Yellow Tail

 Yellow Tail male- first record for Beddington

Dingy Footman (I think)

 

The good mothing nights continue. 27 species last night including this Yellow Tail which is a first record for the farm.

Bit of an influx of Silver Y's.



Bird and Wildlife Walk

 

A few pics from todays public bird and wildlife walk. Highlights included Common Sandpipers, 5 Kestrel, Tufted Duck with young, Egyptian Geese, Six-spot Burnets, Purple Loose-strife in full display, Tree Sparrows, Meadow Browns on the mound and very good visibility over the 360 degree panoramic view over South London.

Bird and Willdife Report 2012 available 12.50 GBP (including p&p) . Email littleoakgroup@btinternet.com for a copy.

Blackwit etc etc

So much going on in the last 24 hours- Blackwit on 100 acre, 2 Cuckoo there, Lesser Spot also, 15 Green Sand, 2 Common Sand, 1 Teal, Ruddy Shelduck has died, adult Peregrine and a fall of passerines including a bird wave with 15+ Chiffchaff, 8 Whitethroat, 4 Blackcap, 1 Willow Warbler, Great Spot and Green Woodpecker.
99 moths of 38 species including Brown-line Bright Eye- a new one for me.
Ok I haven't got time to caption the photos as I have to pick up my neice and go and get some fish and chips so if anyone can identify all the species in the above photos then leave a blog message (below) and if correct I'll send you a free Beddington Farmlands bird and wildlife report which just arrived yesterday from the printers (worth a tenner).

Kestrels

Upto six Kestrels on the mound today. Kestrels have returned as a breeder in recent years with the new restored habitat suiting them nicely.
Also 1 juvenile Cuckoo on 100 acre, 16 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Teal, 1 Little Egret and the Ruddy Shelduck is still about too.

Mid-summer murders and a micro

 

 Blackcap- this sickly bird was present along the path along with a dead adult male

Probably the majority of Tree Sparrows left at Beddington Farmlands- only five years ago the summer population was near 1000. Cause of decline is unknown. 

Grapholita compositella - second record for Beddington

 

Still no end to this heatwave. Walked round yesterday with Devilbirder and had 15+ Green Sand and 2 Common Sand on 100 acre. Still loads of butterflies around. Swift numbers on the drop. The lively moth evenings continue.

Strange case of dead and dying Blackcaps on the path? Heatwave related?

Results from the Tree Sparrow project show the lowest numbers on site in a very long time which is not good at all.

Heatwave continues

 Swifts hawking over the mound

 Jersey Tiger

 Ruby Tiger

 Caloptilia elongella ?

 Dichrorampha petiverella?

Kent Black Arches (thanks Steve!) - a first for Beddington Farmlands

Over 32 degrees yesterday and a stormy night produced another busy night in the bugry. Must have been some kind of emergence of adult Agonopeterix alstromeriana (a common farmlands moth) as there were 60+ in the trap last night. 116 moths of 34 species last night including Jersey and Ruby Tiger, Flouced Rustic, Common Rustic, Tree-lichen Beauty, Scalloped Oak, Oak Hook Tip and a few I can't identify- above (any help much appreciated).

Cuckoos

Juvenile Cuckoo

 Ruddy Shelduck

 Juvenile Peregrine

 Juvenile Black-headed Gull

 Common Blue

 Soldier Fly on Ragwort

Six-spot Burnet

Two Cuckoo on 100 acre were a real treat today- the first juvenile I have seen well in years at the farm. Other birding notes include a juvenile Peregrine, 15 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper and a Ruddy Shelduck of unknown origin on 100 acre. Lots of young birds about Great Spot and Green Woodpeckers, young Kestrels , finch flocks are starting to form, a few tit flocks on the edges, warbler families and plenty of juvenile gulls.

After the cloud burnt off there was plenty of butterflies again- hundreds of Meadow Brown and probably 100+ Essex Skippers and the most Six-spot Burnets I have seen on site before- 30-40+.

Butterfly Conservation New Members Day

Dark Green Fritillary 

Dark Green Fritillary 

Silver-washed Fritillary 

Chalkhill Blue 

White Plume 

Pyramidal Orchid

Went to the Butterfly Conservation new members day today at Juniper Hall Field Study Centre. Very good indeed, nice people, good talks and some great butterflies in the field centre grounds- 19 different species in an hour or two.

Lee and Rachel bought me membership for my 40th from last year, so thanks a lot and here's a link to the organisation:

http://butterfly-conservation.org/



Beddington Farmlands Bird and Wildlife Walk Sunday 28th July

Juvenile Common Kestrel 

Tree Sparrow 

Wild Carrot and other wild plants on the mound 

Comma Butterfly 

If you would like to join the free public bird and wildlife walk at Beddington Farmlands on Sunday 28th July then please email me:  littleoakgroup@btinternet.com for further details.

Beddington Farmlands Bird and Wildlife Report 2012

The Beddington Farmlands Bird and Wildlife Report 2012 will be back from the printers in a few days. Details of all the birds, butterflies, moths and bats recorded in 2012 plus additional sections on habitat surveys, bird ringing, the London Tree Sparrow Partnership, entomological surveys and update on the restoration. Also includes ornithological highlights from 2009 to 2011 and show cases photographs of rarities and regular birds and wildlife too.

To order a copy please email me littleoakgroup@btinternet.com - cost is 12.50 GBP.