Gove's drivel

I can't even muster up the energy to rant about this nonsense. Here's Avery's take:

MARK AVERY BLOG

Chobham Common - Nightjar magic

A very productive evening yesterday with David at Chobham Common. Several Nightjars displaying and also Woodcock.  We parked in the Monument Car Park and walked to an open area and they were seemingly everywhere. 

Click on to listen to various vocalisations including male churring, male wing-clapping, female yelping and then at the end presumably a male 'bubbling'? 

THEE BRYANS

THEE BRYANS

Weekend Wanderings

Had a nice long weekend. Friday evening moth trapping at the farmlands, Saturday at the Old Vicarage, Sunday family day out at Warwick Castle and today we had a family picnic at Bernwood Forest. As always there's nature exploring to do everywhere and anywhere- here's a few highlights. 

The Old Vicarage

Spotted Flycatcher- sorry to say I think it's just a single bird around this year (last year a pair bred at Holly's) 

Waved Black- a moth tick for me

Red Twin-spot Carpet (I think) - another moth lifer

Pebble Prominent- a new one for the Old Vicarage list 

and the Spotted Fly again in the garden

Bernwood Forest 

Silver-washed Fritillary - loads of these.  We also had quite a few Purple Hairstreaks and a frustrasting brief view of what looked like a Purple Emperor. More on Bernwood Forest HERE

Brown Hawker - a few of these hunting along the rides 

Waitrose picnic with Silver-washed Frits whizzing around and Purple Hairstreaks darting around at the top of the overhead oaks- most pleasant indeed

Warwick Castle 

Nice grounds laid out by the famous gardener Capability Brown. Lots of interesting trees, plenty of insects about and some really nice habitat along the River Avon

Lovely bit of river round the back of the castle

Bald Eagle (photo by Holly Showell who did indeed achieve a more superior photograph of a bird than me on this occasion and will remind me of it daily until the end of times) 

The most impressive bird of prey display I've ever seen- Andean Condor, White-tailed Eagles, Lammergeir (above), Bald Eagle (above) and Veraux's Eagle Owl. 

The Beddington Farmland Obs

The Wormwood- a first for the farmlands

Here's the Hedgehog from Thursday evening again- brilliant to see 

The Incinerator at night (while Hedgehogging). Like it or not this is to stay for at least a while and it certainly is a striking feature- just a shame our efforts to make industry and nature work together are failing due to Viridor's lack of commitment to the restoration and reserve development.  A devastating squandered opportunity for the future of this area. Just nice to get away from here nowadays. 

Hedgehogging

Met up with Tomos yesterday evening for a spot of hedgehogging in the dark. 

Tomos has recently seen up to four on the Southern Mound (a partly restored area) and there are also up to three on the Bedzed estate. 

We saw one animal by the gate near the path. No sign of the Barn Owl last night but they are still around too.

Please send Viridor an Email

Autumn unfolding

Met up with Kojak yesterday morning KOJAK'S BLOG and had a looked for waders considering there have been some frontal conditions recently and it's July. No Blackwits but a few waders including the first migrant juvenile Little Ring for the year, 8 Green Sandpiper and 1 Common Sandpiper. Also Yellow-legged Gull and a few nice moths. 

 Juvenile Little Ringed Plover. Also an adult.

 Green Sandpipers and a young locally bred Lapwing

 Juvenile Yellow-legged Gull (on right)

 Juvenile Yellow-legged Gull 

 Juvenile Yellow-legged Gull (left) and probably another one (a smaller bird) on right

 Sparrowhawk on a Starling- luckily for this Starling a Moorhen interrupted, attacked the Sparrowhawk and the Starling got away

 Mother of Pearl- one of many on 100 acre within the nettles. We estimated probably one every meter in that habitat so at the very least 100+ (or more like a nominal figure to record a concentration) . 

 Sallow Kitten- an absolute beauty 

 Small Emerald- I need to check if we've recorded these before at the farmlands

Small Blood-vein (left) and Small Rununculus