Footling for leafmines at Broadwater Warren

Looked at the Frangula alnus and fairly quickly I located the now long-vacated small spiral mines of what I eventually found out to be Bucculatrix frangutella, the Buckthorn Bent-wing, on quite a few of the leaves. This seems to me to be a delightful oddity. When does the larva decide to straighten its mine out, generally to be followed shortly by its leaving of the mine entirely, and conversion to the habit of window-paning the leaves!

Low down on one particular bush there also appeared to be a lot of window-paning, possibly caused by the further feeding of the larvae.

Sunny but cold Broadwater Warren

A pair of Ravens were heard calling to each other several times today, and there were occasional distant glimpses of the birds.

One Woodlark was seen perching on one of the posts of a no-grazing enclosure. It was quite far away, and the only distinctive characteristics seen for certain were the general dumpiness, and the white supercilium stretching round to the nape of the neck. 

A breezy grey Broadwater with the warden

This amazing green wood stain is caused by Green Elf Cap fungi, Chlorociboria spp., and is one of the components of the famous intricate marquetry known as Tunbridge Ware.

Lots more information on Chlorociboria and Tunbridgeware on Tom Volk's page,

There is some incredibly rare Chalybeate wet woodland there with the iron staining the mud bright orange-red and the green Greater Tussock Sedge, standing bright green among the orange surrounds.

The ground flora in and around the muddy pools is springing into emerald life:

This dead hedge helps with health and safety, and also reduces the risk of dogs entering the water, which could cause a lot of ecological damage, as well as risking the dog itself becoming at the least very dirty and stinky!

The RSPB have some really good interpretation signs, informative with great visuals:

This log-pile is on one of the smaller heathy patches near the car-park with refuge patches close by - unfortunately clear of adders when we checked this morning!

Broadwater Warren with Tree Pipits and Woodlarks

A really nice quiet relaxing afternoon at Broadwater, much less windy than yesterday but not that much warmer. Tree Pipits definitely identified today, so I was reassured about my identification of them yesterday.

ID points include the clearly visible eye ring, the clear pale sub-moustachial stripe, the strong bill, pinkish legs, very curved (short?) hind claw, the change from the strong broad streaking on the breast to fine streaking on the flank, the whitish belly in contrast to the buff chest and flanks.

Clear dark centres and pale fringes to the feathers make the median coverts stand out very clearly.

This bird was singing its heart out:

Broadwater in January

It was very interesting to see the reserve at this time of year - quieter as far as birds insects and much of the rest of nature goes, but plenty of dog-walkers like myself, as always. The car park was nearly full when I arrived at lunchtime, and about two thirds full when I left at dusk.

A Goldcrest was quietly flicking about in the small Scots Pine along the straight track on the East Heath for several minutes. There was a possible chaffinch (maybe, on rough jizz) on a tree along the heath. A Robin was confidently perching on the branches in the dead hedge at the far section of this track. A Robin and a Blackbird were disturbed in in the sheltered valley to the East of the Decoy Pond (the track back from the straight track).

A hunting group of Tits in the woods beyond the Decoy Pond included Long-tailed Tits, a Coal Tit, Blue Tits (I think), and a little later a Goldcrest. Then there were two Blue Tits among the seed cones in the Alders a little further along.

The veteran oak was looking majestic. The tracks were very muddy - particularly the ones forbidden due to harvesting operations.

A pair of Buzzards. There were 4 or 5 Carrion Crows over the conifers.

The West Heath.