Netheridge NR

Friday 29th August 2008

This afternoon I made a visit to Netheridge Nature Reserve. I and a few other fellow birders have spent quite a bit of time recently hoping to see the apparently wild Eagle Owl at the Barn Owl centre, Netheridge Farm. Whilst not being successful, this week has opened my eyes to the superb natural habitats around here. With this in mind, I parked in Rea Lane and walked down to find the reserve. Two Spotted Flycatchers were a nice find, near Upper Rea Farm. Sightings at the reserve included a Little Grebe, a Reed Warbler, three Chiffchaffs, a Blackcap, a Green Woodpecker and several Tufted Ducks. Insect interest included six Migrant Hawkers (above), several Common Darters and Ruddy Darters, two Dark Bush-crickets (below) and a Square-spot Rustic moth (next photo below).


Yesterday evening, a Speckled Bush-cricket (Leptophyes punctatissima) was in the house (below).

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