#Lesser hornet hoverfly

[dansnaturepictures]

Hemp agrimony and montbretia in Winchester and Lesser Hornet hoverfly on hogweed at Lakeside today.

[rcannon992]

A see-through hoverfly and other imperfect wasp mimics

[petec9099]

Hornet Mimics

One of the most exciting things I have come across this summer has been how some insects seek to mimic others e.g. Wasps, Bees or Hornets. In the UK we have two common Hoverflies which mimic Hornets as a measure of protection. Hornet Mimic Hoverfly (Volucella zonaria) Lesser Hornet Mimic Hoverfly (Volucella Inanis) I have been fortunate to record both of these large hoverflies in the gardens…

[onenicebugperday]

@pattyfradke submitted: Hello! Hope you had a great weekend.

Here is a spider I found outside on a grapevine - I didn't seen any web but it also doesn't look like a jumping spider.. what could this it be?

This fella landed on the window yesterday. At first I thought it was a more colorful horsefly since it was pretty big but in the end it looked as harmless as any other housefly.. what may this friend be?

Both photos are from Italy, thank you as always!

Hello and thank you, my weekend was fantastic! The spider is a lynx spider in the genus Oxyopes, and they are ambush predators that don’t use webs to catch prey, just like jumping spiders and crab spiders. The fly looks like prooooobably a male lesser hornet hoverfly :)

[dansnaturepictures]

Nine of my favourite flora and fauna photos I took in September 2024 and month summary

The photos are of; Red Deer at Bushy Park, Common Seal on the Beaulieu River, young Coot at Bushy Park, Barn Owl in a flying display at the Hawk Conservancy Trust, Clouded Yellow at Milford on Sea, Lesser Yellow Underwing moth at home, Ruddy Darter on Brownsea Island, Common Lizard at Thursley and hawthorn berries with a ladybird on.

Some of my most magical wild moments of a mesmerising September were watching mammals; immersive views of Common Seals and Grey Seals, enchanting Red Squirrels and ravishing Red, Roe, Fallow and Sika Deers bringing glorious late summer/autumn feelings of splendour. Grey Squirrel, Rabbit and Brown Rat provided some nice moments too.

It was a marvellous month of avian movement with many of my top birds of a fine birding moth enjoyed on migration in and out including Ospreys, Hobby, Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Curlew Sandpiper, Brent Geese, Pintail, Wigeon, Wryneck, Pied Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher, Wheatear, Whinchat, Yellow Wagtail, a rare for Lakeside Tree Pipit seen on my patch, a Chiffchaff in the garden and unusually Sand Martin at Bushy Park and epic scenes of many House Martins and a few Swallows moving through places. Other highlights this month included incredible views of majestic White-tailed Eagles twice at Newtown and Poole Harbours, Marsh Harriers, Sparrowhawks including one coming into the garden, Kestrel, Sandwich Terns, Shag, Curlews, Common Gulls, Mediterranean Gull, Egyptian Geese, Gadwall, Teal, Shoveler, Starlings, Ring-necked Parakeet, Grey Heron, Greenshanks, Sanderlings, Turnstone, Ringed Plover, Snipe, Great White Egret, Cattle Egrets, Little Egrets, captivating views of Spoonbills in Poole Harbour, Little Grebes, Whitethroat, Grey Wagtail, Rock Pipit, Dartford Warbler, Cetti's Warbler heard and Kingfisher. Cormorant, Stonechat, Jay, Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker and lots of nice views of Great Crested Grebes including the chicks, Moorhens and Coot were other highlights at Lakeside. It was great to spend a day spellbound by birds of prey and others on an amazing day at the wonderful Hawk Conservancy during the super week off of day trips with so many phenomenal places visited and much wildlife seen.

Butterflies did quieten down this month for me but I saw some fantastic ones, headlined by adding the excellent Clouded Yellow to my year list a great final piece of the jigsaw to another memorable butterfly year for me. I also really enjoyed seeing Small Coppers at Bushy Park and Southbourne, Meadow Brown, Small Heath, Speckled Wood especially seen well at Lakeside, Common Blue, female Adonis Blue at Old Winchester Hill, Green-veined White, numerous Small Whites and Large Whites especially on sunny days, beautiful Painted Ladies, Red Admirals and Peacock. I enjoyed seeing a fair few moths this month too including dashing Willow Beauty, Garden Carpet, L-album Wainscot, Light Brown Apple moth, sumptuous Lesser Yellow Underwings, pretty Lunar Underwing, Square-spot Rustic and Silver Y and Vestal in the day. Dragonflies and damselflies took a large amount of the limelight again as they dazzled at this well lit and beautiful time of year, Brown Hawker, thrilling Black Darter, Common Darter and Ruddy Darter views, Keeled Skimmer on Brownsea Island, resplendent Migrant Hawker, gigantic and eyecatching Southern Hawker and exquisite Emerald Damselfly were special to see.

It was captivating to watch Common Lizards at Thursley Common and a Common Frog on a wet New Forest walk at Puttles Bridge. Symbolising the shift to autumn I saw loads of craneflies this month which was memorable. I also enjoyed seeing Long-winged Conehead, Common Green Lacewing, hoverflies, bees, wasp, hornet, enigmatic Devil’s coach horse beetle and ground beetle at Thursley, ladybird, Forest Bug, Dock bug, and Grey Silverfish and spiders at home.

Key flower/plant sightings this month included my first ever skullcap at Bushy Park, lots of great devil’s-bit scabious one of my favourites, harebell, common toadflax, restharrow, marjoram, wild basil, water mint, great willowherb, sundew, bog asphodel, sea rocket, wild radish, seaside daisies, sand spurrey, yellow-horned poppy, sea kale, rock samphire, mercury yarrow, wild carrot, pineappleweed, mignonette, hedgerow crane’s-bill, red clover, white clover, comfrey, a strong month for yellow with ragwort, fleabane, tormentil, sowthistle, oxtongue and autumn hawkbit, montbretia, self-heal, gorse, ivy, plantain, black medick and bell and common heather painting the landscape a splendid purple. There was a lot of nice fruit to see including apples, dogwood berries, guelder rose berries, rowan berries and fine ruby hawthorn berries. Sunflower, pretty fuchsia, buddleia, roses, rose hips, firethorn berries and other colourful plants were nice to see at home this month.

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06/08/2023-Hook-with-Warsash

Photos taken here in this set are of: 1. Some massive mushrooms it was lovely to see. 2. One of the beautiful seas of chamomile it was a delight to see in the fields. 3, 4, 6 and 7. Nice field and sea views on a great walk round. 5. A Red Admiral I was fixated to see, fitting getting a photo of its star again on the final day of the Big Butterfly Count. 8. Stonechat. 9. Linnet, this rustic and plucky finch was a key bird seen on the walk seeing them in decent numbers. Watching them drink from puddles in gorgeous sunlight were lovely moments. 10. One of a couple of Roe Deers it was charming to see in the long grass of the fields, I always enjoy seeing these.

Hearing the shriek and seeing the beautiful large tern the Sandwich Tern as one flew by at the end was another bird highlight of the walk, with Common Tern seen hunting far out I believe, Cormorant and Lesser Black-backed Gull other coastal highlights. Buzzard, the quirky sight of Canada Geese in a field but we soon saw there was a pond we didn't know about beside them, Goldfinches, Song Thrush, Pied Wagtails, House Martin, Woodpigeons and a Rabbit were other good birds and mammals to see. My first ever Thick-legged hoverfly and a wealth of other butterflies including Holly Blue and Comma dancing along the lane, a nice Small Heath, Meadow Brown and Gatekeeper, Large and Small White and a Common Blue with a moth and other hoverflies Marmalade and possibly Hornet Mimic I believe seen were insect highlights. Pretty nightshade, ragwort, fleabane, lady's thumb aka redshank, yarrow, knapweed, bindweed, oxtongue, burdock, buttercup and bright cuckoo-pint berries were other key plants seen on the walk.

[dansnaturepictures]

15/08/2023-Lakeside and home

Photos taken in this set are of: 1. A beautiful Brown Argus which I was enthused to see in the eastern meadows of Lakeside, a charming butterfly that has been a key one for me this year. 2. Steeplebush out the front. 3. Beautiful dandelion seed head on the way to Lakeside at lunch time. 4. One of a few House Sparrows enjoyed in the Lakeside allotment hedgerow. 5, 6 and 8. Views on a memorable lunch time walk, a great escape into the outdoors in my working day with some great sunshine. Oak, ash, birch, pine, apple, cherry and other trees glistened in the sunlight. 7. Knapweed at Lakeside. 9. Canada Goose in the sunshine at Lakeside, this seems to be a regular individual here now as the birds including grown goslings move away from these nesting grounds. 10. The crowd of sunflowers out the back with varied coloured buddleia in shot nicely too, it's always cheerful to think of the sunflower seeds scattered by the birds when they eat them bringing flowers to the garden in the summer.

I got an excellent view of a Migrant Hawker flying around me and lurching to hunt an insect at one point, the best view I've got of one in this string of sightings the last two weeks. A majestic dragonfly, and I was heartened to see a Black-tailed Skimmer by beach lake perhaps the last I'll see this year. This shiny dragonfly has been one of my standouts this year. Alongside (though it's around throughout the season) Emperor, Black-tailed Skimmer is a key species to see here in spring going into summer whereas mid-late summer and into autumn Migrant Hawker, sometimes Southern Hawker and Common Darter take over so it was like a changing of the guard. I saw Blue-tailed Damselfly today which have made something of a comeback into my year this week. I was transfixed by a fair few Common Blues in the meadow by the woods, with Gatekeeper, Speckled Wood and Meadow Brown seen too. I was also delighted to see a Lesser Hornet hoverfly on some wild carrot at Lakeside, my first ever here two days after I saw my first at Shipton Bellinger. What a year I'm having for both hornet hoverfly species now. I got smashing views of the Great Crested Grebes, a quite grown up juvenile Moorhen attracting my attention nicely I am more used to seeing them when really young so this was nice and gorgeous Chiffchaff at Lakeside, with Collared Dove a species I saw well and a lot of at home today. Greylag Geese come and go now too as they do from now up until the late winter/early spring and it was good to see some today at Lakeside with Magpie, Carrion Crow and Jackdaw enjoyed at Lakeside and home today too. Other key flowers seen at Lakeside today were gypsywort, burdock, mugwort, broad-leaved clover and pineappleweed with bright pink musk mallow and thistle standing out in the flower bed on the way to Lakeside. Seeing and smelling a grounded apple with some on a tree as well as rose hips at Lakeside and home was nice, with steeplebush and firethorn berries enjoyed at home too.

[dansnaturepictures]

13/08/2023-Shipton Bellinger and home

Photos taken in this set are of: 1. The White-point moth, another lovely moth to see at home this morning. 2. Common crimson-and-gold moth at Shipton Bellinger, an eyecatching species to see joining in a great surge in moth sightings for me especially this weekend. 3. Wall Brown, it was an honour to get to see these vibrant and energetic butterflies so well again after seeing our first of the year here two weeks ago. Today was one of our best ever days for seeing them with a fair few seen and top quality intimate views of them with wings open and closed they were widespread around here. It's funny to think I was worried as to if we'd see one this year after missing them at the coast where we often see them, this place is certainly a gem it's been a revelation for them, we first came here for Brown Hairstreak but Wall Brown is an important one here too. Unusually for Wall Brown I got great close up chances for photos today and it's a novelty seeing a species I mostly have at the coast inland, so even though this is one of the first butterflies I (retrospectively from a photo) ever identified early in butterfly days there feels something pleasingly fresh about seeing them here. 4. A Brown Hairstreak it was an honour to see again today, I spent some glee filled moments with this astonishing and angelic butterfly, what an honour to see them. I hadn't seen one of these until 2021 so there is a great freshness with these for me too and I feel very lucky to have had two visits here seeing these beautiful butterflies this year. 5, 7 and 8. Views at Shipton Bellinger. 6. One of a few bees I enjoyed caked in pollen on the bold woolly thistle flowers. 9. Some hawthorn berries on a tree. 10. Wild parsnip one I enjoyed a lot today, with interesting flies on.

At Shipton Bellinger it was also good to see Holly and Common Blue, Gatekeepers, Small Heath, Green-veined White, Speckled Wood, Peacock, ermine moth I believe Spindle ermine, ladybird, Common Red Soldier beetle, prominent mossy rose galls which I'm enjoying appearing of late, beautiful Roesel's bush cricket and my first ever Lesser Hornet hoverfly which is gorgeous. Magpie, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Great Tit and Blue Tit were nice to see too, with Collared Dove which I took a picture of somewhat photobombed by a flying House Sparrow which was interesting, Goldfinch including young and seen well and intimately in the garden whilst I had my hair cut there Starlings seeing House Sparrows in the buddleia then also home bird highlights today. My first Morning-glory Plume moth of the year was also nice to see at home with four-leaved pink sorrel and other flowers enjoyed in the garden. Other highlights of the many flowers enjoyed at Shipton Bellinger were my first soapwort and goldenrod of the year, some more mugwort this week, viper's-bugloss, eyebright, red bartsia, rosebay willowherb, centaury, common toadflax, loads of wild basil again, knapweed, scabious, herb-Robert, hedgerow crane's-bill and melilot. Another brilliant wild weekend.

[dansnaturepictures]

10 key moments/themes of my wildlife watching and photos over the last week

Mistle Thrushes at Whitefield Moor in the New Forest

On a lovely walk there last Sunday it was nice to see a fair few of this charming bird.

A view over the type of area they were on the walk.

Jersey Tiger moth at Lakeside

Stunning moments Monday lunch time and evening at the entrance to Lakeside where I was entranced by a prominent and beautiful Jersey Tiger moth on a leaf. One of my best moth moments of the year.

The Jersey Tiger moth

Watching a patch of fleabane full of Gatekeepers and turning round to find a Wasp Spider in the grass at Lakeside

On Tuesday the wealth of Gatekeepers and other butterflies observed on my lunch time walk was a great way to start to sign off in the last week of the Big Butterfly Count in a week I saw pleasingly loads and a variety of butterflies following one of my big butterfly days of the year last Saturday, and the Wasp Spider was one of the most exciting wild moments of my year and one I had hoped for over the last couple of years.

The Wasp Spider

Seeing Pied and Spotted Flycatcher at Millyford Bridge in the New Forest

A pivotal moment in my birdwatching year yesterday, being stunned to see not only the charming Spotted Flycatchers but my first gorgeous Pied Flycatcher of the year, a stunning bird. Blissful time spent in the forest.

A record shot of the Pied Flycatcher

Hornet mimic hoverflies at Winnall Moors and Lakeside

Another insect I had hoped to see, I always seem to see something special when I'm drawn to Winnall Moors on an office working day lunch break and this was it on Thursday. Then I enjoyed seeing this prepossessing hoverfly again at Lakeside on Friday evening.

Hornet mimic hoverfly at Winnall Moors

Common Terns at Lakeside

On both Monday and Friday I was overjoyed to observe this infrequent Lakeside visitor, alongside the ever present Lesser Black-backed Gull chick and adults around here of late bringing a slice of the coast to the country park with their evocative shriek and it was a delight to watch these acrobats circle in the air and dive to fish. A real treat.

One of the pair of adult Common Terns at Lakeside on Friday.

Cormorant among the Great Crested Grebes at Lakeside

Also on Tuesday adding to what was really a crazy working week for unexpected sightings on Lakeside walks was another infrequent visitor to Lakeside especially in summer months, a pretty Cormorant. It was so nice to see it and quite surreal seeing it swim alongside the young Great Crested Grebes, I enjoyed intimate moments with them this week.

Cormorant at Lakeside

A taste of late summer into autumn

It was a nice week of contrast particularly in my plant and fungi year with one of the last flowers I'll see in bloom perhaps this year locally chicory which I liked seeing on Monday, contrasting fruit increasing with guelder rose berries, blackberries, my first hawthorn berries of the year and approaching rose hips locally. Albeit helped by the wet weather, at home and at Millyford Bridge in the New Forest yesterday a big presence of mushrooms threw me forward to autumnal times. And on the two New Forest walks it was great to observe different types of heather coming out as the landscape just puts an arm inside its late summer jacket of purple.

Whitefield Moor in the New Forest

Dragonflies at Lakeside: Seeing my first Migrant Hawker of the year and a beautiful female Common Darter

There is still much to see in my dragonfly year and also on Monday's packed lunch time walk I got my first glimpse of a Migrant Hawker this year. Another key Lakeside species gave me a strong and precious moment on Friday's evening walk with an enchanting Common Darter seen flying and landed on dock.

A variety of wildlife enjoyed at home

Finally from seeing and hearing Lesser Black-backed Gulls and Greylag Geese from home to seeing young Goldfinches a lot and a young House Sparrow being fed on the balcony feeders I've had a great week of birds at home. A Blue Tit seen a few times, lots of Starlings and an exciting moment seeing a male Sparrowhawk on next door's gate this morning were other lovely moments. As was seeing some Small White butterflies out the front, spiders, a snail out the front and Udea fulvalis and plume moths.

House Sparrow and young yesterday

[dansnaturepictures]

04/08/2023-Lakeside evening walk

Photos taken in this set are of: 1. Yellow-haired sun fly on hogweed. 2. Meadow crane's-bill. 3, 4, 8 and 9. Views at Lakeside on a lovely evening walk. 5. Young Black-headed Gull it was nice to see at beach lake again. 6. A splendid female Common Darter on some dock in the meadow by the woods, a captivating sight watching this delicate dragonfly fly and land. One I love seeing at this time of year. 7. Moorhen a bird I saw well today, this a male leading a couple of youngsters along Concorde lake I believe. 10. A chirpy clump of cuckoo-pint beside beach lake which I very much enjoyed seeing.

It was soothing and delightful to hear Great Crested Grebes, Black-headed Gulls, the Common Terns, Lesser Black-backed Gull wailing and other sounds on my Lakeside walks today. I enjoyed seeing the Lesser Black-backed Gull adult and juvenile this evening. I was also thrilled to see a mixed tit flock with certainly Long-tailed Tit and Blue Tit and maybe Great Tit too weaving through thickly vegetated and in places fruit bearing vegetation. A Chiffchaff was good to see a bit further on along the northern path too. Blackbird, Collared Dove, Great Crested Grebes enjoyed again this evening and close views of crows Jackdaw one I enjoyed at lunch time too and Magpie were other bird highlights this evening alongside an elegant Kestrel seen being mobbed by a Jackdaw high over the country park the first Kestrel I'd seen here for a little bit. I also really enjoyed seeing gorgeous Red Admiral, Gatekeeper, a fair few Meadow Brown, Small White and Speckled Wood in one of my last Big Butterfly Counts of the year what a brilliant time I've had doing them here and elsewhere again this year. I was very pleased to see another Hornet Mimic Hoverfly this evening after yesterday's at Winnall Moors with another possibly seen too entertainingly the same day as seeing a hornet. Dock bug and possibly an Ichneumon wasp were other good insects to see in a nice delve into them this evening. St. John's-wort, hemp agrimony, spear thistle and guelder rose berries were other plant highlights this evening. Goldfinch, Woodpigeon, Magpie and House Sparrow were nice birds to see at home today with buddleia and scarlet pimpernel that I admired in the garden.

[dansnaturepictures]

My Great British Wild Year: Part 3 of 5-Dragonflies, damselflies and other wildlife

I had a dazzling year of dragonflies, from perfect moments by a stream at Nant-y-Pandy (The Dingle) on Anglesey seeing a colossal Golden-ringed Dragonfly to Keeled Skimmers in Pig Bush, New Forest’s boggy areas I had so many wonderful moments. Four-spotted Chaser was a star of my year with enchanting times seeing them at RSPB Valley Wetlands and Cors Dddyga as well as Hickling Broad, with brilliant Broad-bodied Chaser a key species enjoyed too. Emperors in all their masterful glory including one seen egg laying, eye catching and bold Southern Hawkers and marvellous manoeuvring Migrant Hawkers were ones I enjoyed fine views of locally and further afield so many times through the year. Hawkers dominated my year with gripping moments seeing distinctive Brown Hawker and also a fantastically fresh new species for us the Norfolk Hawker a key moment in my year on July trips to Norfolk and Rutland. Black-tailed Skimmer was a shining constant on my Lakeside walks in summer weeks, passing on the baton to scintillating Common Darter as well as Migrant Hawker as the season and year went on, the Common Darter another I had a great year for also seeing some mating. Delicate Ruddy Darter and Hairy Dragonfly were good to see too. A pivotal moment in my dragonfly year and an enchanting spectacle came at Thursley Common in late September when I was amazed to see so many slick, dainty and fabulous Black Darters.

Norfolk Hawker at RSPB Strumpshaw Fen

Black-tailed Skimmer at Lakeside in June

A Common Darter that was magical to see at Lakeside in August

It was an Azure Damselfly year for sure with especially at Lakeside Country Park and also at RSPB Cors Ddyga these splendid damselflies seen well. Especially at Lakeside Blue-tailed Damselflies were a strong theme of my year seeing so many, with strong showings from Beautiful and Banded Demoiselle this year. Pinnacles of my dreamy damselfly year perhaps were at at Hickling Broad when we saw a precious Emerald Damselfly, seeing them again twice in the September week off at RSPB Minsmere and Thursley.

A Blue-tailed Damselfly I enjoyed seeing at Cors Ddyga too.

I enjoyed immersing myself in other parts of nature I am less familiar with again this year especially other insects with some epic things seen both new and that I had before. Beetles playing a big part in this with tremendous views of Green Tiger beetle at Bentley Wood again, a striking Rose Chafer beetle seen at South Stack, Chrysomela populi at Newborough, Cardinal beetle, Swollen-thighed Beetle, Oedemera lurida, Black-and-yellow Longhorn beetle at Lakeside, oil beetles, bold Bloody-nosed beetle, Black Clock beetle and Violet Ground beetle on the Norfolk and Rutland July weekends respectively, many splendid Common Red Soldier beetles in the summer and Black-spotted Longhorn beetle at Bentley Wood. I did well for caterpillars this year too with Oak Eggar, Fox moth, Yellow-tail moth, Peacock butterfly and Garden Tiger moth ones standouts. Common Field Grasshopper, Roesel’s Bush-cricket, Long-winged Conehead and giant Great Green Bush-cricket a sensation to see on an insect fest at Durlston made it a strong cricket/grasshopper year for me. As well as a fair few Hornets themselves I had a really good year for seeing Hornet Mimic Hoverflies in the summer again and my first ever Lesser Hornet Hoverflies, truly appealing insects. I had great moments seeing Long and Marmalade Hoverfly this year too. One of my greatest wild moments of the year came in early August when I was euphoric to fulfill a goal of a seeing a Wasp Spider in the grass of Lakeside Country Park. An outstanding arachnid, and another was a treat to see a few times this year beautiful Nursery Web spider in a strong year of spiders I had with Long-bodied Cellar spider another key species especially in autumn. I got excellent views of Common Lizard and Slow Worm in 2023.

An eyecatching Chrysomela populi

Grammoptera ruficornis and Black spotted Longhorn beetle at Bentley Wood

Hornet mimic hoverfly on hemp agrimony at Winnall Moors

[dansnaturepictures]

Highlights of my wild week 1st-7th October 2023

A vibrant opening week to October with much sunny and warm weather.

Right up there with White-tailed Eagles, Ospreys, Bittern, Red Squirrel, Black Darter and more was the final chapter in last week's amazing wild week off; Sunday's walk at Bolderwood in the New Forest where I was stunned by seeing brilliantly two stars of the week off fine Common Lizard and some gorgeous Woodlark. A Great Spotted Woodpecker and a nice array of mushrooms including common earthball and yellow stagshorn stood out from this great walk too.

The Common Lizard

As the forecast warmer weather with many sunny spells arrived a key theme of my week was being addicted to watching insects, particularly butterflies. Wednesday's intimate moment with a Brimstone at Lakeside partnered perfectly with the relatively similar Clouded Yellow I was over the moon to see on the grass north of Lakeside on Friday. The latter one of the finest moments of my sensational year of butterflies. Between Lakeside walks, Winnall Moors yesterday and Winchester generally enchanting Red Admirals, pristine Peacock and splendid Speckled Wood have been other standouts, alongside exciting Small Copper views in a strong run I'm on for them in late summer/autumn and Small White. There was the occasional moth in there too. The week also very much belonged to dragonflies, it was a big moment in my best ever year for them the sheer number of Migrant Hawkers I enjoyed whizzing beside and over water at Lakeside Country Park twice and Winnall Moors yesterday and Friday. It was breathtaking to see, as was seeing Southern Hawker and Common Darter so well in gleeful moments by the pond at Winnall Moors in the sun yesterday. Those two especially Common Darter Lakeside stars this week too.

Brimstone at Lakeside

The Clouded Yellow

A Migrant Hawker at Lakeside

The Lakeside and Winchester bird week I had was a good one too, I enjoyed precious time appreciating the four present Great Crested Grebes at Lakeside of late with some entering their stark winter plumage. It was good to see a couple of Coots at Lakeside too and enjoy Moorhens between here and Winnall. Lesser Black-backed Gull and the infrequent at the site at this time of year Greylag Geese were other Lakeside highlights. Two star moments of the week was seeing Jay and then soon Kestrel in the eastern meadows of Lakeside sat still allowing powerful views and hearing and seeing the delightful Ring-necked Parakeets really well in the woods there yesterday afternoon. Grey Wagtail, House Martin, Robin and Blue Tit were other Lakeside standouts this week. Snipe, Grey Heron, Meadow Pipit, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Red Kite with Buzzard, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Cetti's Warbler and Wren heard well were highlights at Winnall Moors yesterday with Mute Swans enjoyed further downstream on the Itchen in Winchester on Thursday's lunch break. Long-tailed and Great Tit were other birds seen well throughout the week.

Moorhen at Lakeside on Friday

A Ring-necked Parakeet

Grey Squirrel and Rabbit at and near Lakeside were good mammal moments this week with good views of the cattle enjoyed at Lakeside and New Forest ponies at Bolderwood too. Ladybirds, hornet, hoverflies, bees, snails and spiders were great to enjoy this week. In the world of plants fruit continued to paint the landscape beautiful colours with hawthorn, blackthorn sloes, rose hips, apples, conker, rowan and wild service tree berries standing out especially. Pineappleweed, hemp agrimony, forget-me-not, green alkanet, dark mullein, comfrey, some water mint just hanging on, knapweed, chamomile, dandelion, daisies, meadow crane's-bill, white and broad-leaved clover, fleabane, buttercup, bramble flower, scarlet pimpernel, creeping thistle, evening primrose, white deadnettle, marsh woundwort and centaury in the New Forest were nice flowers seen this week. Wild carrot, howeed and ragwort seed heads looked nice. For mushrooms I saw a great variety this week with a key moment being seeing my first shaggy ink caps of the year north of Lakeside on the grass on Friday, an exciting moment I always look forward to in autumn. Particularly in the strong October sunshine I took in some wonderful views this week with cheery autumnal colour just starting to arrive, with the moon and sky scenes out the back looking great too.

Snail at Lakeside on Wednesday

Rose hips at Lakeside on Monday

The Michaelmas daisies seen well at Winnall Moors again was another highlight.

One of the lovely shaggy ink caps

Lakeside on Friday

Winnall Moors yesterday

Yellow leaves in Winchester on Tuesday

Three reds of my week, Red Admiral butterfly and Common Darter dragonfly at Winnall Moors and Robin at Lakeside yesterday:

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08/09/23-Lakeside and home

Photos taken in this set: 1, 3, 6, 7 and 8. Beautiful views. 2. Viper's-bugloss at Lakeside. 4. White deadnettle which was great to see a bit of. 5. A pair of Great Crested Grebes I enjoyed watching close together, I believe these are the parents of some of the now departed it seems this week chicks so it was as though they were relaxing after the hard work of raising chicks again this year which has been brilliant. 9. Moorhen at Lakeside this evening. 10. Black-headed Gull this evening.

I got exceptional views of dashing Migrant Hawkers again beside Concorde lake, what a pleasure to watch these delights, with Common Darters seen mating over Kornwestheim lake I believe. Red Admiral, Speckled Wood and Small White were butterflies I enjoyed seeing whilst out today. Hornet and hoverfly were nice to see too. Other key birds seen at Lakeside today (alongside another two which my next post is exclusively about) were Lesser Black-backed Gull and young Herring Gull, Mallard, a lovely Great Tit seen and heard well, Magpie, Jackdaw and Carrion Crow with melodious Robin and Chiffchaff heard well. I saw a Grey Squirrel well. Other key plants seen were St. John's-wort, fleabane, great willowherb, purple loosestrife, luminous great willowherb, knapweed, dogwood, meadow crane's-bill, splendid marsh speedwell leaves kissed by the sun, rose hips glowing in the sunlight, rowan berries and gorgeous looking acorns. Starlings, House Sparrow, Light Brown Apple moth I believe, lavender, steeplebush, some new sunflowers in the front garden in the sun and spider were good to see at home today.

[dansnaturepictures]

21/08/2023-Evening walk at Lakeside, Winchester and home

Photos taken in this set: 1-4, 6-8 and 10. Views on an evening walk at Lakeside. It was so refreshing and powerful to be out in the enriching evening sunlight, feeling strong outdoors summer evening vibes. There were breathtaking scenes as the sun kissed the lakes creating lovely reflections and permeated through trees. On recent later evening walks I have reflected on how the lowering sun at that time of day recreates the scenery somewhat, I see views I observe often in a new way which is lovely. The wavy clouds in the sky was notable at home and Lakeside this evening too. 5. Great Crested Grebe, it was lovely to see these this evening. 9. Steeplebush looking glorious in the evening light with one bright pink flower.

Also of note at Lakeside was one Coot, the first I've seen here for months. Moorhen, Black-headed Gull and Woodpigeon were good to see too, with a stunning Speckled Wood view when cutting across Lakeside on my commute tonight. I possibly saw a Hornet Mimic hoverfly or Lesser Hornet hoverfly at Lakeside. Blackberries, acorns and sloes as well as red bartsia and bird's-foot trefoil kissed by the evening light, pineappleweed, water mint, great willowherb, purple loosestrife, dock, seas of ragwort, white clover and prominent broad-leaved clover were lovely plants seen at Lakeside this evening with hedgerow crane's-bill and another crane's-bill seen well as well as the masses of ragwort this morning. On an office working day in Winchester today I enjoyed glorious views of Winnie the Peregrine at the cathedral, a stunning bird I always find it mesmerising and surreal to see. It was also good to see gypsywort in Abbey Gardens one I've seen a lot of recently, hydrangea, cinquefoil and ivy-leaved toadflax at the Peninsula Barracks walking through on a lovely evening.

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My wildlife and photography highlights blogs of 2021: Post fourteen-A new style one on ten of my standout butterfly, moth and flower moments and points from August to November

The weekend I saw Silver-spotted Skipper, Clouded Yellow and Purple Hairstreak at Old Winchester Hill and Stockbridge Down, with a visit to Magdalen Hill and standout flower moments too

One of the pivotal and most joyful moments of my summer in which we started to put the icing on the cake of our butterfly year seeing my first super Silver-spotted Skipper and Clouded Yellow two of my favourite species of the year on a scorching and gloriously sunny August Saturday morning at the beautiful Old Winchester Hill. There was also a wealth of wonderful wildflowers at Old Winchester Hill which we enjoyed such as marjoram, wild basil, scabious, cow parsnip and viper’s-bugloss. We enjoyed a hot walk at Magdalen Hill that day too where flowers such as sainfoin, rosebay willowherb and my first ever nightshade, bellflower and traveller’s joy were amazing to see. I saw and photographed an incredible amount of butterflies that weekend with hoards of them about which was fantastic also seeing Purple Hairstreak the next day at Stockbridge Down in my best ever year for them and Chalkhill Blue, Brown Argus, Small Copper, late Dark Green Fritillary on the Sunday, Small Tortoiseshell and Green-veined White starred across the weekend too with more amazing flowers at Stockbridge Down such as marjoram, ragwort, eyebright, harebell, mullein and red bartsia too. I took the first picture in this photoset of one of the Silver-spotted Skippers.

A blog on it at the time: https://dansnaturepictures.tumblr.com/post/659532523456561152/14th-august-2021-part-1-of-2-silver-spotted

White-letter Hairstreak and Hornet Mimic Hoverfly at Farley Mount, with brilliant flowers like my good summer run of marjoram

In a fantastic summer for White-letter Hairstreaks for me as well seeing a few this was a phenomenal moment when at Farley Mount I saw one closer than ever before and got to take photos with my macro lens with it brilliant for a species usually seen high up on a tree line the second picture in this photoset one of these. It was a generally fantastic day where I also loved seeing my first ever hornet mimic hoverfly a divine species on a quintessential summer day of wildlife seeing flowers such as my first lesser stitchwort, more marjoram a flower I found so rich and pretty to see so much this summer and more with dragonflies and butterflies such as Silver-washed Fritillary, Red Admiral and Brimstone seen well too.

Blog on it at the time: https://dansnaturepictures.tumblr.com/post/660301847127605248/220821-white-letter-hairstreak-and-more-at

My first ever Brown Hairstreak at Shipton Bellinger and moths on two visits there

One of my best moments of another amazing butterfly year and 2021 generally when on two late August visits to a new place for us Shipton Bellinger near Hampshire’s border with Wiltshire we saw our first ever Brown Hairstreak butterfly. A butterfly we had hoped to see for a while and our first new species since 2019, always a massive moment but this one more so as it took my butterfly year list to 45 making it my joint highest ever butterfly year list alongside 2019 a deserved big headline to look back on this extraordinary butterfly year for me and the Brown Hairstreak was a gorgeous species which we saw so well. We also saw brilliant moths and flowers on the two visits there, my first ever Straw-barred pearl, Bird-cherry ermine and The White-point and much wild basil, centaury, red bartsia, scarlet pimpernel, St. John’s-wort, thistle, eyebright and also some wayfaring tree berries. I got the third picture in this photoset of one of the Brown Hairstreaks.

A blog about it at the time: https://dansnaturepictures.tumblr.com/post/660885573793431552/290821-my-first-ever-brown-hairstreaks-and-more

Red bartsia dominates through the summer

One of the key flowers I learnt and enjoyed seeing this summer was the unique shaped and rich coloured red bartsia. I first saw them at Durlston on one of our biggest trips of the summer and then saw them on many a meadow afterwards, and particularly enjoyed seeing them on my Lakeside lunch time walks as part of a sweet varied group of colourful summer species for weeks on end when lots of other flowers started to come to an end becoming so used to this charming species. I took the fourth picture in this photoset of some at Lakeside.

A blog on it at the time: https://dansnaturepictures.tumblr.com/post/659265742853799936/110821-butterflies-berries-and-bartsia-at

Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing moth in my room

A key part of my summer was the deeper learning and appreciating of moths especially those coming in the house which my old style patch butterflies and others 2 highlights blog overlapped into via the list of key species, but the Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing was the only one of the few species coming in that I had in my room making it more personal. And it was one of my most electrifying moth moments ever seeing stunning flashes of orange as this top species flew about prominently in my room and it excited me so much getting macro pictures of it. In a brilliant couple of days of moths it was thrilling and lived long in the memory. I got the fifth picture in this photoset of it on my bin.

Blog about it: https://dansnaturepictures.tumblr.com/post/658804389973229568/05082021-and-06082021-part-1-the

Small Dusty Wave, Square-spot rustic and Willow Beauty moths in the house on one day, with Morning-glory plume and The Spectacle in around that time too

On one phenomenal day in a brilliant run in early September it felt like that moment my moth year peaked with Willow Beauty and Small Dusty Wave two I recognised from last year in the house. There was a Square-spot rustic for the second time around that week in too which looked glorious bounding through the living room, and Morning-glory plumes visited very frequently around that time I do love seeing them with a Spectacle moth in at one point in the run too. Quirkily a snail in the house that night made it a mini safari in our living room. The sixth picture I took in this photoset shows the Willow Beauty.

Daily blog about it: https://dansnaturepictures.tumblr.com/post/661890882427125760/09092021-marvelous-moths-brilliant-birds-and

Silver Y and L-album Wainscot moths in the house

A memorable moment in late September when a second Silver Y moth was in the house this year one of my standout species this summer seeing them so well many times. It afforded me very exciting and intimate views and photo opportunities which I enjoyed I took one of my favourite macro moth photos this year of it. Not long after that an L-album Wainscot was in my bedroom which I found a uniquely coloured, charming and real notable moth for me this year and very much enjoyed seeing it and taking the seventh picture in this photoset of it.

Blog about it at the time: https://dansnaturepictures.tumblr.com/post/663255077673467904/friday-24th-september-2021-jay-ring-necked

Devil’s-bit scabious in late summer/early autumn

A fantastic run where it seemed everywhere we went in the New Forest was adorned by a charming and very pretty and well coloured key flower for the area that I enjoyed learning last year on a forest heath devil’s-bit scabious. I spent so much time admiring them again and feeling captivated by their beauty this year. I took the eighth picture in this photoset of one at Andrews Mare.

A blog mentioning it at the time: https://dansnaturepictures.tumblr.com/post/662695019300405248/180921-cadmans-pool-in-the-new-forest-and-home

Seeing butterflies late in the season like Speckled Wood and Red Admiral

As we got towards and into the autumnal times I very much enjoyed some occasions, mostly in precious strong bits of sunshine where I saw butterflies immediately locally at Lakeside and other places. When you see butterflies late on after the real peak season its always an extremely precious moment to make the most of these charming, beautiful, colourful and exciting insects which embody spring and summer so much being about. It’s a great chance for reflection too and I think this can be something easy to overlook over this time period so I celebrated it a lot this year. Species which I enjoyed seeing late on this year included Speckled Wood, Red Admiral, Peacock and Comma having memorable and cheery moments with all of these lovely species. I took the ninth picture in this photoset of a Speckled Wood at Lakeside Country Park.

A blog on it at the time: https://dansnaturepictures.tumblr.com/post/665607450208124928/20102021-red-admiral-mushrooms-and-more-at

Light Brown Apple moth at home

A sweet little moth I noticed in the living room in October which I enjoyed seeing it has quite a delicious looking colour. I had an intimate moment when it came onto my finger as I let it out a few nights later which was so lovely. I took the tenth picture in this photoset of this.

Blog at the time: https://dansnaturepictures.tumblr.com/post/665607450208124928/20102021-red-admiral-mushrooms-and-more-at

[dansnaturepictures]

22/08/21-White-letter Hairstreak and more at Farley Mount and Garden Carpet moth and more at home 

After returning from Rutland yesterday night in amongst all the photo processing today I got out for a walk at Farley Mount coming to the Pitt Down area of it. It got fairly late posting all my blogs of the time at Rutland on Sunday night and I debated posting the post of Sunday late on or propertly into the the next day a Monday I have off work seeing the benefits of both. In the end I decided as my photos taken on Sunday sort of shared their upload day with the ones from Rutland as I didn’t take my laptop to process the images on a one night stop over I may as well have the bog of Sunday posted a bit after for it to also have an elongated posting frame. I am interested to experiment with posting things at different times of day for a variety of things including similar circumstances around trips away with ever increasing photo yields adding more considerations when I can’t upload on the night as I always aim to so thought I would try a late morning slot. The walk was very pleasant with many bursts of glorious sunshine.

In this meadowy habitat after two extremely bird dominated days at Rutland it soon became clear today was a butterfly dominated one with a host of Brimstones on one patch some of the most I have ever seen together before. There were a host of wildflowers on the whole walk today too which painted the meadow so beautifully. These included; rosebay willowherb, fennel, ragwort, agrimony, eyebright, thistle, knapweed, more marvellous marjoram, yarrow, buttercup, scabious, St. John’s-wort, wild basil, speedwell and both plantain and the lesser stitchwort in the first picture I took today in this photoset which I recognised a bit from greater stitchwort which I know well from spring now using the PlantNet app for ID which I first ever noticed today. It was great to see crickets and a marmalade hoverfly among bees fitting around on the grass and a few slightly autumnal trees with coloured leaves as the eighth picture in this photoset I took today shows. I also saw a lovely little straw dot moth a first for me. I took the fourth, fifth, seventh and ninth pictures in this photoset of lovely views here today. 

The tone was set for another brilliant walk when in an extraordinary moment I got to see a butterfly my Mum had seen here recently on a walk when a splendid White-letter Hairstreak was sat perhaps uncharacteristically on the ground on some bright yellow ragwort. I was amazed to see this phenomenal sight. This is a butterfly I am so used to seeing flying high at the tops of trees since seeing our first in 2018 and despite my own sensational hairstreak adventures seeing them especially the Purple Hairstreaks right next to us at Lakeside I was a little envious but happy for them when my Mum and her husband had that experience. So I felt incredibly lucky to have this experience too and have extremely intimate moments getting stunning views of this excellent butterfly species. Other than the wonderful Green Hairstreak my favourite they do tend to be higher up so the big lens might be needed so to be taking pictures of one with my macro lens was very surreal and I was stunned to have this another big insect moment this weekend where I unusually got the honour of photographing it with my macro lens after Ruddy Darter at Rutland Water’s Lyndon on Friday. I got the second and third pictures in this photoset of this butterfly. I was pleased with them especially the latter and I have talked about getting one I felt was as strong as the big Green Hairstreak photo I took at Magdalen Hill early last spring one of my favourite ever butterfly pictures and this fellow hairstreak shot is a contender for that in my pack of 2021 butterfly pictures which I am so pleased with. 

Once again this shows why this has been the summer and year of hairstreaks for me with perhaps the white-letter present but in the purple’s shadow this far. Potentially I’ll come out of 2021 with the Purple Hairstreak having that continual astonishing experience of these rare butterflies on my patch and it’s fair to say I did take one of my best ever photos of the species at Lakeside this year but the White-letter Hairstreak I got that moment for what I felt was a big photo for me. 

The remainder of the walk exploded into a cracker for insects, as I got some very precious looks at bright orange Silver-washed Fritillaries after seeing them nearby at West Wood last month a key butterfly for me which I got extraordinary views of again. A hornet mimic hoverfly flying by us and onto vegetation ragwort once more delighted me I got the sixth picture in this photoset of it, my first time ever seeing this famous and gloriously marked and coloured insect. One of my best insect moments this year.

Southern Hawkers danced along high up the trees enjoying the snatches of sun. Green-veined White and Red Admiral added well to a stellar cast of butterflies on this summer’s day with the latter entertainingly landing on some dog poo. There was a brilliant bird moment too with a gorgeous view of my second Green Woodpecker seen and third seen or heard in as many days. When home tonight after taking in a sunny evening and afternoon with great brightness and little bits of red at sunset enjoying daffodils, fuchsia, hebe, sedum, Sweet Williams, creamy roses and other flowers in the back garden a wonderful little moth came in tonight which I got the tenth and final picture in this photoset of a familiar to me after one came in last year Garden Carpet moth. This made my moth year list another one to grow this weekend go up to a 21 I am pleased with on a perhaps more relaxing day which I was still so thrilled to get out in.

Wildlife Sightings Summary: My first ever hornet mimic hoverfly and straw dot moth, three of my favourite butterflies the Small Tortoiseshell I am seeing so many of these lately which is so good, Red Admiral and Silver-washed Fritillary, one of my favourite dragonflies the Southern Hawker, one of my favourite birds the Green Woodpecker, Small White, Green-veined White, Brimstone, Peacock, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, White-letter Hairstreak, Woodpigeon cricket/grasshopper, marmalade hoverfly, other hoverflies and bee.