East Park in August

I was keen to have a dragonfly survey at East Park. Early August is a good time to survey as many species are on the wing. The morning was sunny and warm, with a light breeze, although it had become a bit windy by the time I finished at 11:30. I had parked in the East end of James Reckit Avenue, and as I got to the boardwalk, a Kingfisher darted across the lake, towards the fishing lake. Soon I found a greylag/canada family with two hybrid goslings. As I approach, it became apparent the father was the greylag. The goslings appeared quite dusky. I found them later, swimming by the jetty area.

Mixed Canada/Greylag family.

Hybrid canada/greylag goslings.

This Pied Wagtail stood on the lake shore. On the background, moulted feathers of the park geese form a carpet over the water.

The Great Crested Grebes had three young.

The water was quite transparent today, the bottom visible. These are young perch.

Another species of fish.

Aquatic snails.

Great pond snails feeding on fallen leaf.

Swan Mussel.

A green wall at the water park.

Close-up of the green wall.

The hoverfly Volucella inanis.

Terrapins on the central island. A total of 5 basking on the fallen tree trunks on the central island and the first eastern island.

Terrapins on the east island.

Dragonflies and damselflies

The first dragonfly was a Black-tailed Skimmer. Unusually, it was perched vertically on a stem, probably because it was quite early and the sun still low. This species usually rests on the ground.

Two Red-eyed damselflies were present on the main lake and boating lake.

Azure damselfly.

Red-eyed damselfly.

Common darter.

Small Red-eyed damselfly.

Black-tailed skimmer, a second male on territory.

Male Ruddy darter. My first record at East Park.

Brown hawker. One of 4 individuals present.

Brown Hawker.

Overall, a very successful Odonata count: six species of dragonfly (Emperor, 1; Brown Hawker, 4; Migrant Hawker, 9; Common Darter, 3; Ruddy Darter, 1; Black-tailed Skimmer, 2) and five damselflies (Azure, 2; Blue-tailed 10; Common Blue 21; Red-eyed Damselfly 2; Small Red-eyed damselfly 8). No evidence of breeding other than males on territory was obtained.

Beverley Westwood in August

 The members of the lab at work met for a picnic at the Westwood, the first time we meet face to face as a group since the lockdown. It was a glorious day, sunshine, a light breeze. We got there early and took a walk in Burton Bushes. As we came out onto the south-facing side of the woodland, there were many Migrant Hawkers feeding, a few Common darters were also about.

After a walk around the common, we returned to the Burton Bushes for a picnic. I did a butterfly list, the most notable fresh Peacock and Painted Lady and a Common Blue. There were hundreds of migrant hawkers on the wing, feeding on the sheltered grassland. It was a wonder to behold!

Peacock.

Common Blue.

Common Green Grasshopper.

Dor beetle, Geotrupes sp.

The underside of Dor beetles is metallic blue and the mites that hang on to the beetle are visible.

a smaller, unidentified dung beetle.

Urban birding at Hull: Sculcoates week 31

 A sunny day with a light breeze. I get to the patch at 8:35. I did my usual route, via Adderbury Grove, then Sculcoates Park, Stepney, Barmston Drain, Abbey Way, Sculcoates Cemetery, Air Street Cemetery, Wilcolmlee, Wilmington Bridge, Bankside, then back via the cycle lane. At the end I made a stop at a small patch of brownfield at the end of Temple Street (top shot). 

Some Swifts are still on the area. The tide is low and I flush a Cormorant on the river. The gulls appear to have mostly fledged and the adults seem to have calmed down. A single lesser Black-backed gull mobs me for a few minutes over the drain.

The duck family still complete with 8 grown ducklings. I always find them in the same area. Here, in a line wading through the thick carpet of duckweed.

A Song thrush sunbathing at the Sculcoates Cemerery

There are a number of butterflies on the wing today and I did lists in several areas of the 1 k square. I ended up with a grand total of 14 species today. 

Comma on buddleja.

Gatekeeper, the most numerous butterfly today.

Small Skipper.

Common Blue Butterfly.

Small Copper on a small patch of brownfield (top shot).

As for mammals, I spotted a Red Fox dozing on a sunny bank where I saw the three foxes a couple of weeks ago. I was hoping to leave it alone, but unfortunately, it left as it saw me.

A dead Bank Vole, probably victim of a cat.

Sadly, another dead mammal for the list, a road killed hedgehog at Sculcoates Lane, by the drain.

Flies. At Abbey Way I found a fresh Myathropa florea.

I was pleased to find a large Traveller's Joy, Clematis vitalba, in full bloom and took a closer photo of the flowers, only to discover later a Volucella zonaria feeding on them. This is a cropped photo.

Volucella zonaria on Traveller's joy.

Today brought the Odonata list to 9 species, as I had the first Common Darters in the patch. I will keep a close eye on willow emeralds in the next few weeks.

There were many Migrant Hawkers about, in the Air street cemetery there was a group of five feeding together, their milky eyes indicating that they are immature individuals. I followed this one until it perched on a lime tree. A Brown Hawker was in the same area of the drain as last week.

A pretty tachinid fly, Eriothrix rufomaculata. Several were feeding on ragwort with the ever-present Marmalade fly, Episyrphus balteatus.

Alkborough Flats in August

 I made a morning trip to Alkborough with my son. He has superpowers that I don't. A few years ago I stopped hearing the sound of crickets and grasshoppers, while for him they are hard to ignore and that helps spotting them, especially crickets. There was also the lure of another attempt to see the Glossy Ibis that has been settled there since the middle of May.

We got to Alkborough about 9:30. On the walk to the first hide, Marsh Harriers and Bearded tits were in evidence. I was very pleased that the reeds have been cut in front of Prospect hide. A group of waders and ducks were assembled in front. Water rails 'peeped' and squealed. Two people in the hide informed us that several water rail chicks had been seen. A Spoonbill flew and landed to the right of the view, but it didn't stay long.

Avocets and Black-tailed Godwit.

Redshanks, Avocets and Black-tailed godwits.

A greenshank woke up and started preening.

Juvenile Bearded tit.

We took the circular walk that includes the Trent bank. Plenty of fresh Peacocks were feeding on teasels, with them skippers. I got some Small Skipper and possibly an Essex Skipper too.

Small Skipper.

Roesel's Bush Cricket. I would have never spotted this species without my son coming along as he zoomed on it following its song.

Female Great Diving beetle. It waddled on the path, it was lucky that I didn't step on it!

Eristalinus sp. very noisy and numerous in a damp patch by the path.

As we joined the Humber bank, we spotted the Glossy Ibis on the pool, feeding with about 40 Little egrets and Black-headed gulls. The views weren't great, with the sun behind it, but it wasn't too far and we were content with having seen the ibis.

Glossy Ibis feeding.

Rudy Darter. Many Ruddy, Common Darter, a Brown hawker, an emperor and Black-tailed skimmer and a blue-tailed damselfly comprised the Odonata list.

Conehead cricket sp.

Essex Skipper.

View of the River Trent.

Greylags, mallards and a few Black-headed gulls rested on an island.

Flowering rush.

View of the pool with the flowering rush.