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Latest Sightings June 2012

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 under Monitoring ). .

All sightings unless stated are from personal observations by Eddie Napper

Birds

Click on any picture to see a larger image

24/06/12 Highlight of the day was a party of
26 Swifts heading west over Area 5 possibly
towards Dinton Pastures.

21/06/12 A Hobby
was seen flying over the Emm to the rear of Morissons in Area 5
this evening.

15/06/12 This juvenille Blackcap was being fed by its mother just before
this picture.

14/06/12 Missing during the wet weather 3
Swifts were seen this morning in Area 5.

13/06/12 A juvenille male Great Spotted Woodpecker was on the feeders in my
Area 5 garden with a male Bullfinch . At
06:20 this morning a Mute Swan was flying W.

09/06/12 Still signs of successful
breeding with a family of 4 Long tailed tits
seen working their way through the Brook side bushes in Area 5.
The Swifts were struggling in the blustry
conditions this morning and a male Bullfinch
has started to revisit my garden feeders. This juvenille Grey Heron was
on the banks of the Emm in Clifton Road (Area 6) this morning. Sighting
by Paul Goulbourn.

05/06/12 It was big bird day over the Emm
today. A pair of Grey Herons were seen flying
W this morning over Area 5. A pair of Red Kites
and a single Buzzard were seen on the
thermals this afternoon before the rain.

04/06/12 A possible first for me this
morning with a Reed Warbler singing from
scrub in Area 4 mid way between Ripplestream and Kingfisher Bridge.
Allthough it was only seen briefly a recording was made of its song. ID
to be confirmed.

02/06/12 Maybe it was the change in the
weather today, but bird numbers overall seemed down. Male Blackcaps however were in full song with a few
impressed females in close attendance. A Moorhen
was on the Emm by Kingfisher Bridge and a pair of Stock Doves were feding on the path by Ripplestream
Bridge.

Insects/ Spiders

Click on any picture to see a larger image

28/06/12 In Area 5 this morning the first
Meadow Brown butterfly was seen.

26/06/12 In Area 5 this morning on the walk
to work in the sunshine Red Admiral and Small Skipper butterflies were seen.

24/06/12 Whilst gardening in Area 5 this
afternoon, this common but new for the FOTEB list Mangora acalypha spider was seen.

23/06/12 Walking along the Emm to the rear
of Morissons this morning and this Lacewing caught my eye. It is a Chrysopa perla . This green lacewing can be
distinguished by its blueish tinge and its extensive black head
markings.

17/06/12 In Area 5 this morning a Speckled Bush Cricket nymph was sunning its self on
nettle leaves.Also seen were the hoverflies Volucella pellucens & Helophilus pendulus and the Damselflies Large Red & Common Blue .

16/06/12 In Area 8 adacent to Old Forest
Road a male Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly
was seen.

03/06/12 I have often wondered how
Butterflies survive the rain. This might be the answer. This Large White has just parked up and looks as if it
is just waiting for the rain to stop..

02/06/12 A good variety of Insects today
seen in Areas 4 & 5. These included a male of the amazing micro moth
Nemophora degeebella . Their antennae
are up to 4 times longer than their wings.The Solider Beetle Cantharis nigricans but for me the best of
all a nymph Dark Bush Cricket(Pholidoptera
griseoaptera ) sitting on Bramble.

01/06/12 A male Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo )
damselfly was sunning itself on bankside vegetation near
Ripplestream bridge in Area 5.

Plants/Trees

02/06/12 Along the banks of the Brook,
Umbillifers are in flower , these are members of the carrot or parsley
family. This is a group of mostly aromatic plants with hollow stems and
usually produce masses of frothy, white flowers in umbrella-like
clusters. Most common are Cow Parsley (
Anthriscus sylvestris) ) also referred to as 'Queen Anne's
Lace" and Hemlock . Hemlock which can
grow to 2m tall is poisionous and can be told from other umbillifers by
the purple blotches on its stem.

Other Wildlife

Click on any picture to see a larger image

Molluscs

09/06/12 The recent wet weather has been
good for Molluscs. As you walk along the Brook good numbers of White lipped Snail ( Cepaea hortensis ) )
can be seen on the riverside vegetation.

Fungi

Mammals

19/06/12 Rudely awoken from my sleep this
morning at 02:30 by a noisy Red Fox that was
calling outside my Area 5 house.

16/06/12 A bit of a suprise in Area8 this
morning when I spooked this Roe Deer and its
fawn from the long grass.

Amphibians

24/06/12 Whilst mowing the lawn this
afternoon a Common Frog was seen hopping
through the undergrowth, thankfully away from the mower. .