enough to allow a photo. They are beautiful butterflies. I was also lucky enough to see the Hummingbird Hawkmoth again in the same area I had seen it last time. A Blackbird was enjoying some berries, but I am not sure what they are. Lots of Gatekeepers were on the wing.

Wall Brown Butterfly

Hummingbird Hawkmoth

Blackbird

I had a look out to sea but it was very quiet with just a few Black-headed Gulls and Herring Gulls on the water. 24 Swallow and 5 Sand Martin were swooping round. A female House Sparrow on the pumping station fence watched a fly as it flew above it and I thought it was going to try for it but it just watched it and then moved on.

House Sparrow watching fly

Some of the Swallows and Sand Martins were coming down to the water at the pumping station to drink. I did not manage to be quick enough or good enough to get much of a photo but I liked the reflection in this one even if the photo is pretty poor.

Swallow drinking

A Common Carpet Moth was sheltering amongst the grass stems and as I moved forward a Marbled White butterfly that had been doing the same thing flew up and after perching briefly moved on. I saw 3 Marbled White Butterflies as I walked along.

Common Carpet Moth

Marbled White Butterfly

3 Little Egrets were on one of the oyster farm lagoons and 15 Black-headed Gulls were roosting on the the roof of one of the buildings. A Redshank was working its way along a muddy margin. 2 Adult Mute Swan were swimming along the dyke but I could not see any cygnets. A Little Egret flew up from the lagoon and landed in one of the small trees giving good views.

Little Egret

A Mute Swan was at the beginning of the next dyke and had 2 cygnets with it. A Grey Heron  roosting in one of the fields attracted the attention of a couple of Carrion Crows but it managed to just ignore them and after a few desultory passes they moved on. A couple of mating Picture-winged Flies caught my eye.

Mute Swan and cygnet

Picture-winged Fly

The rest of the walk to the sea wall remained fairly quiet. A Kestrel was hunting over one of the fields and the odd Sedge and Reed Warbler were here and there. An Emperor Dragonfly was on the wing. 2 Little Ringed Plover flew over calling. Even though they were quite high and it is not the best of photos, the lack of a wingbar can be seen clearly.

Little Ringed Plovers

The Starling numbers appeared to have increased with c160 over the sea wall and feeding on the shore. Linnet numbers had also increased with 98 coming in to roost.

Starlings

A juvenile Mediterranean Gull was on the shore and gave some good views and was a beautifully marked bird..

juvenile Mediterranean Gull

juvenile Mediterranean Gull

A colour ringed Golden Plover in full summer plumage was on the shore and was a gorgeous bird. Chris Hindle had seen it earlier in the day but I hadn't expected it to still be present so it was a very nice surprise to be able to catch up with it. It actively looked for food for most of the time that I was watching it. What an absolutely gorgeous bird and a definite highlight of the visit.

colour ringed Golden Plover

colour ringed Golden Plover

colour ringed Golden Plover

colour ringed Golden Plover

I couldn't tell if one of the rings was dark blue or black, the others being yellow, red and white with the dark blue/black coming between the red and the white and appearing to be a little smaller.

close up of colour rings

A little further on a Green Sandpiper was on the oyster farm and 2 Kestrel were busily hunting.

Green Sandpiper

I could see 9 Mallard in the air over the fields at the back of the oyster farm. A couple of Redshank flew up and headed over to the sea and a pair of Oystercatchers were calling noisily as they flew over. A Whitethroat popped up and peeped at me giving some nice views and making a good end to the visit..

Whitethroat

Whitethroat

Birds seen this visit include: 4 Pied Wagtail, 2 Blackbird, Wood Pigeons, House Sparrows, 32 Swallow, 8 Sand Martin, Carrion Crows, 5 Sedge Warbler, 6 Little Egret, 4 Mute Swan and 2 cygnets, 2 Redshank, 98 Linnet, Grey Heron, 7 Reed Bunting, 3 Reed Warbler, 1 Kestrel, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Stonechat, 2 Pheasant, 2 Whitethroat, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Green Sandpiper, 5 Oystercatcher, 9 Meadow Pipit, 3 Mediterranean Gull, 9 Mallard, 1 Yellow Wagtail