Birds

27/09/15

A good birding morning on my stroll around Area 5 and 4. Seen were 2 Grey Wagtail in the Smiths Walk balancing pond. A pair of Mallard were enjoying the pond and a male Bullfinch flew into a Sloe bush. A Coal Tit was visiting my garden feeders and a Chiffchaff was feeding in the same Sloe bush as the Bullfinch.

26/09/15

At 06:30 this morning over Area 5 garden a Canada Goose flew over calling. At 14:00 approx 20 House Martin and Swallow flew over my garden heading S and earlier in the morning a rattling Mistle Thrush was sitting high in a dead tree behind Morrissons.Also heard were a calling Chiffchaff, Great spotted Woodpecker and Nuthatch.

25/09/15

Today, passage was lighter, with two Wheatear on the landfill. Less than 20 Meadow Pipit were seen today today, but a Linnett flew over.

24/09/15

Fraser Cottington wasat the bottom of the car park field today , a large flock of 100+ Meadow Pipit, were moving about. A 200+ mixed House Martin and Swallow were lingering to the NE of Lea Farm. As usual Nuthatch was present, calling nearby.

24/09/15

Over my Area 5 garden at 18:00 evening at least 30+ House Martin heading S and earlier in the morning a calling Chiffchaff was behind Morrissons.

23/09/15

With a better days weather Fraser Cottington was again watching around the car park field. There was ittle happening at first, just 1-2 Blackcap calling 2 Chiffchaff , 2-3 Meadow Pipit over, then he spotted a juvenile Stonechat , that was perched high on the top branches of the scrub in the middle compound.Photo coursety of Fraser Cottington.

22/09/15

Fraser Cottington did a very quick visit to the Area 10 car park field off Sandford Lane and had a large flock of House Martin over the landfill, at least 500, but with many others spread out, it was more likely 1000 birds. Also 2-3 Mistle Thrush .

18/09/15

In Area 10 more visible signs of migration with 100 + and House Martin flying over the car park field heading S.

17/09/15

In Area 4 Paul Bright Thomas had the first FOTEB Meadow Pipit of the Autumn flying over his house.

15/09/15

In Area 1 to the rear of Tesco's at least 20 hirundines mostly House Martin and Swallow were drifting slowly S this morning.

14/09/15

In Area 1 today on Heath Lake were 15 Coot, Mallard, Mute Swan, Great crested Grebe and at least 80 Canada Geese .

13/09/15

In Area 8 today by Old Forest Road were 4 female Pheasantmeanwhile in Area 10 Fraser Cottington was leading the Friends of Lavells Lake bird walk and saw and heard 4 Ring-necked Parakeet, 3 Song Thrush, Nuthatch and Blackcap . A Grey Wagtail heading E, Spotted Flycatcher and House Martin,Sand Martin and Swallow heading S in groups of 20-100.

10/09/15

The Area 10 car park field was visited again. A Coal Tit and Lesser Whitethroat were seen by Fraser Cottington and a Hobby was seen by R A Price. Meanwhile in Area 4 a Linnet flew over Paul Bright-Thomas garden.

09/09/15

Paul Bright-Thomas had a Blackcap and a Kingfisher heading E along the Emm in Area 4. Trevor Guyatt saw a Spotted Flycatcher perched on a dead branch by the Emm in Area 10. 12 Canada Geese were calling and flying to roost at Windmill Pond in Area 5 at 20:00.

07/09/15

A Spotted Flycatcher was seen in the carpark field in Area 10 by M Kettell and a Kestrel flew over Area 4 and was seen by Paul Bright-Thomas.

06/09/15

Insects

27/09/15

In todays Area 5 sunshine a Common Drone Fly t Eristalis tenax was seen,along with a Earwig Forficula auricularia and a Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina . A Large White Pieris brassicae butterfly was also seen briefly. -

26/09/15

A bit of sun in Area 5 this afternoon and a very tatty looking Speckled Wood t Pararge aegeria was on the wing.

18/09/15

With the intoduction of Cows in the car pak field in Area 10 it means that the Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria has appeared . The adult fly is mainly carnivorous and catches smaller insects, though also eats nectar. As the name suggests, this fly lays its eggs mainly on cowpats.

12/09/15

On the Raspberries in my Area 5 garden today was a final instar nymph Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina .

09/09/15

In Area 1 a Hornet Vespa crabro was feeding of the flowers of Clematis.

05/09/15

In my Area 5 garden was a Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba was sitting amongst the Marrow plants. By the Balancing pond in Area 4 was a Common European Earwing Forficula auricularia sitting on Bristly Oxtongue.

01/09/15

Several Large White Sympetrum striolatum were seen moving through my Area 5 garden today. The caterpillars of the same are also enjoying the leaves of my Cabbages.

Other Wildlife

Mammals

27/09/15

In Area 4, this morning in the channel through the Smiths Walk balancing pond was a slightly dishevelledFox Vulpes vulpes. As Autumn approaches the number of sightings of Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis are increasing

13/09/15

18/09/15

In Area 10 to the rear of the car park field a lone Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus was feeding amongst the grass. At least 20 Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus were also seen. In Area 9 at Blackberry Gardens, Roe Deer droppings were seen in the grass

13/09/15

In Area 8 in the ploughed fields of Old Forest Road at 07:45 were 3 Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus feeding at the edges. The Roe Deer is our most common native deer, Roe Deer tend to be solitary in summer, but can form small, loose groups in winter.

09/09/15

The solitary Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus bat was again flying around the hedge in my Area 5 front garden at 20:00 tonight

Fungi

The

Amphibians

Molluscs

18/09/15

In Area 9 in Blackberry Meadows several Black Slug Arion ater were enjoying the recent rain.

Fish/ Crustacean

Plant/Trees

18/09/15

Around the edges of the carpark field in Area 10 are Spindleberry Euonymus europaeus in Autumn its narrow leaves turn reddish purple and it has unusual shaped bright pink fruits..

13/09/15

In Area 8 this morning off Old Forest Road seen were Common Toadflax Linaria vulgaris,Flebane Pulicaria dysenterica,Michaelmas Daisy Asternovi-belgii and Common Comfrey Symphytum officinale.

09/09/15

In Area 1 Old Mans Beard Clematis vitalba which is the UK's only native Clematis was seen scrambling through hedgerows and attracting insects to its flowers.

05/09/15

Down by the pond in Area 5 today Marsh Marigold Pulicaria dysentrica has stated to flower.

02/09/15

With the group putting a lot of time at the Area 5 pond, removing weeds and planting wildflower seeds, Sue Farrington and Renee have undertaken a survey of what plants and flowers are there all ready. These are: Fool's Water-cress Apium nodiflorum Trifid Bur-marigold Bidens tripartita Wavy Bitter-cress Cardamine flexuosa Fat-hen Chenopodium album Great Willowherb Epilobium hirsutum Hoary Willowherb Epilobium parviflorum Water Mint Mentha aquatica Myosoton aquaticum Water Pepper Persicaria hydropiper Redshank Persicaria maculosa Broad-leaved DockMarsh Marigold Rumex obtusifolius Woody Nightshade or Bittersweet Solanum dulcamara

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