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.

Mating Ringed Plovers and a Thrush with an Anvil - Reculver to Shuart 05/06/21

I started out from Reculver this morning to the unusual sight of a cyclist on a modern day Penny Farthing bicycle. I hadn't realised that they were still made.

It proved to be a quiet walk up to Coldharbour with just the usual birds seen and only a couple of Great Crested Grebe on an otherwise very quiet sea. A couple of Great Black-backed Gulls flew east and a Lesser Black-backed Gull flew west. A Meadow Pipit at Coldharbour had a bill full of food and a youngster was busily calling for it from a bush at the side of the sea wall as I passed by. Young Meadow Pipit are beautifully marked birds.

Meadow Pipit

young Meadow Pipit

young Meadow Pipit

Two Oystercatchers and a Little Egret were on Coldharbour as I carried on and headed towards Plumpudding. A Coot with 3 youngsters was on the River Wansum. A single Common Tern flew east and a little while later 5 Great Crested Grebe flew west.

Great Crested Grebes

Four Mallard were resting up on Plumpudding and four Pied Wagtail were at the back, as were two Oystercatchers and a couple of Redshank. A pair of Ringed Plover were active on one of the islands. 

Ringed Plover

Ringed Plover

After a while the male started displaying and with the female responding to him positively he was able to mate.

It continued to be quiet as I headed on towards the stables turn off. A Blackbirds plumage showed well in the flat light.

Blackbird

At the stables a Song Thrush was using a stone in one of the paddocks as its anvil. It took multiple strikes, with the Song Thrush swinging from the position of its head right back, to get enough force before it was able to successfully start to separate the snail from its shell.

Near the railway crossing there was a small moth that I think is a Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana.

Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana

With it still very cloudy, and no sign of the sun yet breaking through, several Azure and Variable Damselflies were resting up amongst the grasses.

Azure Damselfly

Variable Damselfly

I came across a Speckled Bush-cricket and also a Drinker Moth Caterpillar that was still sparkling with dew. While watching those a Goldfinch flew into the bush above me giving an unusually close view.

Speckled Bush-cricket

Drinker Moth Caterpillar

Goldfinch

As I started towards Shuart a small moth fluttered up from the grasses before settling again and I think that it is a Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella.

Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella

I could hear a Mediterranean Gull calling, with the call gradually getting closer, and shortly 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls flew overhead.

adult Mediterranean Gulls

An Ichneumon Wasp was very active amongst the grasses and its white rear feet were particularly noticeable as it flew.

A pretty Alabonia geoffrella Moth was resting up and I saw another couple as I made my way along. They are amazing looking moths from the side.

Alabonia geofrella Moth

Alabonia geofrella Moth

I came across a couple of Nomad Bees and the first one I think one is a Flavous Nomad Bee Nomada Flava. 

?Flavous Nomad Bee Nomada flava

?Flavous Nomad Bee Nomada flava

?Flavous Nomad Bee Nomada flava

The other, I think, is a Marsham's Nomad Bee Nomada marshamella. I am not, though, finding them an easy group to separate but hopefully as I get more experience with them that will improve. In the meantime no doubt I will look back on some of these and realise that I got it wrong. Still, it is fun to try and learn to be able to separate them.

?Marsham's Nomad Bee Nomada marshamella

?Marsham's Nomad Bee Nomada marshamella

I could hear a Common Buzzard calling and a Marsh Harrier was quartering a far field edge. Variable and Azure Damselflies were plentiful and one of the Variable had almost non-existant antehumeal stripes and no post-ocular bar.

Variable Damselfly

I finished the visit with both Rambur's Pied Shieldbug Tritomegas sexmaculatus and a Red-headed Cardinal Beetle Pyrochroa serraticornis catching my eye.

Rambur's Pied Shieldbug Tritomegas sexmaculatus

Red-headed Cardinal Beetle Pyrochroa serraticornis

Birds seen this visit included: 8 Blackbird, Starlings, House Sparrows, 9 Linnet, Herring Gull, Black-headed Gulls, 2 Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Sandwich Tern west, 2 Kestrel, 7 Swallow, 3 Sand Martin, 8 Mallard, 5 Whitethroat, 7 Meadow Pipits, 3 Carrion Crows, 3 Stonechat, 6 Reed Bunting, 2 Reed Warbler, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 7 Great Crested Grebe, 6 Wren, 4 Oystercatcher, 1 Little Egret, 3 Turnstone, 5 Swift, 2 Mute Swan, 4 Coot including 3 youngsters, 1 Common Tern, 2 Ringed Plover, 2 Redshank, 4 Pied Wagtail, Sedge Warblers, Reed Warblers, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Dunnock, 3 Robin, 4 Chaffinch,