Date: 26th May 2022
Time: from 9 a.m.
Weather: dry, sunny,
light/moderate wind, 13°C to 16°C
I had an exceptionally good visit this morning with 2 new reserve records
plus 7 new records for 2022.
As on my last visit on 18th April 2022, I had a later start
to my visit than normal in the hope that the warmer temperatures would provide
sightings of reptiles, amphibians, butterflies and dragonflies and damselflies.
I was amply rewarded.
The odonata season has begun and the lepidoptera season
continues.
My sightings began in the meadow surrounding Thorny Wood with a
dragonfly species and a day-flying moth species.
I was unable to specifically identify the dragonfly species from my brief flight only sighting but from its size and colour I suspect that it was a Brown
Hawker, a species that I have recorded before at the reserve.
I also saw a day-flying moth species which I managed to photograph. On site, I had no idea what this was but Internet research at home confirmed it to be a Burnet Companion (see here), a new record for the reserve for me.
Given the excellent habitat around it, the Meadow Pond provided my first confirmed sightings of dragonflies and damselflies of the year with the following recorded: Hairy Dragonfly (2 flying around the pond continuously for around 10 minutes but failing to settle to enable me to take any photos), Azure Damselfly (at least 5) and Blue-tailed Damselfly (at least 5), Large Red Damselfly (3). I managed to take some photos of all 3 of the damselfly species. I saw several other “blue” damselflies which may have included Common Blue Damselflies as well as additional Azure Damselflies.
I recorded 5 species of butterflies during my visit,
adding to the 5 species seen on my last visit (10 species now recorded for the year on
the reserve).
The most notable record was a single Painted Lady which settled briefly on the path near the storage shed and which allowed me to take at least a record photo. This was a new record for the reserve for me and in fact my first record of Painted Lady in the UK anywhere for several years.
Photo: record shot of Painted Lady
In addition, I saw Red Admiral (1),
Holly Blue (1)
and Large White (1), all new records for the reserve
for the year, plus Speckled Wood (5).
Photo: Holly Blue
Photo: Speckled Wood
Meadow Pond produced a sighting of 3 Edible Frogs basking in the sun at the edge of the pond and I was able to photograph these before they both jumped into the water.
At the corner of
the boardwalk where it turns away from East Meadow and continues towards Meadow
Pond, I had a brief sighting of a Common Lizard as it ran across from
one side to the other. After waiting for around 10 minutes, I saw presumably
the same animal emerge which then provided extended close-up views. This was
probably the largest Common Lizard that I have seen at the reserve and I
am guessing that it was probably an adult male. It was most definitely the best
opportunity that I have had of photographing Common Lizards at the reserve.
With regard to birds, I added a further species to my 2022 list for the reserve, 2 fly-over Canada Geese, bringing the total to date to 23.
I also heard, and eventually saw, an almost continuously singing male Common
Whitethroat which was very mobile around the East Meadow and the Meadow
Link areas.
Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps are
still conspicuous around the reserve. I failed to see any Chiffchaffs but
heard at least 4 singing males. I saw a single male Blackcap and
heard 6 other singing males.
At Meadow Pond, it appears that a pair of Moorhens,
which I have seen on previous visits, have almost certainly bred successfully
given the repeated sound of calling juveniles. However, both the adults and any
juveniles remained out of sight in the dense vegetation at the rear of the
pond.
Finally, I saw a single Grey Squirrel in the
trees by the Spanish Steps.
Species recorded during this visit were as follows (heard only records
in italics):
💚🦆 🦉🦋🐝🦊🦡🌼 🌳💚
Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature
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