Date: 7th August 2022
Time: from 9 a.m.
Weather: dry, sunny, light wind, 17°C to 22°C
The main
focus of my visit was to provide records for the annual Big Butterfly Count. This was my last opportunity given that
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I visited 4 locations for my butterfly counts:
High Ridge from the pedestrian gate access to the Spanish Steps: Speckled Wood (3)
Thorny Wood: Common Blue (1), Gatekeeper (3), Large White (1), Small White (2)
The path from the storage shed to Puckles Pond: Speckled Wood (1)
The area around Meadow Pond: Common Blue (1), Comma (1), Gatekeeper (3), Large White (1), Small White (1)
As was the case last year, there was a greater abundance and diversity of butterflies in the weeks prior to the Big Butterfly Count.
In addition to the butterflies, I saw a single Scalloped Oak moth at the end of the eastern boardwalk which I was only able to identify having seen one at my flat on 12th July 2022 and confirming the identification from a Google search. I was unable to get a photo of the one that I saw this morning but here is a photo of the one at my flat ....
Photo: Scalloped Oak
As on my last visit on 3rd July 2022, the main highlights of
my visit occurred at the Meadow Pond where I spent around 2 hours.
During that time, a Grass Snake was almost continuously in view, either basking in the sun or hunting. I think this may have been the same small and presumed juvenile that I saw on my last visit.
The Edible Frogs, whilst unusually silent, were also very conspicuous and there were at least 5 very small presumed juveniles and at least 5 large adults, again sitting out in the open and only deciding to move if the Grass Snake approached too closely.
Whilst at Meadow Pond, there was a male Migrant Hawker flying over the pond and around the surrounding bushes and trees almost continuously although it did occasionally perch up for very brief periods. It was also joined by another for some of the time when there was some vigorous interaction. This was my first record of Migrant Hawker for the site.
Photo: male Migrant Hawker
In addition, I saw 2 or 3 male Common Darters plus a mating male and female. This was my first record for 2022 for the site.
Finally, there were still around c.5 Azure Damselflies at Meadow Pond.
Bird activity and bird song was almost completely absent and I only recorded 7 species! The only notable record was a male Blackcap which sang very briefly and weakly from the bushes surrounding Meadow Pond although I failed to see it.
With regard to mammals, I saw a single Grey Squirrel in the wooded area just along from 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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