A load of Galls

We recently found these small galls on Ground Ivy leaves at Sevenoaks Wildfowl Reserve.

They are Rondaniola bursaria or Lighthouse Galls.   You can see the fresh calls on the first photograph and then the holes in the leaves once the midge has emerged.   The fly is Dasineura glechomae for those interested. 

Galls intact

Holes where midges have emerged

Common Toad

Common Toad-let!

Recently found this small Toad - presumably common toad - it was under a reptile sheet in grass at the edge of a lake.   Very obliging individual that didn't move a muscle whilst a few shots were taken.

After a few moments it was left in peace.

Happy days

Migration in Action!

Went out for a walk yesterday - the worst weather of the week!   However, the recent change in weather patterns brought several delights including huge flocks of migrating Chaffinch - all males either adult or first winter birds.

There was one particularly large flock just outside Sevenoaks Wildfowl Reserve - feeding in a field where horses were kept.   There were obviously rich pickings as over 100 individuals were flying from the ground to trees nearby every time they were disturbed by the horses, only to return to the ground as soon as they felt safe again.

Grey Wagtail

The male Chaffinches often migrate through or to the south-east of England from Scandinavia - the females prefer to move further west and are often found in similarly large flocks in the south-west of England and Ireland.

With large numbers migrating south into the UK, our population can double during the winter.   The males tend to migrate nearer to their breeding areas, believed to be so that they will arrive on territory in top condition (rather than tired from a longer journey).   The females have longer to migrate back to territory in the spring arriving once the male has secured the position - hence their longer migration.

See more information courtesy of the BTO here

At Bough Beech I also saw my first Redwing and Fieldfare of the winter - with around 50 Redwing (thanks to Sally for spotting them fly in) and one pair of Fieldfare (Malcolm's find).   Despite there being many birds busily feeding on the berries nearby, not one photograph was possible!   There was a grainy shot of a lovely Grey Wagtail though.

Fourteen Snipe dropped in and spooked Lapwing and Greylag - presumably they mistook them for a bird of prey.

Cormorant, Greylag, Lapwing & Teal

Another delight was a surprising number of Goldcrest - they have been reported widely in the last week or so, and for once we actually caught up with them in pairs on several occasions.   As usual at this time of year, there were Long-tailed Tit everywhere - contact calls echoed around us all day. Brilliant!

To round off the day, we had great sightings of two Kingfisher on several occasions - they appeared to be patrolling the edge of a lake.   Still no photos though!

Birds on a Wire

Watching the migrants gathering on wires at Sheppey . . . . . mainly linnet, but with some goldfinch joining in the fun.

Goldfinch on the top wire

Further on there were several stonechat, probably a family group.

Other autumn signs were galls on poplar trees.
These spiralled lumps along the leaf petioles, create a red spiral shaped lump and the leaf then sticks out of the end of the gall.  These are usually caused by an aphid, probably Pemphigus spyrothecae, although the name p. protospirae is also referred.

Poplar spiral galls

There were also many wild flowers going to seed, which will provide great food for migrants as they pass through on their long journey south.

Here's to a great autumn.

Great Green Bush-Cricket

A couple of weeks ago we found this female Great Green Bush-cricket Tettigonia viridissima at Sandwich Bay observatory.

I have been lucky enough to have seen several individuals in the last few weeks - mainly due to the searching skills of Malcolm & Sally.   

Female Great green Bush-cricket

This individual, however, was not hard to see as she was in the middle of the path and just waiting to be stepped on!   We watched for several minutes - as the camera came in closer, so she became more fascinated and actually walked towards it - maybe the reflection was interesting her.

However, after a while we moved on to to some bird watching.

Some while later we returned and much to our amazement she was now further into the side of the path, but was firmly planted with her ovipositor pushed into the ground.

As we got nearer, it was clear that she was laying eggs deep into a crack between broken concrete.   Every so often she almost retracted the ovipositor, changed the angle then pushed it deep into the ground again and started to flex her abdomen.   We watched as she did this several times.

We eventually left her to her work, marvelling at our luck in finding such a great event.

To see the walk click here

To see the egg laying click here