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Latest Sightings July 2011

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). .

All sightings unless stated are from personal observations by Eddie Napper

Birds

Click on any picture to see a larger image

31/07/11 Very appropriately today 31
species of birds were seen & heard in Areas 4 &5. Star
performers were a Grey Wagtail seen on the
mud near the balancing pond outlet, 2 juvenille Goldcrests and the Kingfisher
was seen again just upstream of Dragonfly Bridge . Also seen were
Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit,
Chaffinch, Greenfinch,Goldfinch, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Jay, Starling,
Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Stock Dove, Herring Gull, Robin, Wren,
Blackbird, Song Thrush, Red Kite, Green Woodpecker, Great spotted
Woodpecker, Nuthatch, House Sparrow , Mallard, Moorhen, Chiffchaff &
Blackcap .

30/07/11 A Kingfisher
was seen again on 4 occasions in Area 5 this morning and a Whitethroat, Chiffchaff & Blackcap and a small
"charm " of 8 Goldfinch including 1 juvenille
were seen feeding in the brook side vegetation.

29/07/11 The Kingfisher
was seen this morning flying upstream towards Ripple Stream
bridge at 07:40.

28/07/11 Approx 30 Swifts were seen flying high over Area 5 this
evening . This is the highest count seen this year and maybe a sign that
they are massing before migrating back to Africa.

25/07/11 More raptors today with a juv Kestrel and a Hobby over
Area 4 seen by Paul Bright Thomas. Coal Tit
and 2 Linnets were also seen.

24/07/11 The male Bullfinch has returned to feeders in Area 5 and a
Sparrowhawk was seen chasing Blackbirds
through back gardens. In Area 4 Paul Bright Thomas was in his back
garden cutting the hedge and also managed to see screaming Swifts and a hat-trick of hirundines with Swallow, House Martin and 8 Sand Martins .

20/07/11 A late night visit to Area 1
(Gorrick Woods ) between 21:00 & 22:00 produced 3 churring Nightjars and a pair of calling Tawny Owls .

19/07/11 In Area 5 this morning a Whitethroatt was seen picking Insects from the
brookside vegetation, at the same time a Kingfisher
.flew upstream. Just downstream of Ripple Stream bridge a female
Mallard was staying close to the reeds with 3
tiny ducklings.

16/07/11 Todays highlights were in Area 5 a
Cormorrant flying East and a Goldcrest . A Skylark
was seen rising from a field of wheat in Area 8.

15/07/11 30 species of birds were seen &
heard In Area 5 today.Highlight for me was a Treecreeper seen near Dragonfly Bridge. Also seen
were Nuthatch, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle
Thrush,Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Stock Dove, Goldfinch, Greenfinch,
Chaffinch, Blut Tit, Great Tit, Swift, House Sparrow, Moorhen, Magpie,
Dunnock,Wren, Jay, Herring Gull, Carrion Crow, ,Grey Heron, Red Kite,
Bullfinch , Herring Gull, Green Woodpecker, Great spotted Wodpecker,
Blackcap, Chiffchaff, & Wren .

14/07/11 The Kingfisher
was heard calling this morning before being seen flying towards
upstream towards Ripple Stream Bridge. again today .

12/07/11 In Area 4 & 5 this morning a
Hobby was seen flying east. A Grey Wagtail was in the brook near Meadow Road
bridge.

11/07/11 Seen on the way to work this
morning this female Blackcap was feeding on
insects in the hogweed alongside the brook in Area 5 with a family of
Chiffchaff's and Blue Tits before flying to
the Elderberry bush

10/07/11 During this afternoons Balsam
pulling event 4 Red Kites were seen drifting
& calling over Area 4 near Kingfisher Bridge. Also seen earlier in
the day were 15+ Swifts over Area 5.

08/07/11 The Kingfisher
was seen at 12:00 in Area 4 by Malcom Dunmore while pulling
Balsam along the brook upstream of Kingfisher Bridge.

07/07/11 In this mornings rain in Area 5 22
Thrushes were feeding in the open space between Dragonfly Bridge &
Ripple Stream Bridge in Area 5. These were made up of Blackbirds, Mistle Thrush & Song Thrushes. Seen
again at 07:30 the Kingfisher was perched on
his favourite stick at the opening midway between Ripplestream &
Dragonfly Bridge. This time he flew upstream towards Ripple Stream
Bridge.

06/07/11 The Kingfisher
was in Area 5 this moning at 07:30 before flying downstream
towards Dragonfly Bridge.

04/07/11 A Hobby
was seen in Area 4 by Paul Bright Thomas this morning whilst
putting out his rubbish.

02/07/11 A Goldcrest
& Coal Tit . were seen in Area 5 this morning. The Kingfisher was also seen perched near Dragonfly
Bridge.

01/07/11 In Area 4 &; 5 (Riverside Walk
) this morning summer migrants were still singing notably Chiffchaff &; Blackcap . Also seen were Nuthatch, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush,Wood
Pigeon, Collared Dove, Stock Dove, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Chaffinch,
Mallard, Blut Tit, Great Tit, Swift, House Sparrow, Moorhen, Magpie,
Jay, Herring Gull, Carrion Crow, ,Grey Heron, Sparrowhawk, Red Kite,
Bullfinch & Wren .

Insects/ Spiders

Click on any picture to see a larger image

31/07/11 With a very warm and sunny day in
Area 4 &; 5 (Riverside Walk ) it was no suprise that butterflies
were on the wing. Those seen included Speckled Wood,
Large White, Red Admiral, Holly Blue; Gatekeeper & Small Skipper
.. Large numbers of 7 spot Ladybirds
can be seen on the brookside vegetation.

23/07/11 A trip to the Wildflower Meadow
with the sweep net produced several species of Grasshoppers (More to
follow later ) and the ground beetle Pterostichus
madidus .

14/07/11 A slightly longer walk home this
evening took in the grassy meadows adjacent to the Emm in Area 2 to the
rear of Tesco's. Butterflies seen were Red Admiral,
Green veined White, Ringlet & Meadow Brown . New for this
years butterfly list were Small Copper , Small
Skipper & Gatekeeper this brings this years total to 18.

12/07/11 On the Ragwort along the bank of the Emm in Area 5
wereCinnabar caterpillars. The yellow &
black caterpillar turns into red & black moth. These bold colours
and patterns warn birds and other predators that this species is
extremely unpleasant to eat.

11/07/11 Gloworms
were seen in Area 1 (Gorrick Woods) late this evening by Paul
Bright Thomas.

10/07/11 At the risk of becoming
repetitive seen in Area 5 today yet another new species for the FOTEB
Butterfly list. This Essex Skipper was seen
in Area 5 just downstream of Dragonfly Bridge. Despite its name, the
Essex Skipper is now found over much of the southern half of England .
It is very similar to the Small Skipper but can be seperated by the
colour of the underside of the tips of the antennae. In the Essex
Skipper, this area is black and in the Small Skipper it is brown. This
holds true for both sexes.

09/07/11 Another new species for the FOTEB
moth list. This 6 spot Burnet was seen in
Area 5. It shares the same larval food plants as the Narrow-bordered
Five spot Burnet and was found in the same area of grass.

This caterpillar believed to be
that of the Ruby Tiger moth was found in the
Wildflower meadow in Area 5. ID by Martin Harvey.

03/07/11 Another new species for the FOTEB
moth list. This Narrow -bordered Five-spot
Burnet was seen near its larval food plant of Birds foot Trefoil
in Area 5. Also seen was a Holly Blue . This
brings the FOTEB butterfly list for 2011 to 14 species.

02/07/11 Seen on the umbelliforus
flowerheads of Hogweed the Rose Chafer Cetonia
aurata . The rose chafer is one of our larger and more
attractive beetles. The upper surfaces are an iridescent emerald green
and bronze colour. The underside is a bronze colour. There are ragged
white marks running widthways across the wing casings which look like
fine cracks. Rose chafers are usually seen in sunny weather feeding on
the petals of flowers - especially roses. In the long grass near the Acorn
Community Centre in this mornings sunshine were the following
butterflies Large White, Small Tortoiseshell &
Large Skipper . Also seen was the first Ringlet of the year .

Other Wildlife

Click on any picture to see a larger image

Amphibians

14/07/11 ACommon Frog
was seen hopping near the balancing pond by Smiths Walk in Area 4
this afternoon.

Coarse Fish

Mammals

14/07/11 My walk to work was a bit later
this morning and a Muntjac deer was seen
running along the hedge line in Area 5. Possibly flushed by a dog walker
that I met later who informed me that she had also seen Roe Deer twice this month by the Brook in Area 5.

11/07/11 Seen in the pre moth trap
preperations 5 Pipistrelle bats were flying
around the trees in Brookside.

01/07/11

A Hedgehog was seen rummaging
through the gardens in Brookside Area 5 this evening. A lot of people at
this time of year may have hedgehogs visit the garden but never see
them. A good sign to look for is the distinctive Hedgehog poo. The
droppings of a healthy hedgehog consist of little dark brown/black
sausages about 3 - 6 cm long

Plants/Trees

16//07/11 The Great
Reed Mace or Bulrush .can now be seen in Area 8. It has tall
stems bearing cylindrical, brown flower heads topped by a spire of
smaller male flowers It is a familiar plant of freshwater margins Its
impressive stance - with long leaves and tall stems - makes it stand out
from other wetlands plants.

01/07/11 Purple
Loosestrife.can now be seen near Ripplestream Bridge