Nature around Watlington
Cheeky Chafinch busy throwing seeds around. They are very picky but the doves are happy to clear up on the ground.
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Sparrow hawk watching bird feeder, watched by blue tit.
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Greater spotted woodpecker Day flying six spot Burnet moth.
Nature Notes
One of the main observations since writing the ‘Notes’ for the last ‘Gossip’ was the absence of our usual summer butterflies. To date (Late July) I have only seen one Painted Lady, about three Red Admirals and no Holly Blues. Even the Small Tortoiseshells, Peacocks, Orange Tips and Brimstones have been in short supply. Whilst as an allotment holder I should be pleased there has also been a scarcity of the, so called, Cabbage Whites. The Large White and Small White butterflies are normally in profusion at this time of year and their caterpillars decimate grower’s brassica’s.
However when the hay was cut on the Angel Field/Millennium Green on the 17th July there were large numbers of Meadow Brown and Large Skipper butterflies on the wing. Also when the hay was being cut a number of Cinnabar Moths were also seen. Whilst at home on the 11th June there was a very nice caterpillar of a Vapourer Moth. This is a rather striking little caterpillar with what appear to be two horns on its head, a tail, four cream tufts along its back and red spots along the sides of its dark brown hair covered body. This showy display presumably tells birds that it is not good to eat. On the 1st July a newly emerged Large Skipper butterfly was on a Rhubarb leaf inflating its new wings.
The insects which have been noticeable by their large numbers have been Damselflies. They have been observed in our garden, on the allotments and on the Angel Field/Millennium Green. Whilst at the fishing lakes at Stow Bridge there were clouds of them along with Dragonflies. Several people have asked me how you tell the difference between a Damselfly and a Dragonfly. Damselflies are smaller and much daintier than most Dragonflies. However the best way to tell them apart is to observe them when they are resting on a plant stem. The Dragonflies always rest with their wings out-stretched whilst the Damselflies always fold their wings along their body.
I have had some very good views of Red Kites around the village since the last ‘Gossip’ was published. I saw my first Swift of the year on the 14th May over the Millennium Green which I think was a little later than usual. Whist since then I have been pleased to observe as many as twenty performing their aerial flights over the ‘Green’. They can be seen elsewhere around the village but the ‘Green’ is a really good place to watch them.
At home a pair of Great Tits reared a brood of young in one of our nest boxes. The young left their nest on the 16th May. Whilst a number of young Blackbirds, Starlings and House Sparrows have been brought to our garden to be fed. We also regularly have a pair of Goldfinches (King Harry’s) come to our feeders, as do Blue Tits, Great Tits, the occasional Chaffinch, numerous Wood Pigeons and Collared Doves. Dunnocks almost never go on the table but feed on the ground underneath it. Whilst a Wren regularly hunts our fences for insects.
Our Hedgehogs continue to come to feed each evening and at least two Bats fly over our and our neighbour’s gardens in search of insects.
One of the main observations since writing the ‘Notes’ for the last ‘Gossip’ was the absence of our usual summer butterflies. To date (Late July) I have only seen one Painted Lady, about three Red Admirals and no Holly Blues. Even the Small Tortoiseshells, Peacocks, Orange Tips and Brimstones have been in short supply. Whilst as an allotment holder I should be pleased there has also been a scarcity of the, so called, Cabbage Whites. The Large White and Small White butterflies are normally in profusion at this time of year and their caterpillars decimate grower’s brassica’s.
However when the hay was cut on the Angel Field/Millennium Green on the 17th July there were large numbers of Meadow Brown and Large Skipper butterflies on the wing. Also when the hay was being cut a number of Cinnabar Moths were also seen. Whilst at home on the 11th June there was a very nice caterpillar of a Vapourer Moth. This is a rather striking little caterpillar with what appear to be two horns on its head, a tail, four cream tufts along its back and red spots along the sides of its dark brown hair covered body. This showy display presumably tells birds that it is not good to eat. On the 1st July a newly emerged Large Skipper butterfly was on a Rhubarb leaf inflating its new wings.
The insects which have been noticeable by their large numbers have been Damselflies. They have been observed in our garden, on the allotments and on the Angel Field/Millennium Green. Whilst at the fishing lakes at Stow Bridge there were clouds of them along with Dragonflies. Several people have asked me how you tell the difference between a Damselfly and a Dragonfly. Damselflies are smaller and much daintier than most Dragonflies. However the best way to tell them apart is to observe them when they are resting on a plant stem. The Dragonflies always rest with their wings out-stretched whilst the Damselflies always fold their wings along their body.
I have had some very good views of Red Kites around the village since the last ‘Gossip’ was published. I saw my first Swift of the year on the 14th May over the Millennium Green which I think was a little later than usual. Whist since then I have been pleased to observe as many as twenty performing their aerial flights over the ‘Green’. They can be seen elsewhere around the village but the ‘Green’ is a really good place to watch them.
At home a pair of Great Tits reared a brood of young in one of our nest boxes. The young left their nest on the 16th May. Whilst a number of young Blackbirds, Starlings and House Sparrows have been brought to our garden to be fed. We also regularly have a pair of Goldfinches (King Harry’s) come to our feeders, as do Blue Tits, Great Tits, the occasional Chaffinch, numerous Wood Pigeons and Collared Doves. Dunnocks almost never go on the table but feed on the ground underneath it. Whilst a Wren regularly hunts our fences for insects.
Our Hedgehogs continue to come to feed each evening and at least two Bats fly over our and our neighbour’s gardens in search of insects.
