Narroways

Today on Narroways there was a dead Frog or Toad on the path going over the Church Field - on its back - I was too queasy about turning it over to ID it.

Three Swallows flying SE over the Church field, a Grey Wagtail on the brook, 7 Starlings on the church tower, a Coal Tit near the brook and a Grey Heron over the hill.

The only insect I saw was a Myathropa florea hoverfly.

Grey Heron

In St Andrews Park there was a calling Goldcrest, a juvenile Woodpigeon and 4 Blackbirds, one of which showed signs of a heavy moult!

Blackbird

Juvenile Woodpigeon

Some nice autumn colour from the Guelder-rose in Hurlingham Road and a Coal Tit calling nearby in Balmoral Road.

Guelder-rose

Not much at Montpelier Station today - just a Blackbird and a Grey Squirrel on the feeders. Nearby, a Jay flew over the flat this afternoon.

All quiet

The last couple of days have been rather uninspiring at the station - just a Jay yesterday and a Chaffinch today being notable, plus Blue and Great Tits and singing Robins.

St Pauls Park

Nothing much to report from the park this morning other than 4 Blackbirds, a Dunnock, 2 Robins, 2 Carrion Crows, Blue and Great Tits, half a dozen Goldfinches, a Woodpigeon and this Feral Pigeon whose ancestors were, I suspect, were quite ornamental.

Nocturnal visitors

Last night there were a couple of nocturnal visitors to the flat in the shape of a Crane-fly (I'd guess at Tipula oleracea but Crane-flies aren't my speciality) and a pretty knackered-looking Lesser Yellow Underwing.

Lesser Yellow Underwing

Crane-fly

It's been quiet at the station the last couple of mornings, with just parties of Blue and Great Tits, the odd fly-over Chaffinch, a Dunnock or two and a few Starlings around.

Soggy Sunday

As you will not have expected me to brave the poor weather conditions just for a wildlife blog, I can say the only noteworthy birds today were a calling Chiffchaff in a neighbouring garden, 2 Starlings on the TV mast and a Dunnock, Robin and fly-over Goldfinch at the station.

More than my job's worth.

Glorious Goldfinches

A thrash around St Pauls this morning produced a party of 15+ Goldfinches in the cemetery including both adult and juvenile birds. Delightful. Nearby were a group of feeding Blue and Great Tits.

Goldfinches

In St Pauls Park there were 2 Chiffchaffs, a couple of juvenile Woodpigeons, a Dunnock, 2 Blackbirds, a Robin, 4 Carrion Crows and a fly-over Goldfinch. A Grey Squirrel was also in the park.

Montpelier Station

Still quiet this morning - a Grey Squirrel near the feeders, a Coal Tit calling and a Large White butterfly and an Eristalis species hoverfly enjoying the early sunshine.

Eristalis hoverfly

Raven bonkers

Two Ravens were on the TV mast this lunchtime together with a couple of Magpies. A hirundine (probably a Swallow although its size and flight was more suggestive of Sand Martin) flew over the Station Road industrial estate and a Chiffchaff called nearby. A couple of Jays were in St Andrews Road.

Ravens and Magpies

Jay

The St Andrews Park monthly bird walk was quiet - the list is as follows:

Blue Tit - one or two
Great Tit - a few showing well
Coal Tit - one calling as I left the park
Carrion Crow - three or four around
Magpie - several
Swallow or House Martin - 2 flying SE over the park
Greenfinch - One heard
Feral Pigeon - five near the cafe
Woodpigeon - several
Robin - about four heard singing and calling
Herring Gull - one feeding in the childrens play area as I arrived
Blackbird - just the one seen
Starling - four flew over

Also a hawker (Aeshna) dragonfly seen near the park-keeper's compound.

Cats 'n' Coal Tits

You know you're scraping the barrel when you mention cats on a wildlife blog. The one at the station this morning didn't even look particularly wild but more like a well-fed moggy. Also a Coal Tit calling nearby. Yesterday a Jay flew over the station but otherwise it's all very quiet at the moment.

Blackcap

A calling Blackcap at the station this morning and a fly-over Greenfinch. Also 2 singing Robins. Otherwise, not much to report.

Montpelier Station

All quiet this morning except for 2 Jays, a Robin, a Wren, Great and Blue Tits and a Dunnock. A Coal Tit was calling near Station Road.

Montperegrine: The Sequel

The Peregrine was back on its perch this afternoon for at least half an hour - I think it's an adult female rather than a juvenile, presuming it's the same individual as Friday's bird. Nearby, a Large White butterfly at the station.

Peregrine

At least half a dozen Long-tailed Tits and a Coal Tit were at St Andrews Park this afternoon.

Narroways

It was the annual hay cut today and we found a huge Common Toad up on Church Field. A single Jackdaw flew over and there was a scruffy Silver Y moth plus lots of Helophilus and Eristalis hoverflies.

Common Toad


At Fairlawn Road a Red Admiral was nectaring on Buddleia and there were lots of hoverflies as noted on Narroways. A pair of Garden Spiders were courting I think, the (presumed) male gingerly waving his front leg towards the female who sprang at him and forced him to withdraw. A Chiffchaff was calling nearby.

Red Admiral

Garden Spiders

A party of 8 Starlings were sat on the roofs of houses in St Andrews Road - the first Starlings I've seen for a month or two.

Starlings

Montperegrine

A juvenile Peregrine was sat on the TV mast along Station Road this morning for at least 20 minutes. Nothing much else at the station apart from some Blue and Great Tits and 3 'white' butterflies.

Peregrine

St Pauls Park

Two good birds in the park this morning - at least 2 Chiffchaffs and a Goldcrest showing well. Also a Robin, 2 Woodpigeons, a Goldfinch, a Blue Tit and a Blackbird.

A Pied Wagtail flew over Brigstocke Road - the first of the autumn.

Narroways

This afternoon were 2 Common Blues and a Meadow Brown on the cutting, single Speckled Woods at Simons Grove, Stony Path and community garden. 10 or so Long-tailed Tits, Blue and Great Tits and a Chiffchaff and Jay at Simons Grove.


Common Blue



Ichneumon sp.

 Hoverflies inc. Myathropa florea (brook) Lots of Helophilus pendulus and Eristalis spp.

A nice Ichneumon plus a solitary bee I'm trying to ID. Flowers included Hedgerow Cranesbill and Black Horehound.

Hedgerow Cranesbill

Black Horehound

At Fairlawn Road there were a couple of Dark Bush-crickets and masses of Dock Leaf Bugs. Two Ravens flew over the top of St Andrews Road.

St Andrews Park Treecreeper treat!

I had a quick look around St Andrews Park on the way to the shops this afternoon and was amazed to find a Treecreeper near the park-keeper's compound. This is a rare bird in urban Bristol and I can only assume it was a migrant. Amazing. Nearby was a Chiffchaff which called and showed briefly, and a hirundine (either Swallow or House Martin) passed overhead. A juvenile Blackbird, still being fed by its parent, was another surprise. Great Tit, Robin and Dunnock completed an impressive avian cast. Invertebrates included a Drone Fly Eristalis pertinax, a Green Shieldbug and a Garden Spider.

Treecreeper

Robin

Garden Spider

Juvenile Blackbird

Montpelier Station the only notable sightings were of 3 Large White butterflies, a Honey Bee and a White-tailed Bumble Bee.