Flowers, Blue Tit Nest Update and Moths

The garden seems full of colour at the moment as more flowers start to bloom.

Cat's Ear now in flower in the "No Mow" Zone

Must admit I am not a lover of Rhodendrons but the flowers are quite striking.

Osteospermum

I haven't a clue what this flower is - it self-seeded in one of the raised beds. If anyone knows the identity I would love to know.

Choisea is still flowering.

The pond is starting to look a little overgrown - OH is not happy about the duckweed!!!

Yellow Flags are finally flowering in the bog garden.

Foxgloves, so popular with bees, self-seed themselves all round the garden. Am really pleased a white one has appeared in the front garden this year. Will get a photo when the buds open.

The Astrantia I bought last year has re-appeared.

Geums

It never ceases to amaze me how plants can do well one year and badly the next. I bought this Papaver a few years ago and, although it flowered well the first year, last year it never even appeared. However, this year it is full of buds.

"Money" seeds are starting to form on Honesty. I thought an Orange Tip was laying eggs on this plant but haven't yet found any caterpillars.

Storksbill geranium.

Valerian much loved by Humming-bird Hawk-moths and many other insects.

The Humming-bird Hawk-moth did re-appear briefly on Saturday morning and even stayed around until I had fetched the camera. Sadly, it whizzed between around a few flowers and then flew off over the garage roof again. Rather annoyed I didn't get even a record shot!


Garden Birds

Had the first visit of the year at the weekend from a family of Greenfinches who visited the feeders.

News on the Blue Tit chicks is not good. There is only one remaining chick. Hopefully, the parents can find enough food to raise just this one.


Garden Moths

A new species for the garden

Silver-ground Carpet (Xanthorhoe montanata)

The larvae feed on various herbaceous plants such as Hedge Bedstraw, Primroses and Cleavers (plenty of the latter in the garden!!).

I've put the trap out tonight - really hoping for something other than Heart and Dart, Shuttle-shaped Darts and various Pug species which escape before you can pot them!

Humming-bird Hawk-moth!!!!!

SO excited...! :) We've just spotted a Humming-bird Hawk-moth on Red Valerian flowers in the garden.

I knew these flowers attracted this species which is why I planted so much Red Valerian but its rather wonderful when you do actually manage to attract the target species :)

Sadly, no photo - it flew off over the garage as I rushed indoors to get the camera - probably too dark anyway :( Its only the second time I've seen this species in England (the first was last year in our holiday cottage garden in Dorset) although we saw dozens when we once had a holiday in Jersey.

Would like to say it might return tomorrow but heavy rain is forecast all day!

Will certainly be keeping an even closer eye on Red Valerian for the foreseeable future!!

Garden Moths from the Weekend and Blue Tit Update

Overnight temperatures are still very cool considering its June but I did put out the moth trap for 3 nights over the weekend. Catches are still very low but there were quite a few lovely moths - some new for the year and one new for the garden.



Buff Ermine (Spilosoma lutea) This species is fairly common and widespread but is still a Species of Conservation Concern under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP). The larvae feed on stinging nettle, honeysuckle and wild plum. (New for Year)

Heart and Dart (Agrotis exclamationis) is common and widespread. I trap a lot of this species.

Its very similar to Heart and Club (a species I rarely trap) but you can tell the difference as Heart and Dart has a "bird-like" mark on the front of its head.

Brimstone (Opistograptis luteolata) I rarely find this moth actually in the trap but often see them flying at lighted windows. Unmistakeable and very colourful :) The larvae feed on blackthorn, hawthorn, rowan and wayfaring tree. We have all these tree species in the garden so must remember to look out for caterpillars.

Pale Tussock (Calliteara pudibunda) - new for year and a pleasant surprise as this is a species I've only trapped once or twice before.

Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephile elpenor) I trap this beautiful species only a few times a year - (this was the first this year). The larvae feed mainly on Rosebay Willowherb and less frequently on other willowherbs and bedstraws.

Beautiful Golden Y (Autographa pulchrina) This is not just a year tick but a new species for the garden. Larvae feed on stinging nettle mainly but also hedge woundwort, common ragwort, honeysuckle and water avens.

Finally, a worn Scalloped Hazel (Odontopera bidentata) - new for the year

Blue Tit Update

Sadly, one of the chicks disappeared yesterday - can only assume it died and perhaps it was removed from the nestbox. Today, we seem to have lost another one. These were the two smallest. Am a little worried as the parents don't seem to be bringing food as often as would be expected.




30 Days Wild

I've done a weekly update on the #30 Days Wild project organised by the Wildlife Trusts but I've posted it on my other blog "Ragged Robin's Nature Notes" mainly because I am trying to keep posts on this blog to items related to the garden only.

Garden Bioblitz 2015

Last weekend I took part in Garden Bioblitz 2015 - the aim is to list all the species you find in your garden over a 24 hour period. You don't need to spend hours and hours if you don't want to but just go out at different times of the day and record what you see. Help with identification is available on i-spot and when you have identified all the species you have found records can be entered on i-Record.

Garden biodiversity has not been that well researched in the past so every record is important.

You can only record species of animals and plants that have arrived in the garden of their own accord so all those lovely native shrubs, trees and flowers we've planted over the years can't be counted! :(

If you want to find out more or take part next year there is a website at www.bioblitz.org.uk.

I couldn't take part on the Saturday (FA Cup Final) so opted to do the recording on Sunday, 31st May. The weather wasn't brilliant as it rained most of the morning. The afternoon luckily was dry with some sunny intervals.

Last year I found just over 70 species and, as expected with the cool weather, this year's findings were lower. There were certainly far fewer insects about and I didn't find even one spider. No mammals were seen this year - not even the Grey Squirrel who is a regular visitor.


Species seen


Birds

Blue Tit
Blackbird
Great Tit
Coal Tit
Wood Pigeon
Magpie
Dunnock
Carrion Crow,
Wren
Feral Pigeon
House Sparrow


Wildflowers
(Many of these weren't in flower this year but luckily many of the species I had also found in 2014 and were, therefore, easy to identify this time round.

Tormentil

Daisy

Ribwort Plantain - was a bit worried about this one as we have planted this species in the wildflower "meadow" area but this was in the lawn in the front garden so I've counted it!

Green Alkanet (I am really pleased this has somehow self-seeded as its such a magnet for pollinating insects)

Upright Yellow Sorrel
Lesser Trefoil
Yellow Corydalis
Herb Robert
Dandelion
Hairy Bittercress

Bramble

Common Nettle

Groundsel
Wall Speedwell
White Clover
Smooth Sow Thistle
Common Mouse-ear
Cut-leaved Dead-Nettle
Common Ragwort
Cleavers
Common Cat's Ear
Broad-leaved Willow Herb

Ferns

This Hart's Tongue Fern has self-seeded in one of the stone walls

Trees

Sycamore

Rowan

Oak - this Oak (Quercus sp.) self-seeded and OH has planted it in a pot

Common Whitebeam - a common street tree round here and this one self-seeded just after we moved in - its now huge and home to the nestbox which houses the Blue Tit family - all six chicks by the way are still doing well.



Grasses

Meadow Grass

Perennial Rye Grass

Common Couch Grass


Bryophytes

Rough-stalked Feather-moss


Amphibians

Common Frog
Common/Smooth Newt


Bees

Buff-tailed Bumble Bee
Honey Bee
Early Bumble Bee

Ants

Black Garden Ant
Red Ant

Mines

Holly Leaf Mine (Phytomyxa ilicis)

Stigmella aurella - found on Bramble

Snails

White-lipped Banded Snail

Garden Snail

Butterflies

Holly Blue


Moths

Bee Moth


Beetles

I found a real hotspot for ladybirds in the front garden where part of the Beech hedge was in full sun. There were loads of Harlequins

Harlequin Ladybird

Several pairs were mating - anxious to guarantee the next generation!

and I was really pleased to find a native 2-spot ladybird in the same area of the hedge. Sorry rubbish photo to be honest when I am bioblitzing I just snap away to get a record for id purposes only as from memory they want you to upload loads of photos to verify your records.

Flies

Green-bottle

Blue-bottle

Black Bean Aphid

Other Insects

Common Pond Skater
Common Rough Woodlouse



I ran out of time again this year so didn't have chance again to do any pond dipping or examine the log pile. There are several moss, lichen and grass species I am having problems identifying.

The total is higher than I expected given the cool weather - just over 60 species although a few may not be accepted by i-Record. For example, I suspect Honey Bee is probably not on their list! Last year I had problems with some of the species names although I think in the end I managed to record them all.

Its certainly a fun thing to do and would be particularly good if you had young children. It also makes you realise just how many species are using the garden and gives you an incentive to actually identify them all.

"Say No to the Mow" Zone in the Lawn - 2nd Year

Last year I took part in Plantlife's "Say No to the Mow" campaign where you leave about a metre squared (or more) in a sunny area of the lawn unmown to see what wildflowers appear. I decided to carry on with the idea again this year as there are far more wildflowers appearing in this area than elsewhere in the lawn.

The area this year is slightly smaller than last as my husband got carried away with the lawn mower :(

Dandelions have appeared together with the following species:

I've struggled over id of the plant showed in the next 2 photos. Amanda (from The Quiet Walker) I seem to remember suggested it might be Common Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) and the exceedingly useful website i-spot have now confirmed this id - so thanks Amanda. It would be rather nice if it attracted some Cinnabar moth caterpillars!

Herb Robert (Geranium robertanium)

Groundsel (Senecio vulgaris) - I've just learnt that this is also a food plant for Cinnabar moth caterpillars.

Common Cat's Ear (Hypochaeris radiocata)

Lesser Trefoil (Trifolium dubium)

Upright Yellow Sorrel (Oxalis stricta) - where the No Mow Zone meets the border.

Cut-leaved Dead Nettle (Lamium hybridum)

Sadly, there doesn't appear to be any of the more exciting species such as orchids, bugle or cowslips but its still interesting to see what appears especially if its beneficial to insects.


Compared to the rest of the lawn which just contains daisies, clover and ribwort plantain there are definitely more wildflowers in the area where the grass is left to grow until late summer.

A few interesting grasses are also appearing - I put photos of these on i-spot as I am hopeless at identifying grasses and I wanted to try and get a few more species for the Garden Bioblitz last weekend. It appears the grasses include a Meadow Grass sp, possibly a Fescue sp. and Perennial Rye Grass (Lolium perenne).


Blue Tit Update

All eggs have now hatched and there are six young birds :)

Blue Tit Hatchlings

We were able to watch, via the nestbox camera, four hatchling Blue Tits emerge from the eggs this morning :)

Not the best of photos but it will give you an idea!

The female Blue Tit consumed the egg shells and the male has been bringing in food on a regular basis for the female to feed the young.

Hopefully, the last two eggs will hatch within a day or so.