Open University Exploring Nature Walk

Monday September 17th
Rodden Hive



A walk to one of my favourite spots in the county, on a lovely sunny autumn afternoon.

The first species to stop us in our tracks was this lovely male Migrant Hawker dragonfly. In fact there were lots of them about this afternoon and quite a few of the smaller Common Darters as well.



The hedges here were alive with Red Admirals, along with Speckled Woods and a few Small Whites. An exceptionally bright Comma joined them for a second, then was gone.



Over another stile and through the kissing gate and suddenly we were on the windy shoreline of the Fleet. Looking north to Rodden Hive we could see the first Wigeon of the winter fresh from their northerly breeding marshes in Scotland or Norway. As we searched the flocks of birds through our binoculars species after species presented themselves; Teal, Greenshank, Mediterranean Gull, Bar-tailed Godwit. This corner has never failed to produce some interesting birds.

As we turned to leave a Kestrel appeared just above our heads.



The final record of the day was an unusual one - a slug! There's a good chance this could be the rare Leopard Slug, so we uploaded it to iSpot to see what the slug experts thought of it.



Birds

Great-crested Grebe
Black-headed Gull
Mediterranean Gull
Herring Gull
Wigeon
Teal
Mallard
Pheasant
Kestrel
Buzzard
Bar-tailed Godwit
Greenshank
Swallow
Sand Martin
Chiffchaff
Rook
Linnet
Goldfinch




Insects

Small White
Red Admiral
Commal
Speckled Wood
Meadow Brown
Migrant Hawker
Common Darter
Noon-fly




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