Narroways

This morning on the reserve: at least 1 Grey Wagtail, A feeding party of Long-tailed Tits, Blue and Great Tits, 2 Coal Tits and a Goldcrest, a couple of Goldfinches and 3 Chaffinches, 1 calling Chiffchaff, 1 Jay and 1 flyover Siskin. Lots of Robins, Wrens and Blackbirds.

Best sighting today was a Devil's Coach Horse - my first in 50 years! Also Common Wasp, Red Admiral, Syrphus hoverfly and Dock Bug.

Dock Bug

Robin

Syrphus hoverfly



Common Wasp

Devil's Coach Horse

In Fairlawn Road there was an Eristalis tenax hoverfly and a couple of Dark Bush-crickets.

Dark Bush Cricket

Eristalis tenax

Fungi

I'm hopeless at identifying fungi but I saw these specimens in St Andrews Park this afternoon. Will try and get them identified.

Also in the park were 9 or 10 Starlings, a couple of Goldfinches and a pair of Blackbirds.

A party of Long-tailed Tits were feeding at the station.

Montpelier Station

Despite the rain this morning I managed to find a few invertebrates - along with the usual snails and woodlice there was a tiny Rove Beetle (possibly Stenus species) and a Harvestman.

Harvestman

Rove Beetle

Garden birds

Jim has been keeping me up to date with the birds visiting his garden - Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Coal tits (including this one having a bath), Great tit, Blue tit, Dunnock, Robin, Woodpigeon, and Magpie visiting on and around the feeders. Many thanks Jim.


Coal Tit (Photo by Jim)

 

There were also Coal Tits at the station this morning and in a tree in Picton Lane. Long-tailed Tits and Chaffinches were also seen at the station and a 'White' butterfly was flying around.

Canada Geese!

Weird stuff this evening as it got dark - I was walking up Richmond Road and heard Canada Geese flying over! It was far too dark to see them. A most odd experience!

At the station this morning a Coal Tit and some Long-tailed Tits were the only birds of note.

Montpelier Park

This morning in the park there was a party of Long-tailed Tits and a Great Tit, 2 Collared Doves, a Woodpigeon, 2 Chaffinches, a Blackbird and 2 Robins plus a flyover Grey Wagtail.

Jackdaws were heard twice overhead today - this morning over Richmond Road and this evening over St Andrews Road.

Some lovely autumn colour in the park this evening.

Narroways

Today in and around the reserve: 1 Peregrine on church,1 Sparrowhawk over Boiling Wells, 4 Redwings over the cutting (my first of the autumn), 1 Raven over brook, 2 Grey Wagtails (Brook and Boiling Wells - presumably different birds), 2 Chiffchaffs near Simons Grove (one washed-out individual but not a Siberian I think),1 Pied Wagtail over Lynmouth Road, 10+ Long-tailed Tits various places along with Great and Blue Tits,1 Coal Tit near brook, 1 Greenfinch over Simons Grove, 4 Chaffinches, 5 Goldfinches in a single hawthorn at Boiling Wells, 2 flyover Jays (cutting)

Also 1 Dock Leaf Bug and 2 Green Shieldbugs.

Dock Leaf Bug

Green Shieldbug

Peregrine

St Andrews Park

On my way from the shops this afternoon heard both Long-tailed and Coal Tits calling. A Nursery-web Spider was looking rather dead on a leaf.

Nursery-web Spider

Bits and pieces

All too quiet on the patch at the moment - just 3 flyover Starlings and a couple of Chaffinches at the station this morning and a Grey Wagtail flew over Wilder Street this afternoon.

Montpelier Park

This morning in the park there were a couple of Coal Tits, 2 Chaffinches, a Wren, a Robin and a fly-over Jay. A couple of Syrphus hoverflies were basking in the sunshine. The berries of Stinking Iris were very conspicuous.



Stinking Iris



Syrphus hoverfly

Montpelier Station

Not much to report this morning other than 7 or 8 Long-tailed Tits, a few Blue and Great Tits, a Coal Tit and a Wren.

Siskin

Friend of Wild Monty Jim says he's pretty sure he saw  a Siskin in the garden yesterday. This is an excellent record for Montpelier.

Montpelier Park: The Return

A repeat visit this morning produced just 1 calling Chiffchaff plus a Grey Wagtail flying over and a Robin.

In St Paul's Cemetery this afternoon the only birds of note were a couple of Magpies and a flyover Goldfinch. There were a couple of Honeybees and Eristalis hoverflies.

A Jay was seen briefly in the garden this evening.