Starling Invasion!

I was delighted to see a large group of up to 10 Starlings at the station this afternoon, I think there were young ones amongst them. This is a bird that has been lost to many parts of the neighbourhood so it is wonderful to see that they are still hanging on at this particular spot.

Starlings

There's a nice patch of vegetation further down Station Road, near the school, which includes Hogweed, Welsh Poppy, Lesser Burdock* (* now identified as a Hollyhock) and Smooth Sow-thistle. The latter had its leaves lined with leaf mines caused, I think, by a species of fly.

Hollyhock

Welsh Poppy

Smooth Sow-thistle

Leaf mines 

Insects seen today included a Cheilosia hoverfly and a splendid weevil called Liophloeus tessulatus, the latter trundling along the wall at the station.

Cheilosia hoverfly

Liophloeus tessulatus

Narroways!

A couple of hours on the reserve this morning produced 20 Goldfinches, 2 Greenfinches, a fly-over Jackdaw, a Grey Wagtail, singing Blackcap and Chiffchaff plus plenty of Robins, Blackbirds, Dunnocks and a Great Tit. The Ravens were much in evidence.

Goldfinch

Butterflies were represented by 5 Green-veined Whites, a Speckled Wood, an Orange-tip and a Holly Blue. Other insects included a Red and Black Froghopper, a couple of Dock-leaf Bugs, an Andrena mining bee, the hoverflies Eupeodes, and Cheilosia variabilis, Honey Bees and Common Carder Bees and my first Thick-thighed Flower Beetles of the spring.

Andrena

Green-veined White

Dock-leaf Bug

Cheilosia variabilis

Another Holly Blue was flying around the front garden this afternoon.

Narroways!

A visit this morning produced a Chiffchaff and a Jay in the ash wood and the two Raven chicks plus one parent on the tower.

I'd hoped for some decent insects but it was a little too cloudy for much activity. Hoverflies included a Cheilosia sp., several Syrphus,  a single Eupeodes sp. and a Melanostoma. A couple of Common Carder Bees were on the wing. Two beetles were noted - a Phyllobius sp. and a Byturus sp. (probably a Raspberry Beetle).

Byturus

Eupeodes

Syrphus

Phyllobius

St Andrews Park

A happy hour spent in the meadow and pond area produced a Red Admiral (sadly it didn't pose for a photo), several tadpoles, a Leafcutter Bee, a hoverfly Syritta pipiens, a tiny ground bug (or plant bug), a Sawfly, a Cheilosia hoverfly, and a Red-tailed Bumblebee. A forest of of Wild Teasel and some Agrimony in flower.

Ground or plant bug

Cheilosia hoverfly

Syritta pipiens

Agrimony

Sawfly

Wild Teasel

Leafcutter Bee