Monday 29 September 2014

Foggy North Cliffe Wood

 We arrived at North Cliffe Wood in very dense fog. The silhouettes of gulls and partridges could be just made up in the fields. The light in the woods was quite poor and I had to use the flash more than I would have liked. Despite the almost total lack of sun during our visit, we managed to find a good diversity of invertebrates. The only butterfly on the wing was Speckled Wood, and we had a glimpse of some darters, possibly common, although they didn't settle long enough for photos. We also saw a hornet flying by the edge of the wood.
 Birdwise the highlights were a Treecreeper and Great Spotted Woodpecker showing very well, a Jay and several Skylarks passing over.
 As we were about to leave, we spotted a frog hopping across the road making it safely to the other side.
The remains of egg sacs of the tiny spider Paidiscura pallens.
A pair of Drassodes sp. Immature males and female are often found in adjacent cells and mate after reaching adulthood.
Part of a flock of Great Black-Backed gulls resting on the same field as above after the fog lifted.
A harvestman, Paroligolophus agrestis
Black Snail Beetle, Silpha atrata.
Common Groundhopper, Tetrix undulata.
Birch Shieldbug, Elasmostethus intersinctus.
Common Earthball, Scleroderma citrinum (thank you to Rob Jaques for ID)
Male harvestman, Leiobunum rotundum
Himacerus mirmicoides Ant Damsel Bug
Geometridae caterpillar for ID
Spider for ID
Pill Millipede, Glomeris marginata
Pill Millipede, Glomeris marginata

Bird list
  1. Black-headed Gull
  2. Blackbird
  3. Carrion Crow
  4. Chaffinch
  5. Common Gull
  6. Goldfinch
  7. Great Black-backed Gull
  8. Great Spotted Woodpecker
  9. Great Tit
  10. Herring Gull
  11. Jackdaw
  12. Jay
  13. Long-tailed Tit
  14. Pheasant
  15. Red-legged Partridge
  16. Robin
  17. Rook
  18. Skylark
  19. Sparrowhawk
  20. Treecreeper
  21. Woodpigeon
  22. Wren 

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