Back in business

As most of you are aware I had decided to have a blogging break for a while....be that a few weeks or a few months.  Well 6 days in and I have found that I have really missed writing about my experiences in the natural world. 

Its funny really and the old saying is true "you don't realise how much you are going to miss something until its gone"  So, I realise now that the blog and my related trips into the great British outdoors looking at wildlife is actually beneficial to my mental well being whilst I am going through my current employment woes.  It gives me a sense of purpose, routine and enjoyment and to be honest I don't think it was impacting on my job searching as much as I thought.

Thanks to all of you who had contacted me with your kind words.  I never realised when I started this blog that it would mean so much to so many folk out there.

So there you have it...I am back posting again and the blog has been slightly refurbished in the process.  Anyway enough about me, on with the posts.....


Thursday 6th September 2012 - Trench Wood NR:
The fine weather continues and today I decided to pop to Trench Wood Nature Reserve near Droitwich.  In Worcestershire we are lucky to have 3 cracking reserves that are jointly owned and managed by Butterfly Conservation and the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust.  These 3 woodlands (Grafton Wood, Monkwood & Trench Wood) are a haven for invertebrates and if you are into butterflies, moths or dragonflies then you really should pay one a visit during the Summer months.

I arrived at the woods to an empty car park...fantastic!  Yes I am a sociable guy but there is something to be said for being able to enjoy the sights and sounds of a woodland on your own!

Along the first ride I noticed a huge Dark Bush Cricket sat on a leaf.  These really are brutes to look at.  A bit further down the ride a Common Buzzard flew low across in front of me...stunning birds, I never tire of seeing them.  Also of note along the first ride was a single ♂ Ruddy Darter dragonfly and the first of many Common Darters.

The Devil's Bit Scabious was seemingly everywhere and was absolutely chuffing with bees and hoverflies.  During the circuit round a number of the late summer butterfly species were observed:  1♂ Brimstone, 6 Red Admiral, 1 Comma, 22 Speckled Wood and 18 Meadow Brown. 

Also of interest was the large numbers of Silver Y moths that were present.  In total I noted 26 Silver Y.  For those of you who may not be aware, Silver Y is a migrant moth which arrives in varying numbers from North Africa each Spring.  This time of year numbers are bolstered by the spring breeding population and increased still by further migrants.

During the walk I also recorded 5 Migrant Hawker dragonflies and 2 Southern Hawkers. Rather surprisingly i didn't encounter any Brown Hawkers today.

A single Slow Worm was noted in one area and 2 Marsh Tits were heard calling and seen flitting around the trees along one of the far rides.

All in all an enjoyable walk looking at some of the late summer invertebrates at a superb, well managed reserve.

Dark Bush Cricket (Pholidoptera griseoaptera)

♂ Brimstone on Devil's Bit Scabious

Red Admiral