Birds

31/10/14

The 2 Mute Swan cygnets were on the Emm again. this morning by Dragonfly Bridge to the rear of Morrisons.

30/10/14

Following on from yesterdays report I visited Area 5 by Dragonfly Bridge to the rear of Morrisons at 16:20 and 2 Mute Swan cygnets were on the Emm again. They look a fairly confiding pair and not worried by my presence.

29/10/14

Reported to me by Pam Small was that in Area 5 this afternoon 2 Mute Swan cygnets were on the Emm by Dragonfly Bridge to the rear of Morrisons. An adult Mute Swan was also apparently seen futher along the Emm. I missed it all and by the time I arrived only 2 Moorhen were seen. In Area 10 today, 1000 more Wood Pigeon went over South.

28/10/14

In Area 5 today, a flock of 300-500 Wood Pigeon went over South as I walked to my car at 07:30.

27/10/14

In Area 10 today, Fraser Cottington saw approx 2000 Wood Pigeon moving SW in flocks of 300-500 birds at 08:00.

25/10/14

In Area 5 today a Kingfisher was flushed from the Emm by a dog walker.

24/10/14

Over Area 5 today were 10, returning Redwing , 2 Egyptian Goose flying W and a Grey Wagtail .

22/10/14

A spot of visible migration today with 150-200 Wood Pigeon over Area 5 heading S .They were seen in 3 waves over 45 mins.

20/10/14

This morning in Area 4 Paul Bright-Thomas heard a Kingfisher on the Emm. A Great spotted Woodpecker was heading E, a Coal Tit flew through his garden , 10 Linnet flew SE and 7 Meadow Pipit flew over.

19/10/14

A walk around Heathlake (Area 1) this morning produced 6 Mute Swan, 3 Pochard , 8 Tufted Duck 20+ Coot, 1 Grey Heron, 3 Cormorrant, 2 Great Crested Grebe, a few Moorhen,15 Black headed Gull and numerous Mallard on the lake. A Grey Wagtail flew over.

17/10/14

Over Area 4, Paul Bright Thomas saw 2 Egyptian Gooseflying SW and a solitary Skylark moving low S.

15/10/14

With winter approaching the Area 5 Wood Pigeons seem to know something and are stocking up on berries, this is 1 of 3 that were feeding on Cotoneaster , 2 were later seen on a Rowan tree.

15/10/14 In Area 10 Fraser Cottington was again in the Lavells Lake, Sandford Lane car park field and saw , 3 Chiffchaff a few Meadow Pipit , 5-6 Swallow heading East, 9+ Redwing and maybe heard a Blackcap. Later approx over a 100 Redwing dropped in to the bushes above the Emmbrook.

10/10/14 In Area10, Fraser Cottington was in the Sandford Lane, Lavells Lake car park field today and saw 2 Blackcap and 3+ Chiffchaff a few Meadow Pipits. 20 + House Martin and 3 Swallow were heading S.

08/10/14 In Area 5 the Kingfisher was seen.

07/10/14 In Area 4 Paul Bright Thomas saw 2 Pied Wagtail and a Linnet over his house this morning.

05/10/14

The FOTEB inbox received this amazing email from Paula Hicklling who lives in Area 4. "Last weekend I was lucky enough to observe a Sparrowhawk chasing a bird across our garden. Unfortunately the bird flew into the garage window and was knocked onto the ground. Although thus escaping the clutches of the Sparrowhawk, it was just about to be caught by our Springer Spaniel, when my quick-thinking son grabbed it and scooped it to safety. It was only then that we realised the poor bird was in fact a male Kingfisher. Having taken a quick photo of it , we assessed that it had no obvious injuries and so carefully placed it under a bush in the garden and left it to it's own devices. After a nail-biting 30 minutes, it finally flew off much to our delight. The next day the Kingfisher repaid us by sitting on the rock in our pond for ages and promptly polished off the remaining small fish we had". It has apparently returned several more times.

03/10/14 I visited Area 10 this afternoon. 8 noisy Egyptian Geese flew over the Emm and a Grey Wagtail flew over by the Sailing Club area. In Area 2 to the rear of Tesco's a Chiffchaff was calling , Jackdaw , Rook and Carrion Crow were also in the horse paddocks. AGrey Heron was hunting for its lunch in amongst the reeds on the edge of the Emm.

02/10/14 Fraser Cottington was in the Area 10 Sandford lane car park field at lunchtime. There was a reasonable movement of birds going in all directions, 10+ Meadow Pipits , Pied Wagtail , 2 Grey Wagtail , 3 Song Thrush and 40+ Chaffinch all West, spread over an hour in groups of 6-10+. Also 4 Ring-necked Parakeet were flying to the East.

01/10/14 In Area 5 a Red Kite was sat at the top of a neighbours Leylandi tree calling at 07:30 this morning.

Insects

19/10/14

In the Area 5 afternoon sun a Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta was feeding on the nectar of Ivy flowers. Also visiting was Honey Bee Aphis melifera , Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris .

16/10/14 A Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis was seen in Area 5 as it landed on my house window., probably looking for somewhere to spend the winter. Ladybirds hibernate through the winter as adult insects.

11/10/14 Enjoying a bit of sun in Area 5 this morning were 2 butterflies Speckled Wood Parage aegeria and Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta

07/10/14 With the colder, wetter Autumnal weather certainly here , the Insects are visiting the Ivy that is currently in flower.Ivy is a common and widespread native British plant that flowers in the autumn. It is the main autumn source of pollen and nectar for flower-visiting insects. Flowers are only produced on mature ivy, which has oval leaves. The well-known five pointed leaves are found on immature ivy, which does not have flowers. The flowers are not showy, and many people are unaware that ivy even has flowers. Seen mostly were Honey Bee Aphis melifera and Green Bottle Lucilia sericata

03/10/14

With what appears to be the last sunny day for awhile, I visited Area's 2,3 and 10 this afternoon checking for Insects

In Area 10, Butterflies were on the wing and enjoying the sun , Speckled Wood Parage aeggeria , Large White Pieris brassicae , Common Blue Polyommatus icarus andwere also seen.

Dragonflies seen were a Southern Hawker Aeshna cyanea and a Male Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum .

Plants/Trees

23/10/14

A few splashes of colour can still be seen on the banks of the Emm with the yellow of Ragwort Jacobaea vulgaris and the white of the umbellifer Common Hogweed Heracleum sphondylium still hanging on.

07/10/14 Along the Emm Common Ivy Hendra helix is coming into flower Ivy is a common and widespread native British plant that flowers in the autumn. It is the main autumn source of pollen and nectar for flower-visiting insects. Flowers are only produced on mature Ivy, which has oval leaves. The well-known five pointed leaves are found on immature Ivy, which does not have flowers. The flowers are not showy, and many people are unaware that Ivy even has flowers.

Fungi

25/10/14

In Area 5 a Fly Agaric Amanita muscaria has emerged under the Silver Birch trees.

Molluscs

13/09/14

Other Wildlife

Fish/ Crustacean

Mammals

At 06:45 in Area 5 a young Red Fox Vulpes vulpeswas seen running through Brookside.

03/10/14

In Area 2 to the rear of Tesco's, 2 young Roe Deer Capreolus capreoluswere feeding on the grass in the horse paddocks.

Amphibians

2710/14

In a month of exciting sightings in Area 5, Tony Hayward walked out of his front door to find this Smooth Newt Lissotriton vulgaris on his doormat. It was alive and well and quickly relocated to the back garden. The smooth newt is the UK's most widespread newt species, found throughout Britain and Ireland. Like the common frog, smooth newts may colonise garden ponds.

19/10/14

In Area 1 at Heathlake an as yet unidentified terrapin was seen basking in the sun on the Island.

For a review of the sightings along the Emm for the first 8 months of 2014 click here May - August 2014 Sightings