267/365 Flitting

24 Tuesday Sep 2019

Posted by sconzani in autumn, insects, nature

Tags

#365DaysWild, British craneflies, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, crane fly, cranefly, Tipula oleracea

With every step I take through the dampish long grass and reed-filled ground in Cosmeston’s west paddock, small creatures flit up and away from my intrusive legs and feet. These are craneflies, probably the species Tipula oleracea.

Marsh cranefly (1)

I am no danger to them but they are right to flee: a couple of days ago, I was sitting eating my lunch at a picnic table in a nearby country park, watching as a Magpie strutted through the grass, picking off cranefly snacks for its lunch.

Marsh cranefly (2)

266/365 The charm of it

23 Monday Sep 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, birds, nature

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

#365DaysWild, birding, birdwatching, British birds, charm of Goldfinches, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, Goldfinch

This charm of Goldfinches numbered at least 60.

190923 goldfinches (1)

They were feeding in the wildflower fields at Cosmeston this morning, plucking at fluffy seedheads, nibbling at the exposed seeds.

190923 goldfinches (2)

They were skittish though, constantly whirling about from one area to another, into the nearby trees and back again, chattering all the while. Such a pleasure to watch!

190923 goldfinches (3)

264/365 Staying power

21 Saturday Sep 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, autumn, insects, nature

≈ Leave a comment

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#365DaysWild, British butterflies, butterfly, Common blue, Common blue butterfly, Lavernock Nature Reserve

It was looking faded, jaded and more than a little tatty but this Common blue butterfly has certainly got staying power. Most of its species have died off now in my local area so it was a delight to see this little one today at Lavernock.

190921 common blue

263/365 No parking

20 Friday Sep 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, insects, nature

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

#365DaysWild, British butterflies, butterflies, butterfly, Comma, Comma butterfly

It seems Commas don’t know their road code: no stopping on double yellow lines 24/7 if no signage. Or maybe this Comma thought the sparkling yellow paint was a flower. Luckily, this was on a quiet country lane with little traffic so the butterfly was in no danger. And it did look rather pretty, highlighted by the bright sunshine.

190920 commA (1)

260/365 Stonechats

17 Tuesday Sep 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, autumn, birds, nature

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

#365DaysWild, autumn migration, bird migration, birding, birdwatching, British birds, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, Stonechat

The Autumn migration flow of birds continued through Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, with several species reported: a Redstart, a Whinchat, a Spotted flycatcher and several Stonechats, two of which very kindly popped up in the hedge right in front of me.

190917 stonechat (1) 190917 stonechat (2)

257/365 Ivy bees

14 Saturday Sep 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, autumn, insects, nature, plants

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

#365DaysWild, bees, British bees, Colletes hederae, ivy, Ivy bee, ivy flowers

I heard them before I saw them.

190914 ivy bees (7)

I’d been smelling the ivy flowers all day, as I walked one of my local circuits, though Cosmeston along to Lavernock and back to Penarth along the coastal path. But I hadn’t noticed any open flowers until I heard the loud buzzing coming from the ivy ahead of me on the path. It was alive with various species of bee and fly and hoverfly. And then I spotted what I was looking for – the ginger fluff and black-and-yellow-stripes of Ivy bees (Colletes hederae), my first for 2019.

You can find out more about these handsome creatures in my previous blogs here and here.

190914 ivy bees (8)

256/365 Reed bunting

13 Friday Sep 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, autumn, birds, nature, plants

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

#365DaysWild, birding, birdwatching, British birds, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, Reed bunting, umbellifers

190913 reed bunting (1)

This is not the setting I would normally associate with Reed buntings – not a reed to be seen – but this little beauty seemed perfectly at home searching for insects amongst the umbellifers in Cosmeston’s west paddock this afternoon, and the colours made for good camouflage as well.

190913 reed bunting (2)

254/365 The bramble lovers

11 Wednesday Sep 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, autumn, insects, nature, plants

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

#365DaysWild, autumn fruit, blackberries, bramble, British butterflies, butterfly, Red Admiral, Red admiral on bramble

190911 red admiral (1)

I think everyone would agree that blackberries, the fruit of the bramble bush, are delicious. I’m not one of those people who risks the almost obligatory scratches to go blackberrying at this time of year – I prefer to leave them to the birds and minibeasts. But, at Cosmeston yesterday, I’d been walking longer than I anticipated and my stomach was rumbling so I thought I’d grab a few to keep me going.

190911 red admiral (2)

Well, if looks could kill, I would never have made it home because these Red admiral butterflies were absolutely certain the blackberries belonged to them. And they weren’t going to relent, letting me get my hand really close to them without moving a millimetre. One even flew out and ‘buzzed’ me before re-settling on its chosen fruit. I got the message and left them to their feast.

190911 red admiral (3)

251/365 Sericomyia silentis

08 Sunday Sep 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, flowers, insects, nature, wildflowers

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

#365DaysWild, Bog hoverfly, British hoverflies, Devil's-bit scabious, hoverfly, Lavernock Nature Reserve, pink scabious, Sericomyia silentis

It looks a bit like a wasp but this black-and-yellow-striped minibeastie is a hoverfly with the rather tongue-twisting name Sericomyia silentis. Perhaps Bog hoverfly would be easier but, in my opinion, its common name doesn’t do this little beauty justice.

190908 sericomyia silentis (1)

I spent a couple of hours today at Lavernock Nature Reserve, where the Devil’s-bit scabious is looking simply stunning and is attracting myriads of insects. I took lots of butterfly photos but thought to post one of the other little critters today. The Devil’s-bit is usually a lilac colour but some at Lavernock are this subtle shade of pink instead. Its nectar obviously tastes just as good!

250/365 Black and white

07 Saturday Sep 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, autumn, insects, nature

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

#365DaysWild, British butterflies, butterflies, butterfly, Cabbage white, Large white

190907 large white (1)

I know the Large white butterfly is the bane of gardeners who like to grow their own cabbages, cauliflowers and broccoli but you can’t deny how lovely it is – or, rather, she is: the two spots and a dash on the upper forewings mean this is a female. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Large white with such black markings before – she must be newly hatched, which means she may be from a third brood. She was simply perfect!

190907 large white (2)