13th December 2009

This is a Slavonian Grebe (honest!) found by Martin Palmer at dusk on Stewartby Lake. Unfortunately, it was not there the next day...

Two of a small group of Lesser Redpolls in the sewage works plantation.

Male Bullfinch.

12th December 2009

Treecreeper - A very scarce visitor to the park, this one was initially picked up on call by Neil Wright.

An "arty" sepia-toned photo of some sedges by the gullwatch...

The visitors centre.

The view from in foront of the visitors centre.

12th November 2009

A male Great Spotted Woodpecker.

A Redshank near the pillinge hide.

11th November 2009

A (very) slighty better shot of a Caspian Gull in the Stewartby Lake gull roost.

10th November 2009

Immature Kittiwake in the Stewartby Lake gull roost.

Redwing.

A distant record shot of a male Stonechat.

8th November 2009

This Caspian Gull was in the gull roost on Stewartby Lake.

7th November 2009

This Oyster fungus was near the sewage works.

A Meadow Pipit near Stewartby Lake in very good light.

27th September 2009

This Peregrine spent at least 2 hours perched on a pylon near the access track. Enough time for Phil Candlish to come over and see it too. Thanks to Phil for letting me use his 600mm lens to take this photo.

26th September 2009 - Leach's Petrel!

I was at home in Abingdon when I got a text saying Pete Smith had found a petrel on Stewartby Lake. As I hadn't seen either of Storm Petrel or Leach's Petrel on the lake, and I love seeing seabirds there I was very soon in a taxi heading for Milton Keynes where I was picked up by my parents and taken to the visitors centre. I was very relieved that the petrel, which by then had been confirmed as a Leach's, was still present and hadn't been chased off or killed by the gulls. The bird was being harassed by gulls most of the time it stayed on the lake and it eventually left shortly before sunset. What was presumed to be the same bird was seen the next day at Wilstone reservoir near Tring, Hertfordshire.

19th September 2009

A Snipe diving in towards the reeds by the pond in front of the cafe.

A Kingfisher between wetlands 3 and 9.

A Green Sandpiper on the pond in front of the cafe.

8th August 2009

Painted Lady - Sensory Garden near visitors centre

Common Blue

Peacock

Long-tailed Tit

26th June 2009

A Little Egret that appeared on the pond in front of the cafe briefly.

Marbled White

Marsh(?) Mallow

Meadow Brown

Female Mallard

25th June 2009

Bee Orchid, Common Spotted Orchid and Ringlet butterfly.

31st May 2009

2.30pm -5pm

An afternoon visit prompted by a phone call from Dave Ball to say he had found a Broad-bodied Chaser near the visitors centre. - The last of the 19 species of dragonflies / damselflies that I know to have occurred on the country park that I hadn't photographed....

Fortunately, the dragonfly was still there when I arrived and I managed to get a few reasonable photos... :-)male Broad-bodied Chaser - near visitors centre

30th May 2009

7am - 6pm, then moth trapping from 8.45pm - 1.20am

7am - 6pm

Highlights:

A pretty quiet day on the bird-front, good views of a Whitethroat and a Robin near the Marston Corner, and 2 Osytercatchers seen on the clubhouse Lawn

Red-veined Darters - 2 found by Dave Ball on the pond outside the cafe - possibly only the second UK sighting this year!

Also seen Large Red, Azure and Common Blue Damselflies, Hairy Hawkers, Four-spotted Chasers and a Black-tailed Skimmer

Moth Trapping

Absolutely brilliant!!

c15 Elephant Hawkmoths

3 Lime Hawkmoths

2 Eyed Hawkmoths

2 Privet Hawkmoths

1 Poplar Hawkmoth

(also a Barn Owl seen at beginning of moth trapping)

A few photos of a co-operative male Whitethroat - Marston corner of Stewartby Lake
Robin - Marston corner of Stewartby Lake Red-veined Darter - near cafeCommon Blue Butterflies

Large Red Damselfly
male Black-tailed Skimmer

Common Spotted Orchid - Stewartby LakeA few shots of Elephant Hawkmoths Poplar Hawkmoth
Eyed HawkmothLime Hawkmoths

Privet Hawkmoth