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Friday 5 June 2020

Humphreston Farm Area, Albrighton, Shropshire.

A walk with Harry trying but failing to dodge the rain.

Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria).
I got up this morning hoping for a decent day as I was planning to get on the Bike again and meet friends John and Sharon at Belvide Res but after seeing the rain I messaged John to say I would not be going. As sorry as I was not to meet up with them I am glad I did not go as I would have got well and truly soaked and probably blown off the bake on the way back.
Tree Bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum).
I stayed in for the morning but after lunch the showers became less frequent so I took Harry out for a walk but the further we went the stronger the wind got so I did not really see very much of interest. 
Here are a few shots from the walk.
Ravens (Cuervo / Corvus corax).
Hoverfly species.
Fungi up an Oak tree.
Pied Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla yarrellii).
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris).
Hoverfly species.

Monday 1 June 2020

Green Pool and Green Lane, Albrighton, Shropshire.

Out looking for Corn Buntings again.

Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).
I started off again with a look at Green Pool but on the dragon front I only saw 20 or so Azure Damselflies (Coenagrion puella) but nothing else. 
Common Blue Damselflie (Enallagma cyathinerum).
Around the pool I also saw Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus).
Large Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanus).
I walked up Elm road hearing a singing male Corn Buntings (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) behind the farm and then turned into Green Lane, just passed the Windmill I found the second pair still up on the wires and just up the road on the bends the third male was also still on his wire singing.
Large Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanus).
I turned around and then went out on to the footpaths around the fields, on the way I had a four male bird singing from the far hedgerow and on a sunny corner with some brambles I had the first Large Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanus) and Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) of the year. 
Black Bryony (Dioscorea communis).
Along the edge of the Irrigation pool there were several more Azure Damsels as well as some Common Blue Damselflies (Enallagma cyathinerum) and lots of Black Bryony (Dioscorea communis).
Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae).
Out on the pool I was surprised to find a pair of nest building Great Crested Grebes (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), a single Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), 10+ Mallards (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) and a single Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus).
Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus).
I walked further up the field and heard a sixth Corn Bunting singing from a dead tree along the Lane. As I walked back along the lane I had Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas), Small White (Pieris rapae), a nice patch of Corn Poppies (Papaver rhoeas), Tree Bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum) and Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis).  
Corn Poppies (Papaver rhoeas).
Pied Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla yarrellii), a covey of young Pheasants (Faisán Vulgar / Phaisanus colchicus) which crossed the track ahead of me, House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Yellowhammer (Escribano Cerillo / Emberiza citronella), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) were also seen on the walk back to the village
Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis). 
Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas).

Sunday 31 May 2020

Donington and Albrighton Nature Reserve, Shackerly Lane and Humphreston Farm Area, Albrighton, Shropshire.

A warm morning walk.

Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula).
After popping round to see my Mom and sitting out in the Garden taking a few shots of the birds coming to the feeds, mostly Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Starling (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris) and House Sparrows (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), I carried on down to the Donington and Albrighton Nature Reserve. 
Common Starling (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris).
I did not stay very long as it was very busy, noisy and i got fed up of dodging the piles of dog mess everywhere, whilst there I did see Narcissus Bulb Fly (Merodon equestris), Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella), Common Mallow (Malva sylvestris), Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum), Ox-eye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare), Red Campion (Silene dioica), Tutsan (Hypericum androsaemum), Yellow Iris (Iris pseudacorus), male Thick-legged Flower Beetle (Oedemera nobilis), Small White (Pieris rapae), Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Pied Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla yarrellii), Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis).
Common Starling (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris).
I walked up the lane towards the A41 and just before reaching the railway I checked an area of Bramble scrub seeing Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum), Tree (Bombus hypnorum) and Early Bumblebees (Bombus pratorum), Common Whitethroat (Curruca Zarcera / Sylvia communis), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis).
Narcissus Bulb Fly (Merodon equestris).
Across the A41 I found Common Comfrey (Symphytum officinale), Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Yellowhammer (Escribano Cerillo / Emberiza citronella), Western Yellow Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava flavissima), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).
Male Thick-legged Flower Beetle (Oedemera nobilis).
On my way along the edge of a large Rape field I found large numbers worker Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius), another yet unidentified Bumblebee species, lots of Small Tortoiseshells, Pheasant (Faisán Vulgar / Phaisanus colchicus), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) and  Lesser Whitethroat (Curruca Zarcerilla / Sylvia curruca).
Moth Species.
I did a loop around passed Donington farm seeing  Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser), Stock Dove (Paloma Zurita / Columba oenas), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax) and Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) before crossing back over the A41 and going back through the village.
Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea).
Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum).
Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum).
Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae).
Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius).
Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes).