Green Urban Birding - The Ranscombe Loop - 1st December 2020

A glance outside revealed that they grey had temporarily moved on, no doubt helped by the brisk chilly breeze but with blue skies above and the post office to be visited, I did not really have a good excuse to lounge around indoors or pootle round the garden.

This morning was definitely the coolest so far and I was well done up as I stomped up the road but as usual even that always has its distractions with a Firecrest stridently calling from a Holm Oak in a back garden and a silent low flying Raven heading strongly south.

Post sorted and it was decision time. I loitered around The Bounty Rowans just in case a Waxwing had arrived while I dithered but that cold wind suggested that I disappear back into the woods for some shelter and through the Tunnel I went.

Once over the Eurostar I took the first path back into the woods, down past the large clearing that seems to expand evrey week as the Chestnut is coppiced before veering off onto one of the unofficial off road cycling paths.  This narrow track wended its way through the stools with their shining trunks. It was very quiet with only the odd Goldcrest call and the occasional creek and mild clatter of the tree tops as a gust rattled their upper limbs.

 

I actually tried not be distracted by looking for leaf mines but with a muddy track underfoot, my eyes were down and therefore it was inevitable that I would find some.

Fallow Deer slots

 

At least I have a vague idea of what I am looking at now and the Brambles were riddled with Stigmella aurella - the Golden Pigmy although I have not yet ascertained why the Pigmy Micro Moths are spelt Pi and not Py.

Stigmella aurella - the Golden Pigmy on Bramble

 

What appeared to be a glowing white bird splat on many Bramble leaves also turned out to be a leaf mine and I am not quite sure how I did not notice it on my last visit.  This one is called Coptotriche marginea - the Bordered Carl.

Coptotriche marginea - the Bordered Carl on Bramble

Coptotriche marginea - the Bordered Carl on Bramble

A solitary Holly with many berries within the wood briefly held two rattling Mistle Thrushes before my eye was once again drawn down to the fly mines of Chromatomyia primulae on a Primrose leaf.  I have this one in my garden but as I emerged from the wood onto a ride I found what I think is another fly mine on Smooth Sow Thistle and some Googling suggested Phytomyza marginella.

Chromatomyia primulae on Primrose

Chromatomyia atricornis on Smooth Sow Thistle  

 

I emerged onto the farm edge track and almost immediately thought I heard a Corn Bunting call just the once but although the ploughed field by Birch Wood Corner held birds I could not find it. A dog ran up to say hello and two ‘plipping’ buntings emerged from the tiny tree right alongside me and headed off into the brown expanse of soil! There had been sitting next to me the whole time and I was looking too far out.  This was my first sighting for the reserve and it would be great if they became a breeding species.  

 

 

Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, Chaffinches, Linnets and Goldfinches were scattered across the field and I think it has the potential to attract more especially as the adjacent field was a re-growing Oilseed field (I think) and the Linnets in particular were focusing on feeding there.

Goldfinch

Lounging Linnets

I sat opposite the Meadow Clary enclosure with a coffee to hand and more Moth mines caught my eye. One was a fold mine on Field Maple, Phyllonoryctor acerifoliella - the Maple Midget and the other on Wayfaring Tree - Phyllonorycter lantanella – the Viburnum Midget.

Phyllonorycter lantanella – the Viburnum Midget on Wayfaring Tree

Phyllonorycter lantanella – the Viburnum Midget on Wayfaring Tree

Phyllonorycter lantanella – the Viburnum Midget on Wayfaring Tree

Phyllonoryctor acerifoliella - the Maple Midget on Field Maple

Phyllonoryctor acerifoliella - the Maple Midget on Field Maple

Phyllonoryctor acerifoliella - the Maple Midget on Field Maple

 

I found a nice Hairy Shieldbug sunning on some glowing Black Bryony berries and one or two Calliphora was basking on fence posts.

It did not matter on my angle - there was always this ray of light coming through the Oak

Hairy Shieldbug - Dolycoris baccarum on Black Bryony

 

I carried on the woodland path, past Kitchen Field and looped back up through the increasingly noisy trees towards the Darnley Mausoleum finding Phyllonorycter geniculella on Sycamore and some funky micro-Brackets on a fallen Birch on the way along with the most peculiar mushroom I have so far encountered on the forest floor...

Phyllonorycter geniculella - The Sycamore Midget on Sycamore

Phyllonorycter geniculella - The Sycamore Midget on Sycamore

Dinky Brackets - any help appreciated

Dinky Brackets - any help appreciated - they look like Pork Scratchings

The seldom encountered Raspberry Tipped Puffball in all its glory

By the time I got back into the open it felt like the weather was on the change once again despite the azure sky so I turned for home on the main ride but with far too many groups of ramblers and cyclists suddenly appearing, I turned left down towards the pond near the stables and then along towards the railway. Being the main bridleway, it was a bit muddy but I still found things to look at with a chattering Great Spotted Woodpecker and calling Treecreeper and a couple more leaf mines on Silver Birch and Sallow.  I had been advised to take back lit pictures to aid with identification so hopefully these two will also turn out to be what I think they are!

Stigmella continuella Double-barred Pigmy on Birch

Stigmella continuella Double-barred Pigmy on Birch

Not a moth but a beetle - possibly Rhamphus pulicarius

 

I squelched my way back alongside the railway (not again this winter I think!) and came over the bridge for home before lingering for a while again at The Bounty Rowans.   I almost got home when news came through that someone has heard a Waxwing up there earlier!  Must persevere!