End of June in the Garden

Posted on 30th June 2017 by Richard

As feared the last part of June involved me being confined to barracks, so no day trips out or walks on the fields.
However, just sitting in the Garden made me observe more of what was going on and a chance to do some more swatting up on Wildlife Sites whilst avoiding daytime TV as much as possible !

Comma

Butterflies in the Garden

I think I mentioned a few weeks ago I was worried about the amount of Butterflies I’d seen so far this Spring / Early Summer, well, it seemed almost overnight, the Garden was over run with them, especially Meadow Browns and Skippers.
The huge stinging nettle patch inter mingled with Thistle seemed to be the attraction.
In fact, not being able to do some tidying up here and there made it even better for wildlife ! Perhaps that’s the secret…..do nothing !

Male Meadow Brown – Female Meadow Brown – Common Blue
The Slow Worms under the rubber mat continue to increase in numbers and it appears that some females are getting pretty big, so hopefully, in mid August or so, some young ones may be about.

Cinnabar Moth Caterpillar
Bird wise, beside the newly born fledging from almost every corner of the Garden and Lane, things are pretty quiet with just the constant noise of young ones flitting amongst the hedges and bushes.
At least the Sparrowhawk hasn’t appeared again as far as I know. In fact I’ve seen very little of the Common Buzzards for a few weeks, just occasionally hearing their distant cat like call probably a mile away.

Not being able to cut the Grass, the Clover growing is attracting the Honey Bees well
Hopefully July will bring better health and I can get out more.
[fblike]

A quiet day at Dungeness

Posted on 10th January 2017 by Richard

As with any great birdwatching place, Dungeness can often be a little hit and miss and today, for me anyway, was one of those days.

I started off at RSPB in hope of getting a photograph of the now two Long Eared Owls. Needless to say, not even one was there!
Rather than doing my usual circuit of the main Reserve area I headed off to the Beach, again quiet although it was interesting to see there are still Bumble Bees flying around the hedgerow at the old Lighthouse Garden.
However, it gave me a chance of capturing a few Gulls all be it not seeing the Caspian Gulls which are there or thereabouts of late.

At the Reserve I’d bumped into the Warden of the BTO Observatory which reminded me I owed them money for this years ‘Friends’ Membership so I popped in there to pay up.
This gave me a chance to see if I’d missed anything on my journeys, I hadn’t apparently, a quiet day by all.

After this I went along to the Kerton Road area to see if I could spot the rare Stejneger’s Stonechat, couldn’t find him or her either. Oh dear !
A quick walk along the ARC did produce a photo of a Great White Egret.
It was then on to Scotney Farm where I thought at least I’d see the Little Owl which is present virtually daily, wasn’t there either!

I took the Walland Marsh route back home and at least got a photograph of a Kestrel posing quite nicely on top of a telegraph pole.

Maybe not a successful bird watching day, but the sun shone for most of the time and I convinced myself the fresh air did me good!

Bewick’s Swans at Dungeness

Posted on 8th December 2016 by Richard

I don’t recall Bewick’s Swans at Dungeness last year so was very keen to see them when I read on a Blog that upwards of 14 had turned up in the last week.

Being my only day spare this week and fearing they may move on I headed down there quite early. Regret to say when I arrived it was thick fog and I couldn’t see further than 50 meters or so.
Not being able to wait until late afternoon when they would fly in to roost, I headed off to the Old Lighthouse and around the main Reserve circuit. Each step seemed to clear the fog.

By the time I had to head home I thought I’d just give the ARC Hide one quick glance to see if they arrive early, low and behold, two did at 12.30pm!
I have to say, what majestic creatures they are. At first they were pretty distant, then slowly but surely they swam over to the small Island about 100 meters away and I managed a few shots.
It’s interesting I saw these on the day ‘The Swan Lady’ landed her Microlight at Dover after following their passage from Siberia. You can read about her journey here

Left; Shelduck – Right; Pied Wagtail on Power Station wall

One interesting thing around the Old Lighthouse was seeing quite a number of Bumble Bees still present, especially as the last few days hasn’t seen a temperature above 5 degrees and well below freezing at night.

Apparently a Peacock Butterfly and Red Admiral have been spotted around in the last few days. Is this worrying? I know these creatures can often appear in December, the concern is when it’s every year. Times and climate are changing!

Solitary Bees and Juvenile Garden Birds

Posted on 21st July 2016 by Richard

Whilst sitting in my favourite Garden Chair just by my Bug / Bee Hotel I wasn’t expecting to see a Solitary Bee buzz past me quite this early and make it’s way to one of the holes I drilled.

For the next hour I sat there watching with great interest as two flew in and out scooping out sawdust in a fashion not dis-similar to the Men of Stalug Luft 111 moling their way to hopeful freedom. In fact it was only when they started I realised the small mound of dust on the shelf below, probably two desert spoons worth.
One’s imagination starts to work and you think about the times you moved into a new place and started on the decorating and general preparation for the season ahead.
Fascinating!

Meanwhile Juvenile Blue Tits, Great Tits, Coal Tits and Dunnocks were flashing across the flower beds to the Bird Table, grab and run comes to mind.
I only put Fat Balls and some seed out through Summer. Some say you shouldn’t feed them through this season, I’m afraid I’m a big softie and like think I’m giving them a good start in life.
They’re just as happy in all areas of the Garden.

Up in the wilderness end of the Garden, the Stinging Nettles, Thistle and Hogweed is attracting much life, mainly Honey Bees, Butterflies and oc ourse, the Bonking Beetles, although I have to say, not as many as last year.

Life is good !

Over 60 pages of Garden Wildlife on the main Down the Lane Web Site here Nature on our Doorstep

Around the Bird Feeders in early June – Video

Posted on 7th June 2016 by Richard

Although there are only 8 species of Birds in this video, around and about there is so much activity, mainly revolving around the Fledglings.

The Woodpeckers appear to have hatched two young one’s and there’s ample families of Coal Tits, Great Tits, Blue Tits, Robins and more – more common Garden Birds that is.

Thus far there is no sign of the annual attendance of Sparrowhawks, last year they certainly culled the Pigeon population, ripped carcases were all over the edge of the fields around here.
There are Buzzards and Kestrels seen every day and as you may have read, a Red Kite appeared two miles away on Wye Downs a couple of weeks ago.

Around the edges of the Gardne, Bumble and Honey Bees are now busy, a few Ladyirds have turned up (wish there were more to stem Black Fly on the Runner and Broad Beans). What is worrying is I haven’t seen any Common Lizards yet and wondering if something took them through Winter.
I’m unsure about this as they’re in four separate parts of the Garden and would have thought at least one hibernating nest would have survived.

I continue with frequent grass cutting to a low height, this should attract more Bees. I leave the edges pretty wild and only cut back bushes like Hawthorn when absolutely necessary, this being a good food and perching source for the smaller birds during the Winter months.

But, it’s getting warmer, so hoping for some busy times ahead

Over 60 pages of Garden Wildlife on the main Web Site here Nature on our Doorstep

Wildlife Diary

Recording wild life through the year around Hampshire, Kent and elsewhere

Tag Archives: Bees