As we are, technically, no longer in 'lockdown' (although our daughter and granddaughter in the Leicester area are, once more) I considered that it was about time I modified the title of my garden blog posts.
This post will cover two weeks and, as I have been busy and not paying as much attention to the garden wildlife as I might normally do, the post will be relatively brief - do I hear sighs of relief?
WEEK 27 - 29th June to 5th July
Monday, 29th June
The numbers of bird species noted was not great (11), but a highlight was a visit by a Jackdaw. Corvids are quite unusual in our garden, and other than Raven (I wish!) Jackdaw is probably the least frequent.
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| Jackdaw (Corvus monedula) garden on 29/07/2020 |
Tuesday, 30th June
The moth trap went out on this night, and I got what was pobably my largest catch with highest number of species. However, visually, it was a somewhat uninspiring selection of moths. Here's one of a very common moth - the Riband Wave. It comes in two forms, and we get both forms in similar numbers.
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| Riband Wave (Idaea aversata f. remutata) - from garden on 230/07/2020 |
I also had what I believe to be a bit of a rarity in the form of Marbled White Spot - sorry for the unattractive photo!
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| Marbled White Spot (Protodeltote pygarga) - from garden on 30/07/2020 |
Thursday, 2nd July
I managed to observe 15 species of bird visiting the garden, in spite of being busy in the garden for much of the time, as I'd received a shipment of pond plants, together with baskets, aquatic compost, and gravel for my new mini-pond and wanted to get them in the pond as quickly as possible and then fill the pond with water.
I was pleased to see a hoverfly attracted to the walls of the pond almost immediately.
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| hoverfly (Helophilus pendulus) (male) - garden on 02/07/2020 |
Saturday, 4th July
Avian visitors included a female Sparrowhawk (not photographed) and a Carrion Crow - another infrequent visitor to the garden.
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| Carrion Crow (Corvus corone) - garden on 04/07/2020 |
In summary (weekly maxima in brackets):-
We observed 3 species of mammal visit : Hedgehog (2) ; Red Fox (1) ; Grey Squirrel (1)
We observed 3 species of mammal visit : Hedgehog (2) ; Red Fox (1) ; Grey Squirrel (1)
We observed 20 species of bird visit : Blackbird (2) ; Bullfinch
(3) ; Chaffinch (3) ; Crow, Carrion (1) ; Dove, Collared (4) ; Dove, Stock (2) ; Dunnock
(2) ; Goldfinch (5) ; Greenfinch (1) ; Jackdaw (1) ; Magpie (1) ; Nuthatch (1) ;
Robin (2) ; Sparrow, House (6) ; Sparrowhawk (1) Starling (1) ; Tit, Blue (6) ; Tit, Great (1) ; Tit, Long-tailed (2) ; Woodpigeon (4).
WEEK 28 - 6th to 12th July
After a feeble start to the week in the garden, things got more interesting towards the end of the week.
Friday, 10th July
The trail cams witnessed two Hedgehogs visiting. The remarkable thing about their visit was that there seemed to be no antagonism between the two.
We also had the Fox visit again, and it was either a different Fox this time, or it had put on a bit of weight.
Saturday, 11th July
Two Hedgehogs again this night, and they seemed to be social-distancing!
Sunday, 12th July
We had an exciting end to the week when, during lunch in the conservatory, Lindsay noticed a damselfly beside the pond. Almost immediately, it flew up and landed on the leaves of the Iris I'd planted in the pond. Just ten days from filling the pond, and we'd got our first Odonata visiting - I was 'over the moon'! The damselfly stayed for several hours, making the occasional foray in order to catch prey, but usually coming back to the pond between times.
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| Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) (male) - garden on 12/07/2020 |
At one point it started waving its abdomen about and, at first, I thought that it might be obelisking to prevent itself overheating, but I suspect that there was something else going on.
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| Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) (male) - garden on 12/07/2020 |
While out there with the camera, I took a few other photos. The hoverfly that had arrived when I first filled the pond ten days earlier had stayed faithful to the pond, and we'd even named him Freddy!
Another hoverfly caught my eye. This one was much larger. It was an Eristalis species, and I think E. pertinax
I also took a shot or two of a juvenile Goldfinch - so very different in appearance to the adults.
So what does this pond look like- I hear you ask? Well, it's just one metre square, by just under half a metre deep, and it sits on the patio. The benefit is that, at my age, I don't have to lie on my stomach to photograph things in the pond. It also has the benefit that it solves Lindsay's phobia for frogs - they can't get in (famous last words!). So here it is - I'm looking forward to it maturing.
The last photo for the day, however, will be another of the damselfly, this time taken on one of its short excursions to nearby locations. Here it is on the flower-buds of one of our Buddleia bushes. It's not the best photo of a damselfly for detail but, to me, it has some artistic merit. I also realised that I'd never have recogised what the flower was from this shot - things can look so very different in macro-mode!
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| Freddy the hoverfly (Helophilus pendulus) (male) - garden on 12/07/2020 |
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| hoverfly (Eristalis pertinax?) (male) - garden on 12th July |
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| Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) (juvenile) - garden 0n 12/07/2020 |
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| the mini-pond - garden on 12/07/2020 |
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| Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) (male) - garden on 12/07/2020 |
In summary (weekly maxima in brackets):-
We observed 3 species of mammal visit : Hedgehog (2) ; Red Fox (1) ; Grey Squirrel (2)
We observed 2 species of butterfly visit : Small Tortoiseshell (1) ; Large White (1)
We observed 1 species of Odonata visit : Large Red Damselfly (1)
We observed just 16 species of bird visit : Blackbird (2) ; Bullfinch (2) ; Chaffinch (4) ; Crow, Carrion (1) ; Dove, Collared (4) ; Dove, Stock (2) ; Dunnock (3) ; Goldfinch (9) ; Greenfinch (1) ; Magpie (1) ; Robin (1) ; Sparrow, House (5) ; Tit, Blue (1) ; Tit, Great (2) ; Tit, Long-tailed (5) ; Woodpigeon (4).
Thank you for dropping by. My next blog post will probably be on Sunday and primarily feature butterflies, dragons and damsels. Until
then, take care and stay safe.
Nice post Richard, Shame you can't get the 'hogs and foxes in the same shot. It will happen one day. Stay safe. Mike.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mike. You've forgotten commenting two posts ago on the fact that I'd got vidseo of both hog and fox together.Best wishes, and take great care - - - Richard
DeleteNice shots of the Large Red Damselfly. Looks like the pond I'd going to be a winner. Hopefully you will have them egg laying soon. Take care.
ReplyDeleteI'm keeping my fingers crossed for new Odonata visitors, Marc, although none seen since Sunday. If no females arrive, I might think of importing a nymph or two, but am unsure as to whether I need to add some soil to the bottom of the pond as, at the moment, it's pretty-much bare pond liner.
DeleteBesr wishes - stay safe - - - Richard
Hello Richard, good to see you still have visitors to the garden at night. Two Hedgehogs and the fox. So nice. The pond is great and with already great visitors The Red Damselfly is a beauty. Goldfinch in the garden is amazing. You are so lucky! Crows noisy birds but with close up so beautyful!
ReplyDeleteTake care,
Regards,
Roos
Thank you for those kind words, Roos. I am hoping my mini-pond makes the garden more attractive to wildlife - particularly insects.
DeleteBest wishes - stay safe - - - Richard
Of all the corvids in the UK Jackdaws are my favourite. They are visually appealing, and seem to be endowed with even more than their fair share of well-known corvid intelligence. I should think that having one visit your backyard, Richard, is a mark of prestige and honour. Perhaps it came to give its seal of approval on the new new mini spa which appears to be yielding instant results. Seems like a great idea to me, and makes me wonder how much extra habitat could be provided for aquatic creatures if more installations of this kind were provided. You must have been truly thrilled to see the dragonfly.
ReplyDeleteIf you are talking about corvids in general, David, my nominated favourite would be Eurasian Jay. However, if you are only talking about Corvus species, I'm with you in your choice of Jackdaw, although their history with regard to the welfare of Little Owls is not good!
DeleteI find it encouraging that the state of nature is being increasingly recognised in UK, and the importance of garden ponds is part of that recognition. Pond suppliers are being overwhelmed by demand at present.
Best wishes to you both - take good care - - - Richard
Well, what can I say Richard. I'm going to be truly amazed if we get any Odonata to our newly established pond, but the Hoverfly may well be responsible for the Rat-tailed Maggot I told you about recently.
ReplyDeleteThe pond and the damselfly....'over the moon'....we will be too if that ever happens.
Stay Safe.
Pete.
If that Rat-tailed Maggot was spawned by that particular hoverfly, Pete, I got the ID wrong. It's the right species, but the wrong sex!
DeleteNot seen a damsel fly since Sunday, but fingers are crossed. I hope that you get yours soon. Don't give up hope.
Take great care - - - Richard
The Jackdaw is quite a handsome bird! Great macro shots of the moths, damsel and hoverflies. I need a nightcam in my garden to see what creature is eating everything!
ReplyDeleteNightcams are great fun, Karen, but occasionally you might see something you'd rather not have seen! Thank you for your kind words - take good care - - - Richard
DeleteThe only corvids we see are the jackdaws and I could do very well without them!! We seem to have a shortage of hoverflies this year which is a bit worrying, normally they are everywhere. I am delighted that your little pond is introducing new life into the garden for you I am sure we could manage a pont that size but I will have to be convincing!!
ReplyDeleteI am a bit worried I have not seen either of the owls for a few days now, they were so upset about something that last time I saw them!! Fingers crossed they will suddenly appear again.
Keep well and safe, best wishes to you both, Diane
Out in the countryside, Jackdaws can be a bit of a nuisance, I fully recognise, particularly when they take over a Little Owl nest in a hole in a tree. If a female Little Owl is incubating eggs, she will not move, so the Jackdaw just piles sticks on top of her so she eventually starves to death. However, a Jackdaw in the garden is exciting for me.
DeleteI don't like to say this, but I suspect your owls might have had young, and the fuss was because something was threateniing or predating the owlets. If this happens, so the brood fails, the owls will tend to go somewhere else that they feel safer. My fingers are now crossed too - please let me know if they return.
Best wishes to you and Nigel - stay safe - - - Richard
I finally heard one of the Little Owls last night while I was watering. It was behind the barn roof so I could not see it, but it was very close. I feel a little happier now that I have at least heard one of them. Diane
DeleteI'm delighted to hear that, Diane. Thank you for keeping me updated.
DeleteHi Richard! Awesome photos.
ReplyDeleteHi Anne - thank you!
DeleteI am impressed with your little pond and your first visitor Richard. Did you have a template for the pond or yo are just good at building things like this? I have noth Jackdaw and Rook juggling on my feeders and it is interesting to watch their antics and intelligence. Great close up shots. Stay safe and have a wonderful weekend.
ReplyDeleteHello Margaret. The pond came as a kit and only took a couple of hours to complete! Breaking up the pallet that it kame on, however, so that I could dispose of it, took best part of a day!
DeleteThank you for your kind words. Take good care and stay safe - - - Richard
Hello Richard
ReplyDeletethe pond .. or mini pond .. enriches the appearance in any case. Too small but nice for fishing .. ;-) I read your post again with a lot of fun, I really enjoy it
Regards Frank
Maybe I need to get a garden gnome with a fishing rod to sit on the edge of the pond, Frank!? Delighted to know that this post amused you. Take great care - - - Richard
DeleteBeautiful garden images Richard. The macro is fantastic.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Bob. I really enjoy trying to take macro photos - it lets me see things that I would never see with the naked eye, and I find it fascinating and exciting.
DeleteVery impressive photographs of the Large Red Damselfly, Richard! You have me saving pennies for a true macro lens.
ReplyDeleteYour new garden pond appears to be a sure-fire magnet for all sorts of living things. Not to mention a wonderful spot to relax.
Sorry for the tardy reply. We've been busy helping extended families with various crises. Both of us are doing great and looking forward to retreating to the swamp and forest soon.
All our best to you and Lindsay.
Hi Wally. So sorry to hear of your family troubles. I hope that all is OK now. There are enough pressures on us due to this terrible virus, and the handling of it by our leaders, without having to deal with other issues.
DeleteI'm more than pleased with the Sigma 150 macro lens. As mentioned before, I only ever use it handheld in the field. However, I do put it on a monopod when indoors photographing moths from the moth trap.
Take great care when you do get out and about - there are too many idiots out there at the moment!
My very best wishes to you and Gini - - - Richard