Montpelier Park!

It was rather quiet in the park this morning but I was pleased to see a couple of female Chaffinches feeding in the trees. Chaffinches are now mainly winter visitors to the patch, their spring songs have sadly fallen silent in recent years. A brief bit of song from a Coal Tit, a couple of Magpies and a singing Robin were  the only other birds of note. At the station there was a brief glimpse of a Blue Tit, some calling Goldfinches and a flyover Chaffinch were notable.

Chaffinch

St Andrews Park!

A beautiful sunny morning but surprisingly few birds today - a Jay, a fly-over Jackdaw, a few Robins and Blackbirds, a flyover Pied Wagtail, a couple of Carrion Crows, a few Goldfinches and a Long-tailed Tit.

Carrion Crow and lunch

Insects attracted to some Ivy flowers included Syrphus and Eristalis tenax hoverflies, several Common Wasps, a Green Shieldbug and a Twin-spot Centurion soldierfly.

Syrphus

Green Shieldbug

Eristalis tenax

Twin-spot Centurion

In Montpelier another Twin-spot Centurion and a couple of Harlequin Ladybirds were on the Ivy at the station footbridge.

Harlequin Ladybird

Montpelier Station!

There was a bit of sunshine this morning and the Ivy bush near the footbridge was alive with Common Wasps and at least one Syrphus hoverfly. I was surprised to find a Hawthorn Shieldbug along the wall with a tiny (juvenile?) Woodlouse nearby.

Syrphus hoverfly

Hawthorn Shieldbug

On the way home from work this afternoon a tiny bug landed on me in Picton Street - I think it might be a Deraeocoris sp.

Chiffchaffs and Clothes Moths!

At last there was a bit more bird action at the station this morning. A Chiffchaff was calling (no doubt working its way south for the winter), a party of Blue and Great Tits were feeding in the trees and a Jay flew across the railway tracks. Less welcome was a Common Clothes Moth in the flat this evening - I'd better check for an infestation!

Montpelier Park!

Not much in the way of birds this morning but there were a few insects including a Cluster Fly, a Syrphus hoverfly, a Harlequin Ladybird and a Green Shieldbug.

Green Shieldbug

Harlequin Ladybird



Cluster Fly

Syrphus

Nearby at the station there were still one or two Ivy Bees, an Eristalis pertinax hoverfly and lots of Common Wasps on the ivy. A Raven flew over, calling.

Ivy Bee

Eristalis pertinax