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

Young Swallows - Marshside 21/06/19

I had a short window for some bird watching so headed to Marshside to see what I could see from the road. A singing Reed Warbler and a Whitethroat greeted me on arrival. A young Swallow was sitting on the wires waiting to be fed and I left him in peace so as to not disturb the parents when they came back.

young Swallow

Overall it appeared to be very quiet for birds. I could hear a Blue Tit family moving through the hedgerow and a couple of Reed Warblers were busy collecting food. A Ring-necked Parakeet called and Song Thrush, Blackcap and Wren were all singing away. A few Azure and Blue-tailed Damselflies were dotted around. I saw 3 Meadow Brown Butterflies but they were decidedly camera shy and I never did manage to get a good shot of one.

Meadow Brown Butterfly

Both Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Green Woodpecker called and a Chiffchaff was chiff chaffing away. A couple of Red Admiral Butterflies and a Speckled Wood were on the wing. A little further on I caught sight of a Banded Demoiselle but unfortunately it kept going without stopping. I love watching them, they are beautiful damselflies. A female Cranefly Tipula lunata was resting up allowing some good views.

female Cranefly Tipula lunata

A Cuckoo was calling frequently but I did not hear a female answer today. A Common Buzzard was spiralling above and Swifts were hawking for insects high above me. I disturbed a small moth that flew a short distance before settling down again. I think that it was a Chrysoteuchia culmella. A Holly Blue butterfly settled briefly allowing a photo.

Chrysoteuchia culmella

Holly Blue Butterfly

A little further on a Reed Warbler peeped out at me as it worked its way through the vegetation. An Ichneumon wasp Amblyteles armatorius paused briefly before moving off, they are striking insects. I kept my eyes open for dragonflies but did not have any success today in seeing any. A few Red-eyed Damselflies were resting on the duck weed in the dyke.

Reed Warbler

Amblyteles armatorius

I caught sight of yellow again and thought I had another Ichneumon wasp but then realised it was a Longhorn Beetle. Luckily for me it flew and landed closer to me and I was able to get a couple of photos before it moved on. It was a Black-and-yellow Longhorn Beetle Rutpela maculata and was fascinating to watch.

Black-and-yellow Longhorn Beetle Rutpela maculata

Black-and-yellow Longhorn Beetle Rutpela maculata

A small family group of Great Tits were calling away and Goldfinch song and calls filled the air as a small group flew over. I had a look in some vegetation that was in the shade and got good views of a Ptychoptera contaminata and also a Pericoma species Moth Fly.

Ptychoptera contaminata

Pericoma species Moth Fly

I caught sight of a small spider with a bright green abdomen and tried for some photos. I did not manage to get much in the photo line but I think that it is either Araniella cucurbitina or opisthographa as apparently they are indistinguishable in the field in general appearance and size.

Araniella cucurbitina or opisthographa

Araniella cucurbitina or opisthographa

A Great Pied Hoverfly Volucella pellucens was busy feeding amongst a flower head and I saw a nymph that I think must be a Speckled Bush-cricket nymph.

Great Pied Hoverfly Volucella pellucens

Speckled Bush-cricket nymph

A female Marsh Harrier was hunting along a field edge and I could see a couple of Common Buzzard one of which was thermalling while the other was hovering before dropping down presumably onto something it had seen. 3 young Swallows were on the wires and Mum/Dad were kept busy feeding them.

Swallow feeding young

I finished off the visit with a Common Green Caspid Bug. I saw some Fringed Water-Lilies out in flower. Alarm calls above from the Swallows alerted me to a Sparrowhawk passing over. It was carrying food presumably back to feed young so hopefully they will do well. I had not been able to spend long but it had been good to be out and had been an enjoyable visit even if a fairly quiet one for birds.

Common Green Caspid Bug

Fringed Water-lily

Sparrowhawk

On the way home I saw a male Marsh Harrier hunting over one of the fields.

Male Marsh Harrier

Birds seen this visit include: 14 Reed Warbler, 4 Whitethroat, 4 Magpie, 9 Blackbird, 8 Chaffinch, 18 Swallow including at least 8 young, 3 Blackcap, 1 Wren, 2 Dunnock, 1 Ring-necked Parakeet, 2 Song Thrush, Wood Pigeons, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Green Woodpecker, 3 Chiffchaff, 7 Swift, 19 Goldfinches, 2 Cuckoo, 2 Greenfinch, 3 Common Buzzard, Crows, Rooks, Jackdaws, 5 Great Tit, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Yellowhammer, House Sparrows, Starlings, 2 Marsh Harrier, 2 Mistle Thrush,