Sparrowhawk

The only bird of note today was a Sparrowhawk over Montpelier Park.

St Pauls Park

Today in the park: 2 Dunnocks, a Robin, a Wren, a Blackbird, a couple of Goldfinches, 1 or 2 Great Tits, 3 Woodpigeons, a Magpie and a Herring Gull.

Moffs

Moths in the flat last night included a Brimstone, a Marbled Beauty, a Double-striped Pug and a Flame Shoulder.

Brimstone

Flame Shoulder

Marbled Beauty

Double-striped Pug

There were 2 Speckled Wood butterflies at the station this morning.

St Andrews Park

Invertebrate highlights in the park this afternoon included an attractive black and white Ichneumon, a Wolf Spider and a Helophilus hoverfly. There was some Chicken of the Woods fungus growing on the dead tree trunks. Nearby was some Redshank (Persicaria) growing in a large patch. 

Ichneumon

Chicken of the Woods fungus

Redshank

Wolf Spider

In Fairlawn Road there were 5 or 6 Small White butterflies, a Volucella zonaria hoverfly and Xylota segnis and Syrphus hoverflies. In Station Road near the Royal Mail office was a Harlequin Ladybird larva and in the flat this morning I disturbed a Silver Y moth.

Volucella zonaria

Xylota segnis

Small Tortoiseshell

Jim has sent me fab photos of a Small Tortoiseshell butterfly from Fairlawn Road and a a fly - looks like a Bluebottle species. Many thanks Jim.

Small Tortoiseshell (Photo: Jim)

Possible Bluebottle fly (Photo: Jim)

Montpelier Station - a birder's paradise

Three Greenfinches and a calling juvenile Blackbird this morning at the station.

St Andrews Park

In and around the meadow/pond area today: a Yellow Dung Fly, a Harlequin Ladybird, a couple of Azure Damselflies, 5 Speckled Wood and a couple of Large White butterflies, a probable White-tailed Bumblebee, 2 Large Red-tailed Bumblebees and a Green Shieldbug nymph. Nearby was a juvenile Robin and a calling Dunnock.

Harlequin Ladybird

White-tailed Bumblebee

Juvenile Robin

 

Bugz n Plantz

Fairlawn Road produced a nice collection of insects this morning including a Peacock and a Small Tortoiseshell, my first Vollucella zonaria hoverfly of the year, an Xylota segnis hoverfly and absolutely tons of Marmalade Hoverflies. A Dark Bush-cricket was also present. There was just one patch of Vervain in flower, not a plant I see much of on the patch.

Vollucella zonaria

Xylota segnis

Vervain

In the old Fairfield Grammar School yard there was a Cinnabar Moth larva on some Ragwort. There was lots of Great Willowherb in flower and some kind of Snapdragon.

Great Willowherb

Snapdragon

A huddle of Harvestmen

The wall along the platform at the station was occupied by 4 Harvestmen this morning, 3 of them huddled together. There are 30-odd species of these spider-like animals in the UK but I'm not sure the of exact ID of these particular individuals. I rarely record them on the patch for some reason. Nearby was a Woodlouse.

Harvestmen

 

Woodlouse

Several Greenfinches calling on and around the station too.

Fairlawn butterflies

This morning there were still 3 Peacocks on the Buddleia plus a flighty Red Admiral, a few Large Whites and similar numbers of Small Whites. At nearby Hurlingham Road there was a Speckled Wood.


Along the Fairlawn Road verge were a couple of Dark Bush-crickets now looking quite adult, a Green Shieldbug nymph, a mystery hoverfly (very tiny) and several Flesh-flies.

Dark Bush-cricket

The grassy area near the top of Richmond Road by the flats is looking interesting as it has no been cut. There were several Autumn Hawkbit plants in flower there.

Autumn Hawkbit

 At Montpelier Park there was a fine display of Tall Melilot. There were signs of the Horse Chestnut Miner moth on the leaves of at least one tree.

Horse Chestnut Miner

Tall Melilot

Late news from Thursday - 2 Marbled Beauty moths in the flat.