Peregrine chicks fledge!

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Some of us have been keeping a Fledge Watch on our Peregrines to try and make sure that the two chicks made their first flights successfully and did not come to harm. Dermot captured these entertaining images on Sunday 29th June.  I also watched them that day and it was clear that one fledgling was far more confident about flying than its sibling!

DS Peri 1  DS Peri 2  DS Peri 3

DS Peri 4  DS Peri 5

The Sand Martins have not nested in the holes in the sides of Pymmes Brook (near the car park) this year but Dermot found one in the holes on the mooring

DS Sand 1

Thanks for the photos, Dermot

 

Photos taken on May bird survey and June butterfly survey

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It’s taken me a while to post these – many thanks to Ann Robertson for taking the trouble to send them to me.

A Cinnabar Moth and Green-veined White Butterfly from the May Bird Survey walk

AR Cinnabar moth IMG_0003  AR Green-veined White IMG_0005

Although we didn’t see many butterflies on our Butterfly survey on 5th June, Ann captured a variety of wildlife images – here we have Swans with young, Common Blue Butterfly, Bee Orchid, an unusual view of a Cinnabar Moth and Buff-tailed Bumble Bee

AR Swans IMG_0010  AR Common Blue butterfly IMG_0020  AR Bee Orchid IMG_0022   AR Cinnabar Moth IMG_0030  AR Buff-tailed Bumble Bee IMG_0036

Also a Common Blue Damselfly and a female Orange Tip Butterfly

AR Damselfly Commomn Blue IMG_0013  AR Orange tip fem IMG_0010

Thanks again, Ann – I know it isn’t always easy to email images especially when they can be quite large files!

Early Spring on the Marshes

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On the last Bird Survey on Sunday 16th March, we were counting butterflies as well as birds!

David Cottridge captured some early Spring images including these two views of a Comma butterfly – I don’t think I had seen before the white mark (shaped like a comma) on the underwing that gives the butterfly its common name.

Comma Butterfly Comma Butterfly showing 'comma'.

Not forgetting the flowers – this is a  Lesser Celandine (I confess I couldn’t have named it).

Lesser Celandine

Debbie

P.S. Don’t forget to click on the images to enlarge them (another click will enlarge an image further).

Peregrines on December Bird Survey

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On 8th December we had a beautiful blue sky as a wonderful backdrop for Jeff’s photos of the Peregrines.

They entertained us by calling, perching and displaying – some of the best views of their behaviour I have seen.

JH1 Dec13 BS in action_MG_7452   Bird Survey group in action!

JH2 Dec13 Peregrine F waiting_MG_7456  JH3 Dec13 Pere flying behind_MG_7459  JH4 Dec13 Pere perched lower_MG_7461

JH5 Dec13 Pere flying undering_MG_7464  JH6 Dec13 Pere before stoop_MG_7465  JH7 Dec13 Pere resting_MG_7467

Thanks for the photos, Jeff

Debbie

Candle Making on 1st Dec

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Eric held a Candle Making workshop on 1st December (I did wonder what was going to happen to all that bees wax after our honey making session!).

It seems an enjoyable afternoon rolling candles at the Waterside Centre was had by all  – thanks for the photos, Joanne.

Candles - Eric & equip  Candles - students  Candle making day

November fallen tree; subsequent Bee Rescue

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The St. Jude storm brought down some trees on the bank of the Lee Navigation. On the Friday walk on 8th November, we saw this canal boat with ‘grabber’ manouevering this fallen tree to prevent it blocking the Navigation.

Tree & grabber1 IMG_6352    Tree & grabber2 IMG_6354

Tree & grabber3 closeup IMG_6355   Tree & grabber4 IMG_6356

Not sure if this is the same tree but I’ve recently learnt that the FoTM beekeepers rescued a feral colony of honey bees from a fallen tree.  Here is a set of photos showing some of the process (click to enlarge).  The descriptions are courtesy of Eric.

The comb can be seen lying in the fallen section of the trunk.  The extent of the nest on the inner tree trunk can be seen from the remains of comb attached to the trunk walls.  Then Beekeeper faffing with smoker!

Bee rescue 1 comb lying in fallen section    Bee rescue 2 extent of nest  Bee rescue 3 Eric & smoker

Removing piece of comb to put into nuc (nucleus) box, which is essentially a small hive.  Then a photo of the general scene showing fallen tree and nuc box.

Bee rescue 4 remove piece of comb   Bee rescue 5 comb to nuc box   Tottenham poplar colony 22 Nov 2013

Must mention that Eric waited until sunset to make sure all the bees had returned to their new home!

Debbie

 

 

Long-tailed Tits on the Marshes – late September

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David Cottridge sent me these 4 photos of Long-tailed Tits taken in late September during a walk on the Marshes (sorry for the delay in posting them).  Don’t forget to click on the images to enlarge them.

Long-tailed Tit

Long-tailed Tit

Long-tailed Tit

Long-tailed Tit

Long-tailed Tit

Long-tailed Tit

Long-tailed Tit

Long-tailed Tit

I only used to see Long-tailed tits in woodland areas but they now seem to have discovered garden bird feeders and I’m always delighted to see them on my feeders – I’ve seen a group of four in my garden at least 3 times already this autumn.