foteb.org.uk | Friends of the Emm Brook

Latest Sightings May 2014

Click on the link to send in your sightings info@foteb.org.uk

For previous months sightings see Archive

The "Area Seen" refers to the 10 sections that the Brook has been split into for monitoring purposes (see Wildlife page under Monitoring ).

All sightings unless stated are from personal observations by Eddie Napper

Click on any picture to see a larger image

Birds

31/05/14 Todays highlights were a Swallow heading low N over my Area 5 garden and a Coal Tit at the garden feeders.

29/05/14 The noisy Great spotted Woodpecker family in the tree near Ripllestream bridge have been very quiet for the last 2 days, so I can only assume that they have now fledged.

25/05/14 In Area's 4 & 5, recently the birds have stayed pretty much the same. Todays highlights included a Coal Tit visiting the bird feeders , along with Great spotted Woodpecker .

18/05/14 In Area's 4 & 5, 28 species of birds were seen and heard today. Highlights included a calling male Cuckoo to the rear of Morrisons at 06:40 and a Great spotted Woodpecker feeding young at a nest site near Ripplestream Bridge. A femaleBlackcap was seen with beakfulls of insects and obviously feeding young. A pair of Coot are still on the flooded balancing pond, Swifts have now taken up their annual residence over Area 5.

17/05/14 In Area 1 (Gorrick Woods) 2 male Nightjar were again heard churring just after 21:00. A male Whitethroat was singing in Area 8 off Old Forest Road with Blackcap and Chiffchaff .

15/05/14 At 21:00 in Area 1 (Gorrick Woods) Paul Bright Thomas had a roding Woodcock and 2 male and 1 possible female Nightjar .

11/05/14

Swifts were seen over the Emm at 3 seperate locations this morning. In Area 10 (Dinton Pastures) by the sailing club, Area 8 (Old Forest Rd) and in Area 5 over my house to the rear of Morrisons. Numbers varied from 2-6. Also in Area 8 was a singing male Whitethroat , and a Kingfisher flew downstream towards the M4. In Area 7 a mini murmaration of Starlings (30+)was swirling above the houses in Ashton Road.

09/05/14 Further signs of successful breeding with a juvenile Robin seen coming to my Area 5 garden bird table.

08/05/14 At 06:30 2 Swallows flew low S over Area 5, also the now regular 2 Canada Geese flew N a few minutes later.

07/05/14

At the moment the Thames Water Balancing pond in Area 4, has a blocked outlet causing a large quantity of water to be held in the pond. This is however paying dividends for the local wildfowl. 4 Canada Geese and my first Coot of the year were seen at 8:00 this morning.

04/05/14

This morning in Area 5 a juvenille Song Thrush was seen begging food from one of its parents. Also a Kingfisher was seen flying upstream along the Emm by Ripplestream bridge

03/05/14 In area 10 Swifts were flying across the Emm at Dinton Pastures.

01/05/14 The breeding season for the birds along the Emm is in full swing. Starlings have allready fledged and groups of noisy youngsters can be seen following their parents aroud begging for food. In area 5 nestboxes13,15 and 42 are all occupied with Blue tit , the parents going back and forth feeding young..

Insects & Spiders

29/05/14

Despite the overcast start to the day. another couple of hours spent in Area 5 of the Emm behind Morrisons today produced, a first for me a Woundwort Shieldbug Eysarcoris ventustissmus, the Limond Cranefly Epiphraqma ocellare, a Common striped WoodlousePhiloscia muscorum and a Pill WoodlouseArmadillidium vulgare . In my neighbours garden was a Stag Beetle Lucanus cervus.

25/05/14 A couple of hours spent in Area 5 of the Emm behind Morrisons this morning produced, Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella and Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula , the Scorpion Fly Panorpa communis, Harlequin LadybirdHarmonia axyridolis and 14-spot LadybirdPropylea quattuordecim punctata. A first for the list today, with a Bramble Sawfly Arge cyanocrocea

19/05/14 Seen today on the way to work, dancing in the sunshine were several male Nemophora degeerellaThe male of this species of longhorn moth has exceptionally long antennae.

18/05/14

Extra butterflies seen today in Areas 4 & 5 to the rear of Morrisons were Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria , Small Tortoiseshell Aglais urticae and Holly Blue.Celastrina argiolus. In Area 5 more Comon Blue Damselfly Enallagana cyathigerumand an Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella were seen.

17/05/14

It was no suprise that the warm weather attracted lepidoptera out on the wing. in Areas 4,5 & 8. Butterflies seen were Orange tip Anthocharis cardamines,Brimstone Gonepteryx rhanni,Peacock Inachis io and Large WhitePieris brassicae. Day flying moths included Cinnabar Tyria jacobaeae, Clouded Border Lomaspilis margineta and Nettle Tap Anthoplia fabriciana. In Area 8 a May fly Ephemera dancia and Comon Blue Damselfly Enallagana cyathigerum were seen. Its that time of the year and the Shield Bug Coreus marinatun becomes very visible on riverside Docks. A bit of a bug hunt in the riverside vegetation revealed the , Red-and-black Froghopper Cercopis vulnnerztaa Spotted Cranefly Nephrotma addendiculata, 7 Spot LadybirdCoccinella 7 punctata and the Beetles Red-and-black Froghopper Malachius bipustulatusNettle Weevil Phylloobius pomaceus a green beetle.

16/05/14 Attracted to the streetlights in Area 5 tonight was a May bug Melolontha melolontha.

10/05/14

The first Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens`, was seen in Area 10 Dinton Pastures this morning.

11/05/14

In Area 8 this morning was an Oak Apple Gall . The Oak Apple Gall is caused by a tiny gall wasp, Biorhiza pallida . It can be found between May and June on oak twigs where the female has laid her eggs in the leaf bud. Inside the gall there are a number of chambers, each housing a larva which eats its way out. Adults emerge in June and July.

05/05/14

In Area 5 the micro moth Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis , was seen on the flowers of Forget me not.

03/05/14

The first Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens`, was seen in Area 10 Dinton Pastures this morning

Other Wildlife

Mammals

30/05/14 A Wood Mouse was seen today in Area 5 and a Common Pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus bat was seen at 21: 00 in Arthur Road.

17/05/14 On the way back to the car , following watching Nightjars in Area 5, ,a Common Pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus bat was seen flying up the forest rides.

02/05/14 At approx 20:00 between Ripplestream bridge and Dragonfly brridge in Area 5, to the rear of Morrisons and accompanied by my granddaughter Holly ,a Common Pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus bat was seen and heard using a bat detector.

Fish

Amphibians

Fungi

06/04/14

Plants/Trees

25/05/14

Dog-rose Rosa canina is a scrambling shrub, found along the Emm at this time of year . It is the most abundant of our native, wild roses, with sweet-scented pink or white flowers . Like many roses, the dog rose is covered with small, hooked spikes, which help it climb. Whilst usually restricted to about five metres in height, it can sometimes scramble still higher to the tops of tall trees.In the autumn, it produces bright red rosehips that are often eaten by birds.

18/05/14 Comfry Symphylum afficinale can now be seen in flower in both its purple and white forms all along the Emm. The white flowers of the umbellifer Cow Parsley Anthriscus sylvestris seem to have sprung into life. The Wildflower meadow still has Cowslips, Cuckoo flower and Meadow Buttercup .

17/05/14 In Area 5 Red Clover Trifolium pratense can now be seen in flower .Herb Robert Gernium robertianum and Common Vetch Vicia sativa were seen in Area 8.

04/05/14 Comfry Symphylum afficinale can now be seen in flower in both its purple and white forms all along the Emm. The white flowers of the umbellifer Cow Parsley Anthriscus sylvestris seem to have sprung into life. The Wildflower meadow still has Cowslips, Cuckoo flower and Meadow Buttercup .

Molluscs

For a review of the sightings along the Emm for the first 4 months of 2014 click here 2012 Sightings

For a review of 2012 sightings click here 2012 Sightings

For a review of 2013 sightings click here 2013 Sightings