Moths in the flat!

Three moths in the flat this morning - a Heart and Dart, a Scalloped Oak and a Riband Wave.

Heart and Dart

Scalloped Oak

Riband Wave

Ant! Wasp! Spider!

On the wall alongside the main platform at the station this morning were several ants - I honestly don't think ants have ever featured before on Wild Monty! They looked to me like Small Black Ants - they seemed to be coming and going from a hole at the top of the wall. Also a tiny solitary wasp was running around the wall looking for prey -- not sure if it was an Ichneumon or not. Finally a tiny spider caught my eye - I  wonder if it might be a young Garden Spider.

Small Black Ant

Garden Spider

Wasp

A Blackcap was singing nearby again. I assume they have bred at the station this year.

Montpelier Park

I was going to spend a good twenty minutes in the park this morning so set up my camera looking forward to getting shots of some insects perhaps, only to be shat on by a Collared Dove! It's waste product went down the front of my t-shirt and on my camera. I beat a retreat to the flat and changed my t-shirt and cleaned my camera. I somehow got the message..... A Coal Tit was singing in the pine near the lower entrance.

Yesterday at the station I was surprised to record only one butterfly - a Brimstone - patrolling the disused platform Also yesterday, a Jackdaw flew over Brigstock Road.

Moth Mullein!

Good to see a couple of Moth Mullein plants in their traditional spot near the tunnel this morning. This scarce plant is definitely a Montpelier speciality. Also a couple of Enchanter's Nightshade plants in flower nearby. A Blackcap was singing too.

Moth Mullein

Enchanter's Nightshade

Montpelier Park!

This morning some rather flighty insects in the park so photographing them was somewhat difficult! My first Leaf-cutter Bee of the year was feeding on the bramble flowers and a Helophilus pendulus hoverfly was basking on a leaf nearby (sadly flew off before I could shoot it). Another frustration was not being able to photograph an attractive black and yellow Ichneumon. Several Honey Bees were busily feeding in the park.

Leaf-cutter Bee

The railings at the back of the park were festooned with Black Bryony - haven't noticed this plant here before!

Black Bryony

Birds included a Jay, 2 Woodpigeons and a female Blackbird.

Blackbird

A Speckled Wood butterfly was seen from the train while it stopped briefly (well, not that briefly) at Narroways.

Montpelier Park and Station!

In Montpelier Park this morning there was very little to set the pulses racing - just a Marmalade Hoverfly of note. A hawkweed growing near the Old Vicarage entrance looks like Beaked Hawksbeard to me, although I could be wrong. Lots of Cleavers growing near the back of the park.

Cleavers

Beaked Hawksbeard

A Jackdaw flew over the station and there were a couple of Tree Bumblebees and a Speckled Wood butterfly near the Cromwell Road end of the footbridge.