It is still fairly quiet, with birds busily feeding young and the warblers starting their second broods. There has been a good number of typical Central London butterflies, though moth trapping hasn't been very productive.
There was a slight hic-cup with the sight recently so this is a bit of a catch up as to what has been going on recently.
The drake Garganey has been moulting into his eclipse plumage, slightly sooner than the drakes in the collection. So at the moment he is the scruffiest bird there.
The Little Owl put on a good showing during the early part of last week, on one occasion he walked underneath my vehicle.
There has been at least three broods of Green Woodpeckers, as young have been seen in area 2, 25 and 31.
The Little Grebe hasn't hatched her eggs in area 26 yet.
This brood of Moorhens hatched in an upturned litter basket in the rearing pond. The parent birds have had to defend them vigorously from the constant dive bombing from an hungry Lesser Black-backed Gull.
Recently emerged Commas butterflies have been seen in most areas with suitable habitat.
Emperor Dragonflies mating, this species can be see hunting for insects over the sheltered areas of long grass.
Black-tailed Skimmersm male above and female below.
White Ermine
Peppered Moth
Burnished Brass
Six Spot Burnet, large numbers of these can be found in the quiet corner of area 29.
Lesser Stag Beetle
There was a slight hic-cup with the sight recently so this is a bit of a catch up as to what has been going on recently.
The drake Garganey has been moulting into his eclipse plumage, slightly sooner than the drakes in the collection. So at the moment he is the scruffiest bird there.
The Little Owl put on a good showing during the early part of last week, on one occasion he walked underneath my vehicle.
There has been at least three broods of Green Woodpeckers, as young have been seen in area 2, 25 and 31.
The Little Grebe hasn't hatched her eggs in area 26 yet.
This brood of Moorhens hatched in an upturned litter basket in the rearing pond. The parent birds have had to defend them vigorously from the constant dive bombing from an hungry Lesser Black-backed Gull.
Recently emerged Commas butterflies have been seen in most areas with suitable habitat.
Emperor Dragonflies mating, this species can be see hunting for insects over the sheltered areas of long grass.
Black-tailed Skimmersm male above and female below.
White Ermine
Peppered Moth
Burnished Brass
Six Spot Burnet, large numbers of these can be found in the quiet corner of area 29.
Lesser Stag Beetle
Comments
I haven't set the trap up much this year, due to work commitments. I haven't had any hawkmoths yet. I normally only record a handful every year, Poplar Hawkmoth being the commonest.
Tony
This looks like the work of a crow.
Young woodpeckers are very vulnerable during their first few days after fledging.
Didn't have my camera on me yesterday.