I have signed a petition on 38 degrees to try to help save important invertebrate habitat from yet another golf course. Surely there are too many golf courses in Scotland already. That idiot Donald Trump's new course in Aberdeenshire is going down well I hear(!) I think it was a £11M loss!

Please sign - go to https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/save-fonesca-s-seed-fly
Petition Page

Save Fonseca’s seed fly

PH

Campaign created by

Paul Hetherington

 Buglife

Highland Council must do everything in their power to protect the habitat for this rare endemic fly that is dependent on the network of shifting dunes a large portion of which are now under threat from the proposed development of a golf course at Dornoch Firth

Why is this important?

Plans for a 236 hectare golf course near the Dornoch Firth in the Scottish Highlands could put one of Scotland’s rarest species at threat of global extinction. Fonseca’s seed fly is restricted globally to a short stretch of coast in northern Scotland. It is known from adjacent sites and the habitat is similar on the development site so the inference is that the fly should be there too. Its population is perilously small and is thought to be closely associated with Ragwort, Sow-thistle and the sand dune systems found in this area. The proposed golf course would destroy important habitat for this species and fragment the already fragile population. Stabilisation of the dunes and creation of fairways and greens will destroy the habitat for the species.

Interesting Damselfly at the pond

I was going to write a short update on our trip to the Danube Delta, but that will have to wait. I was down at our pond today, planting some Water Figwort, when a damselfly flew in and landed on the young Alder trees.

It looked like an Emerald Damselfly, so I ran and got a camera and a book. It turned out to be a male Willow Emerald, Chalcolestes viridis.Soon after there was a second male and then a pair in tandem. The female proceeded to egg lay in the branches of the Alder. This species is unusual amongst British Odonatans an laying its eggs in this way. It has also only really colonised Britain since about 2007. However, it is spreading, possibly due to climate change.

Male Willow Emerald Damselfly on young Alder

 Later in the evening, to add to the attraction of the pond, I disturbed a Green Sandpiper.

Visit to Wheatfen, Surlingham

Saturday (28th May) was sunny and warm. So I decided to take a trip to Wheatfen. This is a broadland reserve run by the Ted Ellis Trust. It has good quality fen, reedbeds, a broad, wet carr woodland and some dry woodland.
No Swallowtails about (the reserve's specialty butterfly) but lots of Brimstones and Orange-tips as well as at least five other butterfly species. Quite a few hoverfly species including good numbers of Tropidia scita - a new one for me.
Good numbers of early dragonflies, including some female Banded Demoiselles and quite a few Hairy Hawkers and Scarce Chasers.

Teneral Scarce Chaser Libellula fulva

Not a lot of bird activity, but nice to hear a Cuckoo. Also a surprise to see an Osprey flying through. It had apparently been around the broad prior to this. I presume it may have been feeding on Rockland Broad.

Bumble Bee Nestbox

I am not a great fan of Bumble Bee Nestboxes on the whole. Bird Nestboxes seem to be occupied fairly regularly - even if sloppily put together like our Barn Owl box! But Bumble Bee nestboxes, well...

They seem a great idea, but never used.

However, earlier this spring there was a queen Bombus hortorum in our box. This was promising, but I still remained unconvinced. At the weekend I had a quick look inside and about four Bombus hortorum workers crept out to defend the nest. So it looks like they are using the box!

I will have to wait and see how effective the nest is, but it does make a difference from the usual earwigs, millipedes and spiders that are in there.

Warm Bank Holiday Sunday

Today was a nice warm sunny 1st May. Spent some of the day clearing Alexanders - we have rather a lot of this. I blame the neighbouring arable fields and all the sprays the farmers put on them!
We also moved the cows to a new field. It was nice to see how the botany of these fields has diversified since we got the cows.
The hedges are also looking good and Wilkins Wood starts to look like a wood! Also nice to see some of the wildflowers we have planted becoming more established and coming up for successive years!
Some of our House Martins are back and quite a few Swallows around, so it almost felt springlike. This year we seem to have 2 singing Blackcaps and a singing Chiffchaff, so hopefully we are doing something right.
Increasing numbers of Bumble Bees - hopefully they will pollinate the orchard. Also a few solitary bees including Andrena bicolor, Anthrophora plumipes (including a splendid male demonstrating the 'hairy feet' - see Peregrine Productions plate HYM6 Solitary Bees for a picture).
Several butterflies flying - Peacocks, Speckled Wood, Large White, Small Tortoiseshell.

A Peacock, Inachis io.

In the pond, there were a few Whirligigs.Also plenty of Smooth Newts courting and mating - nice to see through the clear water.
We are keeping a close eye on the Barn Owl nest-box. A female Barn Owl flew out of it the other evening. Though I am not too optimistic, as the Stock Doves still seem to be using it.

New website for Peregrine Productions

Finally got round to sorting out a new website for Peregrine Productions. It has gone live, but is a bit sparse at present. I will bulk it up and hope to add a shop. The address is www.peregrine productions.co.uk.

Insects again

Lovely warm day today. Almost spring-like! The cows seemed happy, though they drank their water rather quickly. They have moved to a new field which always keeps them happy for a few days.

I managed to identify the ground beetles from yesterday - 2 Badister bullatus and an Anchomenus dorsalis. Both are pretty common species, but quite nicely marked - a change from the usual black. Also found a 7-spot Ladybird yesterday on Ground Ivy by the edge of a field.

Today had two highlights. Insect-wise, the first butterfly for the fields for 2015. A solitary Small Tortoiseshell Aglais urticae was flying near the pond. In the garden under the feeders was a Reed Bunting. This is our first one at Beech House. It seemed to be a first winter female. Buzzard was quite noisy over the field and the Kestrel was hunting, so presumably there was quite a bit of small mammal acivity.

This is my old painting of A. dorsalis taken from the Peregrine Productions plate BTL4 Garden Ground Beetles

Insects! First Butterfly of the year for me.

A crisp, sunny morning today. Surprisingly warm as well. Went looking for Bumblebees in the garden, but none out yet. However, there was a male Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni flying in Loddon as I drove through. I have planted 3 Alder Buckthorn and 2 Common Buckthorn around the garden over the last few years. So, you never know, Brimstones may breed here!

Down in Wilkins Wood, I overturned the cherry log and there were a few Ground Beetles. WIll see if I can identify the species.

In Sisland Carr, Bluebells and Dogs Mercury coming through. Surprised a Chinese Water Deer by the stream.

Grey Partridges

This week I have seen a couple of Grey Partridge Perdix perdix in or adjacent to our fields. We regularly get Red-legged Partridge, but I don't really regard them as 'proper' birds. They are probably released for shoots, like all the influx of dozy pheasants we get each year.

I saw a couple of Grey Partridge when we first moved here. These are the first ones since then. Hopefully they will hang around. The species is undergoing serious declines in numbers and distribution. So any birds are good news!

Today we also had a nice male Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula eating the buds in the Blackthorn hedge along our front garden. Always nice to see.

On the insect front, there are a few Harlequin Ladybirds Harmonia axyridis about. Not sure if this is something to celebrate or not!

More anon...

World Pangolin Day

To continue the non-insect theme, today is World Pangolin Day.

This annual event is intended to highlight the plight of these endangered mammals. they are apparently the most trafficked animals in the world and the Asian species are threatened with extinction.

More on:
https://www.facebook.com/WorldPangolinDay

Current reading matter

I know it is not insects, but I am currently reading a great book on frogs.
The book is 'In Search of Lost Frogs' by Robin Moore, published by Bloomsbury.

It tells the story of how the crisis in amphibian extinctions triggered a campaign to try to rediscover species that had not been seen for decades. It is fast paced, serious and reasonably optimistic. It is also full of exquisite photographs of frogs.

This has also inspired me to try to improve the garden and fields for amphibians. We regularly have newts but few toads and no frogs. So log piles are going in near the ponds and I am going to see what else I can do to tempt some frogs to breed.

Help save a rare endemic from extinction

Buglife are trying to highlight the plight of a rare spider.
It is under threat from cynical developers (no surprise there).
Please help.

 

The link to the fundraising page is:

 

http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/save-our-spider

 

 

Update 7/3/15: The project was overfunded, so the surveys look like they will go ahead.

Perhaps I should post more!

Over 3 years since the last post!

Probably should post some more. If there is anyone reading this!!

Over the weekend I think I will put up a few posts on what is happening here in Norfolk.

Here is a Buff-tailed Bumble Bee Bombus terrestris on Ground Ivy just to add a bit of colour.

Recorded by the BBC again!

After a long silence, I would like to prove that I still exist!

Having been filmed some years ago for a BBC4 programme on insects, I have now been interviewed by the BBC for a Radio 4 programme called 'A Life with ...'

Our new cows also featured. Not sure when it will air yet.

Spoony needs your vote! | BirdLife Community

This seems very worthwhile. A delightful bird in major trouble!

Spoony needs your vote! | BirdLife Community

The RSPB: Save the Sumatran rainforest: Million tree appeal

The RSPB’s Harapan Rainforest seems to be going from strength to strength. This is a very worthwhile cause to support.

The RSPB: Save the Sumatran rainforest: Million tree appeal

Update

Still alive!
Snowing again. Managed to plant 450+ hedging plants though, for some native hedges to split the big field prior to cows coming.
Not much work on Peregrine Productions recently.

Tree-planting

We have started planting a few trees - pictured here is a Spindle. We have also planted a Field Maple and a Wild Service Tree.

Hopefully a lot more to come.

I have also started to remove some of the Horse Chestnuts - there are too many for the site. I am trying to ringbark them, to leave dead wood habitat.

Stockton, Norfolk

Well, after a delay, here is some more about the new house and grounds!

The photo shows one of a pair of very tame Pied Wagtails that frequent the garden. Though a young male seems intent on chasing off the male of the two.

So far the bird list includes:

Robin, Wren, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, House Sparrow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Dunnock, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Redwing, Fieldfare, Pied Wagtail, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jay, Jackdaw, Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Moorhen, Mallard, Pheasant, Red-legged Partridge.

I don't think that's a bad list for a few weeks of intermittent visits and not looking properly yet.

Several Mallards seem resident on the pond and the Moorhens come very close to the house. Large flocks of winter thrushes in the field.

First photos of new house

As promised, here are the first photos of the land around the new house in Stockton, Norfolk.

Very picturesque in the snow!

Included here are some general views and the 'lake'. More to follow as well as details of sightings.