MVCP Pillinge

A couple of shots of assorted gulls and ducks on the partially frozen pillinge. Photographs by Martin Green.

Mink

This creature was watched at DSTW on Tuesday, it showed no fear at all. It was in a water outlet pipe sheltering from the snow, only about 5mtrs from me when I first spotted it.

Stewartby Lake

Sunrise at Stewartby Lake Gullwatch, and a shot of the ice that stopped me getting any further round the lake... :-( Photographs by Martin Green

MVCP & Stewartby Lake

Things to do at the Stewartby Lake gullwatch when there are no birds about No. 1: Pretend you are artistic...

The MVCP's Visitors Centre - Widely recognised, well by Mr Ball and myself, as the MVCP's premier birding location. Quite coincidentally also the only MVCP location serving fried breakfasts and cappuccinos... :-) Photos by Martin Green

Northern Winter moth

Northern Winter moth at the Lodge today, obligingly showing its pale underwing.

Plume

This came to the window tonight - 16/11. Andy B tells me this is Emmelina monodactyla. Cheers Andy.

Brimstone & Common Darter - MVCP

The Brimstone was near the Stewartby Lake gullwatch and the Common Darter was one of about 10 around the MVCP Pillinge this afternoon. Photos by Martin Green.

Very Hungry Rodent

Feeder is 2m above ground, well screened from below by magnolia leaves, and suspended 15cm below branch. I wondered where the fat balls were going!

UFO - Unidentified Fungal Object

This fungus is about 40-60cm across and is growing on a log (Poplar I think) near the MVCP Sewage works. I believe that it may be some sort of Oyster Fungus - I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who knows what species it is. Photo taken on 7th November 2009 by Martin Green.

Polecat or Ferret

This creature was found on the road-side near Potton by a colleague at the Lodge today. Is it a polecat, a polecat-ferret or a ferret?

Some recent moths at the Lodge: Juniper Carpet (21st), Merveille du Jour (26th), Streak (28th).

Rush Veneer

I used to catch a few of these when I lived in Norfolk but this is my first in my Eaton Ford garden. Probably something to do with the fact I've only trapped a few times in the autumn.

Leafmining in Holwell

Yes I agree Holwell is in Hertfordshire as far as the administrative boundaries are concerned but it is in the vice-county of Bedfordshire (VC30) and these are the old boundaries that we use for moth recording. Melissa and I spent 1 1/2 hours collecting mined leaves and then took them home to identify which species of micro-moth were feeding on them - 24 species were found in total.
The scan below is taken using transmitted light and is of a larva of Stigmella oxyacanthella feeding on Hawthorn - you can see the diagnostic coiled reddish frass and the green larva munching away!

Dark Chestnut, Eaton Ford

New for the garden.

Clay Triple-lines 2nd generation & Green-brindled Crescent

A couple of moths caught in Maulden Wood on 5th October. The Clay Triple-lines is one of the species in which the second generation in the year is different to the first. The Green-brindled Crescent was the first we had caught this autumn. Both photos by Andy Banthorpe.

Dusky Lemon Sallows

Trapped in Eaton Ford 29/9

Acleris logiana - new to VC30, Bedfordshire

This moth was amongst others passed to David Manning for id last week. He dissected it and it is the first county record of Acleris logiana which feeds on Birch. Caught at Flitwick Moor on 5th July 2009

Moths from National Moth Nights 2009

The following moths were all trapped on either 18th or 19th September 2009 at Maulden Wood, Flitwick Moor or at home in Lower Stondon. All photos by Melissa Banthorpe

Pink-barred Sallow Maulden Wood 19/09/09

The Sallow (two colour forms) Maulden Wood 19/09/09

Orange Sallow Lower Stondon 19/09/09

Centre-barred Sallow Maulden Wood 18/09/09

Blood-vein Flitwick Moor 19/09/09

Autumnal Rustic Lower Stondon 19/09/09

Brindled Green Maulden Wood 18/09/09

Red-green Carpet Maulden Wood 18/09/09


Brown-spot Pinion Lower Stondon 18/09/09

Rosy Rustic Lower Stondon 18/09/09


Large Ranunculus Lower Stondon 19/09/09

Deep-brown Dart Lower Stondon 18/09/09

Small Wainscot Maulden Wood 18/09/09

The Brick Maulden Wood 19/09/09

Flitwick Moor moths - 19th September 2009

Photos of some of moths caught at Flitwick Moor on the very enjoyable moth trapping night run by Andy & Melissa Banthorpe. Photos by Martin Green.

Ruby Tiger

Black Rustic

Red-green CarpetBrindled GreenEngrailed

Moths and a bug

From The Lodge last week, a Large Thorn, a Feathered Gothic and the heathland specialist Rhopalus parumpunctatus, a new species for the site.

Migrant Hawker - MVCP

This Migrant Hawker was in the "stream" that is at the back of the MVCP Sensory Garden, near the visitor's centre this afternoon. Photo by Martin Green.

Butterflies at Pegsdon Hills

Chalkhill blue, clouded yellow and speckled wood butterflies plus a dark bush cricket. All taken at Pegsdon Hills this Saturday (Helen Michell took the photos of the chalkhill blue).

Dragonflies and a Wasp Spider

Andy and I took advantage of the weather and made a brief afternoon visit to Duck End NR, Maulden, recording amongst other things Common Darter, Ruddy Darter and Emerald Damselfly. Then we popped over to Stratton Park Balancing Lake near Biggleswade where we were extremely surprised to find a Wasp Spider. All photographs by Melissa Banthorpe.

Common Darter DENR

Ruddy Darter DENR

Emerald Damselfly DENR

Wasp Spider, Argiope bruennichi, at Stratton Park Balancing Lake Biggleswade

Clouded Yellow

There were four Clouded Yellow at Ledburn Road Sandpit opposite Tiddenfoot, Leighton Buzzard this afternoon - all very active !

Garden Moths - Stewartby Lake

Martin Palmer set up his moth trap in my parent's garden near Stewartby Lake yesterday evening. We got a total of 25 species of macro moths and 9 different micros. Here are a few photos of the moths...

Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing

Swallow ProminentMicro moth Number 1305

Silver-washed Fritillary

A somewhat worn Silver-washed Fritillary at Chicksands Wood today - this is the only shot I managed to get before it was gone.

Not just black and white

A striking moth of oak woods at this time of year is the Black Arches, Lymantria monacha. This was one of 32 that came to an actinic trap in Potton Wood last night. When disturbed they have a defensive posture that seems to involve arching the body and showing a flash of red along the abdomen, presumably to warn off any inquisitive birds.

Half a dragonfly?

I came across this bizarre sight by one of the ponds at The Lodge last week. It took me a few seconds to realise that this darter had been pulled into a hole by something (a wasp?). As you can see by the second 'action' shot, he wasn't too happy about it!

Wall Brown

Still hanging on in the brick pits. A second brood male Wall Brown nectaring on Knapweed.

Small Copper, form caeruleopunctata

A (second brood) Small Copper of the form caeruleopunctata found nectaring on Fleabane in the brick pits