323/365 Autumn critters

19 Tuesday Nov 2019

Posted by sconzani in autumn, insects, nature, plants

Tags

autumn insects, bees, British insects, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, hoverflies, ivy flowers, moth larva, Red Admiral, wasp

It may be late autumn, with shortening days, chill winds and cooling nights but, when the sun comes out as it did yesterday, the insects also come out to warm themselves and feed. During my walk around Cosmeston I spotted a late Red admiral butterfly and then, further on, where ivy was still flowering, a host of flying mini-beasties: hoverflies, various bees and wasps. And, near them, tucked away further down on a bramble leaf, even a caterpillar, probably a moth larva though I’m not sure which species.

315/365 Sparrowhawk

11 Monday Nov 2019

Posted by sconzani in birds, nature

≈ 2 Comments

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birding, birds of prey, birdwatching, British birds, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, Sparrowhawk

This Sparrowhawk was hunting over the west paddock at Cosmeston Lakes Country Park this afternoon. Three times I spotted it flying past, landing to check out potential prey and then moving on again empty-clawed.

191111 sparrowhawk (1)

Sparrowhawks always look smaller than I expect but they are incredibly aerobatic and agile in the air. I watched this one swerving at speed between branches that were swaying in the strong breeze. Once it landed, it was rather ungainly, struggling to maintain its balance on bushes as it peered down for the bird it had been chasing.

What a pleasure it was to watch such a magnificent creature! I’m only sorry the photos don’t do it justice – it was a little too distant.

191111 sparrowhawk (4)

285/365 Mousepee pinkgill

12 Saturday Oct 2019

Posted by sconzani in autumn, fungi, nature

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autumn fungi, British fungi, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, Entoloma incanum, fungus, Mousepee pinkgill

What’s in a name? That which we call a Mousepee pinkgill
By any other name would still smell like mouse pee!
(with apologies to William Shakespeare)

191012 mousepee pinkgill (2)

Truth be known, I have no idea what mouse pee smells like (and these fungi had been rained on for several days so the smell may well have dissipated) but I’m fairly sure that is what these fungi are. The greenish stem is a bit of a giveaway, and these are definitely not Parrot waxcaps, which are the only other green-stemmed fungi I know (though that, in itself, doesn’t mean there aren’t others).

191012 mousepee pinkgill (1)

You can read up on the Mousepee pinkgill (Entoloma incanum) on the most excellent First Nature website here.

191012 mousepee pinkgill (5)

279/365 A yellow Red-veined darter

06 Sunday Oct 2019

Posted by sconzani in insects, nature

≈ 2 Comments

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British dragonflies, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, dragonfly, immature male Red-veined darter, Red-veined darter

What’s bright yellow, flies like a helicopter, has relatively huge eyes that are half reddish-brown and half blue, and can sometimes be found in marshy, reed-filled areas in the south-west of Britain?

191005 red-veined darter

I wasn’t sure until I looked it up but it seems this stunning creature that I photographed at Cosmeston a couple of days ago is an immature male Red-veined darter.

272/365 A polypore

29 Sunday Sep 2019

Posted by sconzani in autumn, fungi, nature

≈ 2 Comments

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British fungi, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, Dryad's saddle, polypore fungus, Polyporus squamosus

Sadly, between one visit to Cosmeston and the next this spectacular fungus had almost been obliterated.

190929 polypore (1)

I think it’s a specimen of Polyporus squamosus, also known as Dryad’s saddle, which can grow to 60cm across, usually on the wood of deciduous trees, sometimes singly, occasionally in limited layers.

190929 polypore (2)

This one had been munched on top, probably by a slug or snail, but I imagine its downfall came at human hands, or feet, as it was growing in an area of woodland that is often frequented by children. A shame, as I was looking forward to following its growth.

Nibbled area top left

271/365 Wildflowers at Cosmeston

28 Saturday Sep 2019

Posted by sconzani in autumn, flowers, nature, wildflowers

≈ 4 Comments

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autumnal wildflowers, British wildflowers, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, flowering in September, wildflowers in bloom

Last Monday, on the day of the autumnal equinox, I decided to see how many still-flowering wildflowers I could find during my wander around the east and west paddocks at Cosmeston Lakes Country Park. My total was 33 – though I probably missed a few, I thought that number was impressive for the time of year. Here they are …

269/365 Still hovering

26 Thursday Sep 2019

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

≈ 2 Comments

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British hoverflies, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, Eristalis nemorum, Eristalis species, Helophilus pendulus, hoverfly, Syrphus species

Despite the wind and rain of recent days, which continued through part of today, when the sun came out at Cosmeston there were still a few hoverflies about. I’ve forgotten everything I ever knew about hoverflies, which wasn’t much, but I think these are Syrphus sp. (these usually need microscopic examination to identify to species), Eristalis sp. (my photo doesn’t show enough details to be sure which species this is – maybe E. tenax), Eristalis nemorum, and ‘The footballer’, Helophilus pendulus.

190926 hoverflies (1)

190926 hoverflies (4)

267/365 Flitting

24 Tuesday Sep 2019

Posted by sconzani in autumn, insects, nature

≈ 3 Comments

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#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

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#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)

262/365 Ratty’s second breakfast

19 Thursday Sep 2019

Posted by sconzani in animals, birds, mammal, nature

≈ 4 Comments

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British mammals, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, juvenile Moorhen, Moorhen, Water vole

It’s been a while since I’ve walked past the dipping pond at Cosmeston but I’m glad I did today as one of the resident water voles made an appearance.

190919 water vole (1)