Wasp Spider, Grasshoppers and Bush Crickets - Highstead 14/07/19

I  paid a visit to Highstead this afternoon to see what I could see. It was sunny when I left home but with rapidly building cloud and a breezy north easterly wind. A sunbathing Blackbird outside the house was enjoying the sunbath, so much so that he did not even move as I came past.

sunbathing Blackbird

As I arrived at Highstead the sun promptly went in and apart from some inceasingly brief intervals  stayed in until late in the visit when the cloud suddenly cleared. Overall it was very quiet for birds. A pair of Collared Doves were flying back and fore and House Sparrows and Goldfinches were in the bushes. Carrion Crows called as they flew past and Jackdaws were in the horse paddock. A small flock of 5 Linnet were moving through and Swallows hawked for insects above. A good mix of butterflies were on the wing with a single Painted Lady, good numbers of Gatekeepers, also Meadow Browns, Large and Small Whites, both Small and Essex Skippers, Peacocks and Red Admirals. The walk down was very quiet with no sign of any damselflies but the wind was proving to be pretty cool and with the cloud turning ever greyer it did not look hopeful. A Labyrinth Spider was outside a funnel web, giving good views, with another one inside the funnel. I could see the long spinnerets, a feature of these spiders.

Labyrinth Spider Agelena labyrinthica

Labyrinth Spider Agelena labyrinthica

As I came out from the small wooded area a Common Buzzard flew up from the tree and circled away. a couple of Wren scolded away. I came across my first Ruddy Darter of the year which was resting up out of the wind and a little further on another also gave good views. A fresh male Gatekeeper butterfly was also resting up nearby.

female Ruddy Darter

female Ruddy Darter

Gatekeeper Butterfly

A female Yellowhammer came down briefly onto the path and a male was over atop a bush. A Common Blue Damselfly was tucked out of the wind and was the only Common Blue I saw during the visit. A small  moth flew up from the vegetation and landed on the path briefly allowing a quick photo. I looked up from taking the photo to find a fox just a few feet from me but the movement of me looking up startled it and it shot away into the cover of the field. I would have loved a photo of it as it was so close and in tip top condition. I was so intent on the moth that I had not realised the fox had come down the path. Still, I felt lucky to have had such a close encounter, even if only brief.

Common Blue Damselfly

Agapeta hamana

 I saw several Roesel's Bush Crickets and Grasshoppers seemed to be everywhere. A Flesh Fly looked striking in the sunshine and as the light shone through a male Ruddy Darter's wings the effect was beautiful.

Flesh Fly Sarcophaga carnaria

male Ruddy Darter

I caught sight of a striking spider low down in the vegetation. I have wanted to see a Wasp Spider ever since I saw a photo of it in my book on spiders, as it looked a fascinating spider, and I could not believe my luck when I realised I was actually looking at one. She was beautiful and sitting in a large orb web with the stabilimentum - the zig zag band of silk showing well. Apparently they are widespread in the south east but it was the first time I have ever seen one. I would not normally say a spider made my day but this one definitely did.

Wasp Spider Argiope bruennichi

Wasp Spider Argiope bruennichi

Wasp Spider Argiope bruennichi

Wasp Spider Argiope bruennichi

 I started a slow wander back stopping regularly to look at the various countless Grasshoppers that were around. My Grasshopper identification skills are still very poor so I will need to look into exactly which this and many of the others that I saw are at a later date and update when I find out. Good numbers of Cinnibar Moth Caterpillars gave some very nice views.

Cinnibar Caterpillers

The cloud finally started to clear giving some welcome sunshine. Both a Green-veined White and a male Ruddy Darter sat enjoying the warmth.

Green-veined White

male Ruddy Darter

I did well for Bush Crickets seeing Roesel's, Dark and Speckled during the afternoon.

Roesel's Bush Cricket

Dark Bush Cricket

Speckled Bush Cricket

Various Grasshoppers were frequent throughout the walk back. The middle one has green combined with purple which makes a striking combination.

I saw a single Black-tailed Skimmer that landed on the path briefly before disappearing down between the wheat stems in the field. A single Blue-tailed and a single Azure Damselfly were a little further along. It will be worth trying again without the cool north easterly wind and a bit more sunshine.

Black-tailed Skimmer

Blue-tailed Damselfly

Azure Damselfly

I finished off with a couple of Thistle Ermine Moths. They are pretty moths.

Thistle Ermine Moth Myelosis circumvoluta

It had been good to be able to have a little time out after work and though the weather could have been better and it was very quiet for birds it had still been an interesting afternoon and I was well chuffed with having seen the Wasp Spider.


Birds seen this visit include: 4 Collared Doves, House Sparrows, 8 Goldfinches, Carrion Crows, Jackdaws, 6 Chaffinch, 20 Linnet, 11 Swallows, 6 Blackbird, 3 Dunnock, 2 Wren, 3 Whitethroat, 2 Jay, 3 Chiffchaff, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Yellowhammer, 3 Magpie, Wood Pigeon, 2 Stock Dove, 3 Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Song Thrush, Great Tits, Blue Tits, 1 Robin, Skylarks, 8 Sand Martin

Greenshank, Meds and Terns - Reculver 07/07/19

I headed down to Reculver after work. It was a sunny afternoon with some cloud and a cool east north easterly wind. The tide was in but was on the turn. A few Herring Gulls and Black-headed Gulls were out to sea while House Sparrows and Starlings were amongst the rocks by the car park and a female Pied Wagtail on the concrete apron below the towers. A Coromorant was fishing off shore and as it dived it fanned its tail wide as it disappeared under water.

Cormorant

Cormorant Diving

The sea wall was closed off as the Army Bomb Disposal team were there. While I was having a wander along the path at the back of the oyster farm they undertook a controlled explosion on the beach which resulted in 6 Little Egrets and 4 Grey Heron flying up from the oyster farm together with 5 Oystercatcher. What I think is a Common Field Grasshopper was playing hide and seek behind a grass stem. As I moved it swivelled round the stem to face me so I never got a view from the back. They are incredible looking insects when seen close up.

Common Field Grasshopper Chorthippus brunneus

Common Field Grasshopper Chorthippus brunneus

Skylarks were singing away and several Reed Warblers were in good voice. A couple of faded Painted Lady butterflies were along the path together with good numbers of Meadow Brown and Gatekeeper butterflies. The Meadow Brown had a tiny secondary white pupil.

Meadow Brown

Gatekeeper

Good numbers of Skipper butterflies were present all along the path, both Small and Essex and it was good to catch up with my first Essex Skippers of the year. While watching one a Common Red Soldier Beetle appeared from the other side of a leaf on which one was resting. I saw 3 Emperor Dragonflies, 1 on the oyster farm and the other two hawking for insects over one of the dykes but otherwise it was very quiet for dragonflies. There were small numbers of Blue-tailed Damselflies here and there.

Essex Skipper

Common Red Soldier Beetle Rhagonycha fulva

Black-headed Gulls were resting up on some posts and having a preen. The Grey Herons that had flown up from the oyster farm had settled in one of the fields and 3 of them were perfectly evenly spaced out.

Black-headed Gulls

Grey Herons

One of the Grey Herons from the field flew and headed for the oyster farm. As it approached 3 Little Egret flew up and seemed to take exception to it and shadowed it closely until it dropped down and landed, calling loudly as it did so.

Little Egrets and Grey Heron

I came down off the embankment and headed towards the sea wall. It was very quiet for birds. A Yellow Wagtail called from the field and a Sedge Warbler scolded as I passed. A female Marsh Harrier appeared over the top of the embankment and did an abrupt about turn as it saw me. I could hear Pheasant calling and there was a flurry of wings and 2 male Pheasant flew up from the field before heading in different directions. I couldn't manage much of a photo but was pleased to get it.

male Pheasants

When I reached the sea wall I sat and watched the sea for a while but overall it was very quiet with just a few Black-headed Gulls and Herring Gulls east and a couple of Great Black-backed Gulls out to sea. A Ringed Plover gave a good view of its underwings as it came into land.

Ringed Plover

Ringed Plover

I started to make my way back to Reculver and had 2 Little Egret fly past heading east while a couple of Linnet gave some very nice views.

Little Egret

male Linnet

Linnet

I had a scan over the oyster farm but as I turned back I could see 2 Mediterranean Gulls heading east. I only managed to get photos of them from the back as they had already passed me but I was pleased to be able to get anything at all.

Mediterranean Gulls

I dropped down onto the bottom path briefly and had a peep for insects but it was very quiet indeed and I only managed to see a couple of Small Skipper butterflies. I heard the distinctive call of Greenshank and had a couple high over the top of me and flying towards the oyster farm where they came down out of sight. I missed them as they came over as I lost my balance while trying for a photo of them but managed a couple of distant shots as they started to drop down towards the oyster farm. I love the sound of their call.

Greenshank

Greenshank

I came back up onto the sea wall and a little further along had 3 Stonechat, 2 youngsters and a male. Small numbers of Common Tern were heading east and one of the passing tern's bill glowed bright red as the light shown through it.

Common Tern

Common Tern

I also saw several Sandwich Tern flying east with a distant couple pausing to fish on the way.

Sandwich Tern

I had a couple of Great Black-backed Gulls and a few more tern east as I carried on to Reculver but otherwise the rest of the walk back remained very quiet. Time for bird watching has been few and far between recently so I felt lucky to have been able to have had some time out and hopefully it will not be too long before I can again. I finished the visit with a juvenile Black-headed Gull on the oyster farm buildings. After a little while it had a quick fly round to stretch its wings before settling back down again. I found it hard to keep in the frame as it flew but enjoyed trying.

juvenile Black-headed Gull

juvenile Black-headed Gull

juvenile Black-headed Gull

Birds seen this visit include: House Sparrows, Starlings, Wood Pigeons, Herring Gulls, Black-headed Gulls, 1 Pied Wagtail, Skylarks, 3 Meadow Pipit, 9 Reed Warbler, 3 Sedge Warbler, 5 Reed Bunting, Carrion Crows, 8 Little Egret, 4 Grey Heron, 7 Oystercatcher, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Mute Swan, 15 Sand Martin, 2 Swallow, 2 Magpie, 4 Pheasant, 5 Linnet, 4 Great Black-backed Gull, 7 Sandwich Tern, 6 Common Tern, 2 Ringed Plover, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 2 Greenshank, 3 Stonechat, 2 Whitethroat, 1 Redshank,