Storm force Cliffe

Very blowy with the wind carrying a bite warning of winter to come! Between about 12 noon and 3:30, very occasional raindrops.

On Radar, a lot of Coot, Great Crested and Little Grebes, Mallard, Shoveller, Tufted Duck, Pochard, Teal, Wigeon, Pintail, Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew.

Behind Flamingo, a pair of Marsh Harriers (well, one male, one female) the female being mobbed by a small hawk, a merlin maybe.

On Flamingo 1200 or so Dunlin, 2 Little Stint, 50+ Ringed Plover, 40+ Grey Plover, 1 Golden Plover, 6 Curlew, 2 Knot possibly, 3 Black-tailed Godwit, more Coot, Grebes and a few Black-headed Gulls.

I might have seen half a dozen Redshank over Elf, I couldn't be sure. I missed a Raven over Flamingo, while I was concentrating on the BTO curlew/whimbrel video.

Quick whizz down by Bourneside

Not much about but very nice skies as the sun set. More blackbirds about at Bourneside as well as in the garden.

Down to the Mill

The footpath passes through a woodland which has been greatly opened up, leaving about 15 small to medium sized trees in the middle. Quite a few trees appear to have been felled earlier this year including some very large timber indeed, although the trees around the edge are much better off, having been left alone. There is nothing to stop a landowner felling trees although a Forestry Commission license may be needed. However why TMBC allowed the householder permission to build a large shed by the woodland to store simply huge amounts of equipment supposedly to "manage this woodland for the benefit of the ecology" is quite simply beyond me. What on earth could be the very special circumstances allowing TMBC to overturn the presumption against development in the Metropolitan Green Belt? They didn't seem to have had a clue about this preposterous application.

Linnets on the estuary bank, a kingfisher flying from the river up towards Style Place and a female kestrel on the wires by Victoria Road.

Cobtree Manor recce

Great drive down from Ruthin

Fantastic drive down today, only five hours with a ten minutes stop for fuel, and several slow periods on the M40 and by Heathrow. Five or more buzzards around Shrewsbury, and six or more Red Kites near the Cotswolds. Why so many magpies near Heathrow? Only one parakeet overflying the M25.

Male Tawny Owl calling and Grey Squirrels screeching in Dene Park as I managed two quick circuits between 6 and 7 pm. Also something calling kee-wick, kee-wick, kee-wick - young buzzard or a hunting tawny owl?? 

Olive's 90th

Olive had her 90th birthday party in her garden today, with Paula's wonderful flowers on the cake. Her actual birthday is tomorrow, the 21st.

Really nice to see Pascal van Ceunebroeke again, who was a visiting student from Belgium in 1993, and is now a horticultural trainer and a family man of 45! He has come all the way over from Belgium to celebrate with Olive. Other long-distance visitors included Virginie from North France and the Williamsii from the South of France, as well as my mum from North Wales of course! What a very nice chap Pascal is!

Comma chrysalis, Lawyers Wig and Willowherb Downy mildew at Dene Park

I really find it difficult to get satisfactory photos with the mobile - I don't know whether it is focussing or shake that is the main issue.

The Comma chrysalis was absolutely fantastic - and the photos do  not do it any justice at all. I would never have seen it if it wasn't on some sallow whips that had been largely stripped by what I think might be the Willow Sawfly - see below. The chrysalis was just under an inch long I would have said, and here there is a front view and then a side view. The photo just can't capture the wonder of the silvery patches.

I found two or three of the Sawfly larvae as well, maybe the final instar. They may be the Lesser Sawfly, Nematus pavidus, which seems to be the commonest on Goat Willow.

The Tawny Owl was heard for the third evening in a row, and it was heard twice tonight. Nice to think of this male setting up its winter territory for next spring, presumably having successfully moulted over the last couple of months. "Tawny Owls remain within their nesting territory all the year round and pair-bonds last for life. They are generally monogamous but some males are known to be polygamous. The first territorial fights occur as early as October and November, the male determining the territory, the female the nesting hole. The transition from autumn to winter is marked by a final establishment of territories and pre-breeding behaviour. The female and male tend more and more to roost together. Courtship feeding begins in the winter period (December to February), becoming progressively centred on the future nest site.  In Europe the Tawny Owl usually begins breeding in mid-March." from the website: http://www.owlpages.com/owls.php?genus=Strix&species=aluco.

The area for a territory in good woodland may be as little as 12 Hectares, and the area bounded by the track walk is 26 Hectares, so there is perhaps enough room in this central patch for perhaps two territories, and perhaps more in the wood as a whole. However I have only heard the one male, and it could be the same male as heard for the past few years, and therefore possibly the same pair, as pair-bonds are generally for life (although a few males are thought to form polygamous bonds - that must be hard work!). Any young produced over the years will presumably have dispersed to new vacant territories in the area, if any have been available!

"Tawny Owls lay from two to six eggs, but sometimes only one. The eggs are almost round and pure white and are about 46.7 x 39mm. Normally, they are laid at intervals of 48 hours, and are incubated for 28-29 days by the female alone. When the young have hatched, the male brings more food, either to the nest or to the female waiting nearby. Once the chicks are 6-7 days old the female may leave the nest only to hunt, otherwise remaining near the young. Fledging occurs after 28 to 37 days. Tawny Owls are dependent on their parents for food up to three months after leaving the nest.  As the young owls gradually learn to fend for themselves they also establish territories." (ibid.).

As well as the owls taking up territory, other signs of the developing season are the profusion of different fungi, including these Lawyers' Wigs, or Shaggy Inkcaps, Coprinus comatus, at the start of the track to Ringlet Triangle. This is the best of a bad set of photos. The season is rushing along. Already some have completely deliquesced.

This is a very edible fungus, but other species at least are NOT to be mixed with alcohol within the same week! Eat quite young and very fresh for best results!