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Latest Sightings July 2010

Click on the link to send in your sightings [email-masked]

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).

Click on any picture to see a larger image.

All sightings unless stated by Eddie Napper

Birds

27/07/10

As the weather has been fine for the last 2 days I decided
to walk to work along the Emm through Areas 4 &5. This has been very
productive and I have seen and heard the following Coot, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Gt Spotted Woodpecker,
Chiffchaff, Blackcap , Wren , Grey Wagtail, Carrion Crow, Red Kite Wood
Pigeon, Collared Dove, Nuthatch, Green Woodpecker, Blue Tit, Great Tit,
House Sparrow not bad for a 15 min walk.

20/07/10

Following the Bridge naming ceremony (See News page) a
Hobby were seen flying through Area 5.

19/07/10

At 06:30 a Common Tern were
seen flying SE in Area 5.

18/07/10

A Sparrowhawk were seen in Area
5.

13/07/10

At 20:00 4 Green Woodpeckers
were seen in Area 5.

11/07/10

At 07:00 2 Common Tern were
seen flying NW over Area 5. The birds were calling and one was carrying
a fish in its beak.

10/07/10

In Area 4 a Hobby was seen and
a singing male and a juvenile Chiffchaff .
Sighting by Paul Bright Thomas.

06/07/10

Seen over Area 5 today aRed
Kite

05/07/10

Seen at 07:00 over Area 4, 3 immature Cormorrant's flying NE. Sighting by Paul Bright
Thomas

04/07/10

Seen today in Area 5 Nuthatch, Great
Spotted Woodpecker, Goldfinch, Green Woodpecker

01/07/10

A Green Woodpecker
has been noisely calling in Area 5 during the last few days. in
Area 4 2 Grey Wagtails, a Mistle Thrush & Red
Kite were seen by Sue Farrington

Insects

24/07/10

Finally managed to ID the Blue Butterfly as a Common Blue this butterfly was enjoying the morning
sun in Area 5. A lot of butterflies were seen getting nectar from the
stands of Creeping Thistle. These included Red
Admiral , Gatekeeper , Meadow Browm , Comma
, Ringlet & Large White. Nearby a Speckled
Wood was seen.

18/07/10

In Area 5 Blue Butterflies have been seen. Unfortunately
not close enough to be ID. But I'll keep looking. Also Dragonflies seen
but again they don't stay still long enough either.

A very industrious Leaf Cutter
Bee has been filling the tubes in an Insect Nest box.

04/07/10

On the wing in Area 5 to the rear of
Morrisons were the following Butterflies Comma,
Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Large White, Small Tortishell, Small Skipper
& Green veined White .

03/07/10

Last nights moth trap in Area 5 produced 100 + moths of 35
species. Identification of some is still being sought. Details to
follow.

01/07/10 .

Keep an eye out for the Common Pollen Beetle (Meligethes aeneus)
This is a small black beetle with a metallic brassy or
blue-green sheen. It is very common, feeding in a very wide variety of
flowers, especially yellow species, from spring to late autumn, and may
descend in huge numbers on yellow items of clothing or washing hung out
to dry! It is an important pollinator. Along the Emm it can often be
seen in the flowers of Buttercup.

Other Wildlife

09/07/10

Whilst my fish ID skills are not 100 % especially as they
allways swim off as soon as you cast a shadow over the water I am sure
that I saw Roach of varying sizes at 3
locations in Area 5 .

Spiders

Alongside the Emm you can now see the
distinctive webs of the Dictyna genus of
spiders. These webs can be found on dry & dead heads of vegetation.

Mammals .

Plants

27/07/10

The Wildflower Meadow in Riverside Walk was mown today.
Meadows are usually managed in one of two ways, depending on when most
of the plants flower. Spring flowering meadows like Riverside Walk are
not mowed until after midsummer, then kept short into the autumn. The
arising hay is boxed and then removed , to help lower soil fertility.

23/07/10 .

Ragwort(Senecio
jacobaea. ) & Purple Loosestrife (
Lythrum salicaria ) . can now be seen alongside the Emm.
Other plants that are easily visible includeMeadow
Sweet (Filipendula ulmaria ) , Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense.) Bramble (Rubus fruticosus ) the first ripe
Blackberries are now appearing Hedge Bindweed
(Calystegia sepium) & Greater
Burdock( Arctium lappa ) .

04/07/10 .

Alongside the brook keep an eye out for
Great Hairy Willowherb Epilobium hirsutum.
.