What’s About – Week of 26th April, 2016

BIRDS

(Apart from our pair of Black-winged Stilts – see separate News item!)

  • PURPLE HERON photographed at Linford Lakes (21st – Neil Schofield)
  • 2 White Wagtails at Manor Farm – with Yellow Wagtails
  • Swifts seen at South Willen Lake (22nd – Martin Kincaid)
  • Cuckoo at Linford Lakes (22nd – Martin Kincaid)
  • Common Whitethroats, Lesser Whitethroats, Garden Warblers all singing now across MK.

Howe Park Wood

  • Pair of Ravens being chased by Crows (Saturday 23rd)
  • Small group of Linnets frequently visiting meadows by Howe Rock Place car park
  • Tawny Owl hunting at dusk (Monday 25th)

Tattenhoe Park

  • Pair of Coots with nest
  • Red Kites hunting over fields
  • Swallows passing through
  • Common and Lesser Whitethroats singing

(Howe Park Wood and Tattenhoe Park sightings by Harry Appleyard)

MAMMALS

  • Hedgehog reported from back garden, Furzton (Jean Aslett, 22nd)
  • 4 Badgers, 1 Hedgehog – Old Wolverton (Martin Kincaid, 24th)
  • Large numbers of Noctule bats seen over Stantonbury Lake, Linford Lakes (Martin Kincaid/Helen Wilson – 21st)
  • Bank Vole, Tattenhoe Linear Park (Harry Appleyard)

  • Muntjac in and around Howe Park Wood (Harry Appleyard)

    LEPIDOSAURIA

    • Large female Grass Snake basking outside Near Hide, Linford Lakes (Martin Kincaid – 24th)
      Grass snake by Martin Kincaid, Linford Lakes NR,24 April 2016Grass snake by Martin Kincaid, Linford Lakes NR,24 April 2016

     

 

 

 

 

 

INSECTS

Lepidoptera

  • Hummingbird Hawk-moth and Holly Blue butterfly – both in the Allen’s garden, Newport Pagnell (Carol Allen -23rd)
  • Emperor Moth reported from Tattenhoe (20th)
  • Holly Blue butterfly, Tattenhoe Park (Wednesday 20th – Harry Appleyard)
  • Small White Butterflies around Howe Park Wood (Harry Appleyard)
  • Speckled Wood butterflies, Water Spinney (Harry Appleyard)

Odonata

  • Large Red Damselfly, Tattenhoe Park (Wednesday 20th) – First record in Bucks for 2016 (Confirmed by Alan Nelson)
Large Red Damselfly by Harry Appleyard, Tattenhoe Park 20 April 2016

Large Red Damselfly by Harry Appleyard, Tattenhoe Park 20 April 2016

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ANGIOSPERMS

  • Field Poppies in flower along H3 (Monks Way), Great Linford
  • Early Purple Orchids in flower – Linford Wood (23rd)

Ramsons in flower at Bradwell Abbey and Stony Stratford Nature Reserve