Tuesday 15th October 2013 - Shenstone

It was a sunny afternoon on the patch and I decided to take advantage of the day's mild weather and undertake a walk looking for inverts and anything else that I may see along the way.

I decided to walk the footpath from Stanklyn Lane to Captains Pool and return back via the path formerly known as the 'beet field'.  What actually struck me was the amount of bird activity in this area.  A highlight was seeing a Redwing feeding on the Holly berries along the path, the first one I have actually seen down feeding on the patch this autumn.  Two Chiffchaffs were present along the hedgerow and one was occasionally bursting into a few notes of song.   12 Meadow Pipits were down feeding in the stubble and a further three were perched up on the hedge.  Also of interest bird wise were 2 Corn Buntings and 3 Yellowhammers that were perched up at the back of the 'carrot field'.

During the walk I recorded the following butterflies:  1 Comma, 1 (worn) Small Copper, 1 Small Tortoiseshell and 6 Small Whites.  I also noted good numbers of Nettle-tap moths and 1 Ruby Tiger moth larva.

I also recorded two species of fungi during this walk:  Meadow Waxcap and Parasol Mushroom.

From Stanklyn I headed up Heath Lane, where a single Comma was the only notable, and onto Barrs Lane.  At Barrs Lane I recorded a White Ermine moth larva and another Ruby Tiger moth caterpillar.

My final stop off was at Witch lane where I flushed 33 Skylarks from the stubble field whilst walking the footpath.  On a patch of mint, near the concrete pad, I recorded a diminutive 24-spot Ladybird and three 7-spot ladybirds.  A single Comma was seen feeding on the Ivy flowers.

Meadow Pipit

Ruby Tiger Moth Larva

White Ermine Moth Larva

24-spot Ladybird