Quite enjoying this nomadic life style- on the run from Viridor/Pennon who have ravaged my village and fields and created a micro diaspora (i.e. me) . So I set off from Crackbridge and Beddington Shitlands on Saturday morning and stopped off at Staines- a few Little Stints and 12 Ruff were the highlights but overall the waders are declining there now. 3 Goldeneye, 9 Pintail and good numbers of dabbling duck are heralding in late autumn. The rest of the weekend was spent around the Old Vicarage drawing up battle plans to fight the Viridor/Pennon bastards and also making plans to re-settle. maybe in North Kent (around Oare)- close enough to keep up the fight and check in but far enough away from the daily putridness. Did a bit of moth trapping and also completed the butterfly transect for North Otmoor with Jacob.
Stuck on this one and need to get on with the massive list of things to do. Closest I can get is a Brindled Green or Feathered Ranunculus but doesn't look right for either. Definitely a green hint in there.
Green Brindled Crescent from the Old Vic
Blair's Shoulder Knot and Frosted Orange from the Old Vic
Beaded Chestnut from Beddington Shitlands
Garden Rose Tortrix from Old Vic
Angle Shades from Beddington Cracklands
Bittersweet fruiting at the Old Vic
Celery-leaved Buttercup (?) - no butterflies on our butterfly survey
Seems to be quite a lot of variation in the Oxfordshire Pheasants. Collins guide refers to two main groups 'torquatus' (HBW calls them Grey-rumped Pheasant) and 'colchicus' (HBW calls them Black-necked Pheasant). Not sure what's going on with this one, looks more like a Green Pheasant. HBW (printed version) refers to 31 different races globally split into five or six groups which may involve more than one species (the Asian populations are best placed for a split). Various sources says that UK populations are made up of several races and hybrids. (Mystery solved- see comments and photo HERE )
Presumed torquatus group (Grey-rumped Pheasant) for comparison but these two don't seem to have a grey rump.
The gang in the field. Need to get an off road push chair for Jacob.
Interesting post as per.
ReplyDeleteThe 'Green Pheasant' you've discussed is in fact essentially a variation or mutation of Common (Ring-necked) Pheasant known as Tenebrosus. There is a small population of these types on my patch at Thorncombe Street, Surrey (where game is released in disgusting quantities), and I too thought they were Japanese Green initially.
The bird you photographed seems to be a hybrid Tenebrosus/Common, given the white collar.
Hi Ed,
ReplyDeletegreat- thanks a lot. Found a nice image of one here:
http://www.pbase.com/image/92578265
Phasianus colchicus var tenebrosus
Thanks again