Chobham Common NNR

Tom has had a fantastic day, as he recounts ....  at Chobham Common NNR (SSSI) - with the highlights being a Dartford warbler (a new species for me) and a wide variety of rare and unusual insects like velvet ant.

Dartford warbler- also seen was a fantastic flypast by a green woodpecker, red kites and stonechats.
 

Chobham common.
All three species of heather are abundant and dwarf gorse (bottom) is also widespread.

Grayling, small heath and small coppers. Also seen were speckled wood and peacock.

Graylings.

Surprisingly varied habitat- from coniferous and deciduous woodland to open dry heath
and wet heath. Middle right shows an area recently burnt by wildfires.

Bog bush cricket on Langshot bog- its good to know I can still hear them!

Common darter.

Velvet ant (Mutilla europea)-  a nationally notable species with a highly restricted distribution.
This is a new species to me in the UK, but I have seen it in northern Spain.

A colletes sp. (probably heather colletes (Colletes succinctus)).

A giant dyer's polypore (Phaeolus schweinitzii)-
just bigger than a large dinner plate.

A common lizard.

The Bagshot Formation
- composed of sands and gravels (flint) which support this heathland habitat.