Wednesday 15 July 2020

Green Urban Birding: Back to Crabbles Bottom Orchard! 15th July 2020



The weather has returned to being unsettled but I managed a quick hour mid-morning. The meadows were awash with even more flowers than last week with the Marjoram patch and stands of Ragwort glowing and covered in Honey and Bumble Bees. 

Marjoram
Queen Bombus hypnorum

worn Bombus terrestris I think

There were still Pyramidal Orchids in good nick and a pale lilac aster turned out to be Blue Fleabane – a new species for me while Musk Mallow and Meadowsweet were both new for the meadow.

Blue Fleabane

Musk Mallow

Pyramidal Orchid

Pyramidal Orchid
 
Meadowsweet! 

Marbled Whites, Meadow Browns and a few Gatekeepers at last were on the wing along with Green-veined Whites and immaculate sunbathing Peacocks although all had to be on their guard as the first two Brown Hawkers of the year were patrolling the woodland edge.

Gatekeeper

Gatekeeper

Green-veined White

Green-veined White

Green-veined White

Marbled White

Peacock

Peacock

Ringlet

A Silver-washed Fritillary was my first for the site and among the few Hovers found were Eupeodes luniger and corolla, Eristalis nemorum, tenax and pertinax, Episyrphus balteatus, Syrphus sp, Sphaerophoria scripta and Volucella pellucens.

Eristalis nemorum

Eristalis nemorum

Eristalis pertinax

Eupeodes luniger

Eupeodes luniger

Sphaerophoria scripta

Syrphus sp

I found another interesting Nomad Bee and thought I had something different but despite the fact that the scutellum spots were yellow and not red, it was still a Nomada zonata which are apparently very variable and hence their English name!. There is just so much to learn with all these bees and wasps.

Nomada zonata
At the other end of the scale a stunning Hornet was actively hunting the Brambles making frequent unsuccessful  pounces after prey.

Hornet
There were less Pollenia around this week but plenty of little pied spotty flies that I think may be Anthomyia procellaris. A couple of smart fat Lucilia posed for me and I was especially pleased to correctly identify a female Protocalliphora azurea whose larvae suck the blood from nestlings!

Anthomyia procellaris or similar

Lucilia sp

Protocalliphora azurea

Protocalliphora azurea

Protocalliphora azurea

There were Bullfinches calling all around me from the Hazels and Blackcaps were in full song while a young Green Woodpecker was out foraging for ants.

Hazel nuts

The sudden loss of the sun and darkening skies saw me head back for home just a  few spots of rain began to fall.

Labyrinth Spider

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