RSPB Basingstoke Local Group

Outdoor Meetings Programme 2018 – 2019

23rd June 2019: Thursley Common N.N.R.

Nine attended on a morning when the more clement weather than forecast drew many out to the reserve, another RSPB Local Group, Pinner & District, included in this. The pines about the full car park at The Moat held singing Goldcrest and equally vocal Coal Tit, Chaffinch also in song, also hidden in the conifer canopy. Moving off to the pond the sunless, but hazy, sky deterred dragon and damsels from taking to the air, thankfully the warming air however encouraging a few out and into sight – Downy Emerald patrolled the pond edges and the floating leaves of flowering water-lily allowed Red-eyed and Azure Damselfly to settle.

Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella One of the sky-coloured blues seen about the water’s edges, not that the sky was blue during the Group’s visit! John Hawke Moulting Mallard were on the calm waters, the lack of enthusiasm shown by seeing such birds soon changing as a Grass Snake was seen swimming, the excitement moving up an additional level as another was seen swimming in the opposite direction!

Grass Snake Natrix natrix One was unexpected, two exceptional, and appreciated by most, though at least one ophidiophobic perhaps thought differently Dave. Levy & Doug. Kelson Following the second reptile in towards its preferred grounding spot on the bank many small and dark toadlets were swarming about the grassier edge, several having made themselves obvious as the group initially approached the water. Very cute, but an all too easy prey item for the likes of the snakes. Moving around the pond’s perimeter Siskin could be heard in the flanking pines, a Nuthatch less obvious. The Bracken on the woodland edge drew in a Scorpion Fly, underneath the floor yielding a Southern Wood-ant’s nest, almost shimmering with the activity upon it. Chiffchaff were in song in the deciduous trees edging the heath, a Buzzard circling high to the west, both Jackdaw and Feral-type Pigeon moving over closer to the canopy. Single Blue-tailed Damselfly, Banded Demoiselle and Common Darter pushed the odonata ‘list’ up as further pond-watching took place, a duck Mandarin, flushed Moorhen and far too secretive Grey Heron then being seen, all moving into cover on the far side of the pond. Stock Dove and Wood Pigeon were in song, House Sparrow ‘chirping’ and concealed in the deeper cover.

Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans A male – the females appearing in at least five different colour forms, including violacea where the immature markings are not blue but a deep violet Doug. Kelson Moving off towards the heath a Reed Bunting was in song and a Brown Silver-line dropped into the sedges flanking a horse-beaten sandy track. Stopping to view a ‘pile’ of Dodder a female Stonechat was seen adorning overhead wires, several Emperor Moth flew erratically over the heather and a Tree Pipit’s song was picked up more distantly, a Whitethroat closer atop young conifers, but almost as elusive as it dropped all too quickly out of view. Both Curlew, ever rarer here now, and Pheasant were also calling, again more distantly and out of sight. Almost as soon as the Group took to the boardwalk Viviparous Lizards were seen basking about the edges, many gravid females being particularly obvious, as were a number where tail regrowth provided a mosaic of colours about the lizard’s nether regions – during the visit at least 14 were seen, not quite up to the ‘record’ of 38 on the Group’s previous trip, but a huge improvement on the singleton seen on the HOS visit that followed this! The lack of sunlight a big factor in viewing these, as was the case for so much of the other wildlife that might be anticipated on a summer’s day on the reserve.

Viviparous Lizard Zootoca vivipara The reserve surely one of the best places to see this species, both well and in numbers Dave. Levy A Snipe was heard out over the boggier areas, a singing Whitethroat closer to hand and more obliging. Linnet and Carrion Crow also sat atop more skeletal branches, some of the smaller and closer of these adding further odonata, as did the motionless pools and their vegetation alongside the walkways. Both Small and Large Red Damselfly were seen, their more decorous colours mirrored by the flowering Marsh Lousewort, the Bog Asphodel however rather more extravagant with their spikes of glowing flowers.

Bog Asphodel Narthecium ossifragum Many of these had already moved from flower to seeding, leaving ghostly shadows of their former colour about the marsh Dave. Levy Meadow Thistle and Southern Marsh Orchid added purples to the marsh, the flower and seed-heads of cotton-grass small wind-blown ‘clouds’ of white.

Southern Marsh Orchid Dactylorhiza praetermissa Doug. Kelson A pair of Stock Dove passed over, a Great Spotted Woodpecker called on occasion and was then seen in looping flight over the more open marsh, heading towards the woodland to the south. A Chiffchaff was heard in song nearby, another sign of the summer being Swift, high and distant. Stonechat out amongst the bog included an immature, the mottled mantle feathering showing as it turned its back on the group. Moving off the boardwalk another dragon was found, that put in place by ‘Fire and Iron’ a few summers previous – this by far the easiest of the odonata to be seen about the reserve!

The Thursley Dragon What’s now in place and what was originally there, the latter being turned into the former http://www.fireandiron.co.uk/thursleydragonfly An insistent territorial Tree Pipit atop a Scots Pine proved less easy to see! On heading south, through more open heath, a Willow Warbler could be heard in song about a stand of Scots Pine, both Stonechat and Whitethroat holding territories in the trackside Gorse and scrub. Irritated churring from deep in the latter provided the first Dartford Warbler, a mobile bird that flipped swiftly one from area to another, never really proving obliging, the time spent looking for this however allowing better views of male Reed Bunting, Stonechat and Whitethroat, a Red Admiral flying through the Group as they lingered.

Dartford Warbler Sylvia undata This male captured just days before the Group’s visit, on a day of more clement weather Doug. Kelson The heath provided mobile Silver-studded Blue, Green Tiger Beetle and Mottled Grasshopper, all but the latter again very mobile in the enduring heat. The grasshopper drew comments re. the lack of grasshopper and cricket ‘song’ about the common and elsewhere – another sign of things happening beyond our current control perhaps?

Silver-studded Blue Plebejus argus This male on the flowers of Bell Heather Doug. Kelson The stand of pines from where the Willow Warbler continued to sing also held singing Blackcap and Chiffchaff, a Redstart briefly interrupting their songs. This bird showed on an exposed branch before heading back into the coniferous canopy.

Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus One of the more colourful of the summer visitors to Britain’s woodlands – this male captured on a visit to the site earlier in the week Doug. Kelson A suitable boardwalk ‘bridge’ here provided a resting / lunching spot for some, in fact most! A distant Red Kite was unexpected during the break, a moulting adult circling low over the treeline. A hunting Hobby was closer and alighted in the shade of a pine, before then drifting off over the heath, following the contours, and out of sight.

Hobby Falco subbuteo This one, like the Dartford Warbler, seen and photographed just days before the visit Doug. Kelson Moving on once again Goldcrest and Tree Pipit were soon heard in song, walking the sandier paths disturbing a Green Tiger Beetle and many sand wasp. Keeled Skimmer kept low over the heath, often well away from any hint of standing water. A Silver-studded Blue was just as mobile, not lingering for photographs, or even good viewing.

Red-banded Sand Wasp Ammophila sabulosa This one outside a burrow where it may already have stashed caterpillars for its young to feed upon, once out of the egg – a single being laid in each excavated burrow Doug. Kelson Common Ragwort trackside gave up larval Cinnabar, at least one very fresh-looking adult then being seen on the wing, briefly joining a deceased female Keeled Skimmer in a viewing pot. A bank of Wood Sage provided green and white amongst the purples of the heath, under the shading of encroaching Silver Birch. Small patches of Heath Bedstraw shined amongst the lower vegetation. Out from under the trees a showy male Stonechat sat atop further skeletal branches and a Blackcap was singing, in denser birch scrub. A prey-carrying Hobby moved out across the heath, proving easier to see than the earlier bird though lingering for no longer. A heathy crossroads flanked by pockets of Gorse caused a further stop, a pair of Dartford Warbler being present and, at times, showing nicely, though far more easily heard than seen. The lingering added another Silver-studded Blue, Common and Latticed Heath, the moths sheltering amongst the heather, the butterfly, as previously, passing through all too rapidly. The Gorse holding the warbler’s nest was seen to be covered in part by the webs of Gorse Mite.

Common Heath Ematurga atomaria One of the commonest of the day-flying heathland moths Doug. Kelson

Latticed Heath Chiasmia clathrata More striking than its close relative, but less frequently come across Doug. Kelson The woodlands flanking the southern side of the common were the next habitat to be explored, oak now prevalent with the change of habitat immediately giving up additional species – Nuthatch and Jay soon being seen, as was a Grey Squirrel; a beast spoken of earlier, as was the possibility of introducing Red Squirrel to such areas. A Garden Warbler sung unseen; the leaves still too dense to allow such birds to be easily found. A Red Admiral was seen about the woodland edge, erratic in its flight before disappearing, little evidence of any available food source being seen. As well as the change in wildlife noted the woodland provided some respite from the 20oC+ being recorded – though clouded the conditions ensured that a few of the group left with a somewhat ruddier colour than on commencing the walk! The Bracken and bramble in the understorey played host to shield- bugs and many of the older trees, as well as telegraph posts, showed much evidence of both wood-boring beetles and the woodpeckers that would have been searching for the engorged larvae. Puddles on a woodland track proved attractive to a mixed party, Coal, Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tit being joined by Nuthatch, bathing and drinking, before one of the local horse riders rode straight through the group, both people and birds!

The bathing pool Great and Blue Tit in shot here, mainly immatures Doug. Kelson Time about the ‘Cuckoo Field’, where the now nationally known Colin comes to feed, proved disappointing, he not having been seen at all during the day, as proven by the photographers leaving the site earlier in our visit. Fungi along the track’s edge hinted at autumn, puffballs and parasols being the most readily seen, and eaten, if such wild gleaning is to your liking. Willow Warbler, both adult and young, were in birch scrub, a Chiffchaff was in song and on heading out into the ‘sun’ the calls of a falcon drew attention upwards. Once with the sky again above us two Hobby were seen harassing a Buzzard, all drifting apart and away without coming to blows.

Hobby Falco subbuteo It is, really! Doug. Kelson

Keeled Skimmer Orthetrum coerulescens An immature male Doug. Kelson Keeled Skimmer again moved about the trackside vegetation, where stunted Foxglove were in flower. Cinnabar were also again on the wing, their weak flight very different to that of a Black Darter that moved up and off from the sandier undergrowth. Emperor Moth remained evasive, their flights over the heath seemingly totally without purpose. Red-banded Sand Wasp were in exceptional numbers along the tracks, at times with the even more striking Mottled Bee-fly.

Mottled Bee-fly Thyridanthrax fenestratus “The mottled Bee-fly is a parasite of a parasite, sort of. It lays eggs in the nests of sand wasps and the larvae feed either on the wasp larvae or on the caterpillars stored as food for the wasp larvae. I suppose it probably feeds on both. As we saw, plenty of fodder for the flies around that area” Doug. Kelson Although invertebrates were much in evidence birds were still to be found mid-afternoon, though the near sultry conditions presumably proved as wearing for them as some of those of the group still present! Redstart and Whitethroat were in song, Stonechat harassing anything and everything that came too close to their territories, this allowing excellent views of the males as they sat atop Gorse scrub, two at one stage being far more interested in each other than those watching them. An immature Redstart proved, again, elusive, with views gained mainly of its underneath as it moved about the coniferous canopy – though perhaps disappointing views it was good to see that local birds had bred successfully. Walking the board walking about the boggier areas added more lizard, dragon and damsels, including the diminutive Small Red Damselfly, and masses of marsh mud-colouring sundew, at least two species of this insectivorous plant being recorded. Another insectivore, Bladderwort, was seen in deeper waters, the near microscopic bladders seen, though the flowers had already gone over.

Great Golden Maidenhair Polytrichum commune This one of the many English names given to this species that was evident in areas off the boardwalk, others including Pine Moss and Common Haircap Doug. Kelson Pugmore Pond waters held broods of Mallard and two eclipse Tufted Duck, as well as many low-flying dragons and damsels, Black-tailed Skimmer being added here. Further trees flanking the boardwalk showed evidence of the aforementioned beetles and woodpeckers, several pinecones being seen wedged in these by the woodpecker. Close to one a Fence-post Jumper was seen, a spider similar to the more familiar ‘Zebra Spider’ of residential doorframes.

Fence-post Jumper Marpissa muscosa With one of the woodpeckered cone close by Doug. Kelson A few Bogbean were in flower, their lacey petals exotic in this watery environment. To the east another Tree Pipit was in song, bringing up the hattrick of this species. The boardwalk taken towards the car park was flanked by Royal Fern amongst the varied sedges, rushes, reeds and grasses. Three Swallow were brief visitors, foraging over the peaty waters, Emperor Moth, again, being even less obliging in their maddening dashes over the heath. A Painted Lady was almost as elusive, one of many now appearing in the country on the continuing southerly and warming winds. A Grass Wave was the last moth to be recorded, low in the trackside vegetation as two Stock Dove moved overhead. The last of the dragons and damsels to be added was an Emerald Damselfly, again low in and over vegetation as the temperature cooled, ever so slightly. Returning to the car park Bloody Cranesbill was found in flower, a striking geranium that bought colour to the pine-shaded edges.

Bloody Cranesbill Geranium sanguineum Leaves like Cut-leaved Geranium but the flowers being perhaps ten times as large Doug. Kelson A lengthy but rewarding day about the reserve for those that lingered until the end, the birds seen added to by a surfeit of other wildlife, much of which was very accessible and often new or at best rarely seen by the attendees – the real bonus of heading to such a site and its specialised and rarer habitats, generally so different to the more regularly visited and local areas. Thanks to all those that attended, whether for the whole ‘day’ or part thereof. As always, the extra eyes and ears making a big difference, as did the extra probing cameras and minds.

Species recorded

Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Red Kite Milvus milvus Common Buzzard Buteo buteo Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago Rock Dove Columba livia Stock Dove Columba oenas Common Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus Common Swift Apus apus Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius Eurasian Magpie Pica pica Western Jackdaw Coloeus monedula Carrion Crow Corvus corone Coal Tit Periparus ater Eurasian Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus Great Tit Parus major Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita Eurasian Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla Garden Warbler Sylvia borin Common Whitethroat Sylvia communis Dartford Warbler Sylvia undata Goldcrest Regulus regulus Eurasian Wren Troglodytes troglodytes Eurasian Nuthatch Sitta europaea Common Blackbird Turdus merula Song Thrush Turdus philomelos European Robin Erithacus rubecula Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus European Stonechat Saxicola rubicola House Sparrow Passer domesticus Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Common Linnet Linaria cannabina Hobby Falco subbuteo European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Eurasian Siskin Spinus spinus Doug. Kelson Common Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus

Selected other wildlife noted.

Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella Bell Heather Erica cinerea Black Darter Sympetrum danae Black-tailed Skimmer Orthetrum cancallatum Bladderwort Utricularia vulgaris Bloody Cranesbill Geranium sanguineum Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans Bog Asphodel Narthecium ossifragum Bogbean Menyanthes trifoliata Brown China-mark Elophila nymphaeata Cinnabar Tyria jacobaeae

Cinnabar Tyria jacobaeae The familiar ‘Dennis The Menace’ larvae of this day-flying moth Doug. Kelson Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum Common Foxglove Digitalis purpurea Common Heath Ematurga atomaria Common Toad Bufo bufo Downy Emerald Cordulia aenea Emerald Damselfly Lestes sponsa Emperor Moth Saturnia pavonia Fence-post Jumper Marpissa muscosa Grass Snake Natrix natrix Green Tiger Beetle Cicindella campestris Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis Heath Bedstraw Galium saxatile Keeled Skimmer Orthetrum coerulescens Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula

Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula Both British red damselfly being seen on this outing – the black legs and wing spot and not completely red body differentiating this from the Small Red Damselfly Doug. Kelson Latticed Heath Chiasmia clathrata Mottled Bee-fly Thyridanthrax fenestratus Oblong-leaved Sundew Drosera intermedia Painted Lady Vanessa cardui Red-banded Sand Wasp Ammophila sabulosa Red-eyed Damselfly Erythromma najas Round-leaved Sundew Drosera rotundifolia Silver-studded Blue Plebejus argus Small Red Damselfly Ceriagrion tenellum Southern Marsh Orchid Dactylorhiza praetermissa Viviparous Lizard Zootoca vivipara Wood Sage Teucrium scorodonia Yellow Iris Iris pseudocarus

Yellow Iris Iris pseudocarus Colloquially known as ‘Yellow Flag’ Dave. Levy

Peter E. Hutchins.

RSPB Basingstoke Local Group.