Weekend Insect searching at the reservoirs...

This afternoon I combined a shopping trip with checking Wilstone – this time concentrating on the Dragonflies and Damselflies. Anyway Red-eyed Damselflies were on the surface vegetation with Common Blues close to the bank. Further along on the surface vegetation in the West Corner there were good number of Blue-tailed Damselflies and further away from the bank Small red-eyed Damselflies were also about. Larger relatives present included Emperor, Black-tailed Skimmer and my first Four-spotted Chaser on the reservoirs (Roy Hargreaves).

First autumn passage WHIMBRELS

A very pleasant evening at Wilstone tonight with many juvenile Common Terns fledged and begging for food on the straw bales.

Highlight was at 2108 when 3 WHIMBRELS flew in high from the east, gradually dropping in height as they circled looking for somewhere to land. After attempting to drop down on the tiny bit of mud near the hide they thought better of it and headed up and over the poplars towards Broughton (Rob Andrews)

More non-naturalised BARNACLE GEESE

Sunday 4 July

College Lake: 1 Common Sandpiper, in additional to the usual Redshanks, Oycs and Lapwings

Sewage Lagoon: Green Sandpiper remains

Wilstone: 3 non-naturalised BARNACLE GEESE arrived 08:55 and briefly joined the Greylag Geese flock on the water between the hide and car park steps; after a while they relocated to the opposite side of the Drayton bank viewable only from the hide. They remained until evening. Also present were 6 Common Sandpipers on the bales and a Hummingbird Hawkmoth briefly investigating the Willowherbs by the old overflow (David Bilcock).

Todays COMMON GREENSHANK at College - images

This adult COMMON GREENSHANK was still present on the main marsh this evening (David Bilcock)

COMMON GREENSHANK in College Lake

Steps Hill / Beacon: Only managed 5 DARK GREEN FRITILLARIES walking from duke gulley, below the beacon, along the bottom of Steps Hill to the far side of Incombe Hole.

College Lake BBOWT: 1 COMMON GREENSHANK on the marsh and an early Ruddy darter in the ditch along footpath to hide (David Bilcock).

Dave's snippets - returning post-breeding waders and dispersing juvenile COMMON CROSSBILLS

Sewage Lagoon: Green Sandpiper still present

Wilstone: 2 Common Sandpipers and 1st juvenile Little Egret of the autumn

Wendover Hale End: 5 COMMON CROSSBILLS over the clearing heading towards the car park (all females/juvs), single Silver-washed Fritillary flying around tree tops at 7:30am (David Bilcock).

PYRAMMIDAL ORCHIDS

JULY 2010

FRIDAY 02 JULY

Some light relief early on when a band of light drizzle passed across the Chilterns. The heat soon returned though and by late afternoon, it was muggy and hot again. Temperatures peaked at 28 degrees C, although the sun struggled to break through the heavy cloud.

I reserved today to do a full circuit of North Buckinghamshire and eventually recorded 68 species. Highlights included breeding TREE SPARROW, YELLOW WAGTAIL and new HOUSE MARTIN colonies but biggest disappointment was failing to locate the breeding Goosanders and again failing to find Grey Partridge.....

IVINGHOE HILLS NR (BUCKS)

I checked out the ''Duke Cutting'' at Ivinghoe this afternoon and was delighted to see good numbers of very fresh DARK GREEN FRITILLARY butterflies on the wing on the more open area just north of the S bend at Ivinghoe. There were several Marbled Whites as well, along with Meadow Browns and Ringlets, as well as 27 Pyrammidal Orchids and several hundred jaded Common Spotted Orchids.

DAGNALL (BEDFORDSHIRE)

Just inside Bedfordshire and west of the B4506 (at SP 995 174), there are some amazing fields completely covered in Red Poppies - a staggering sight.