Wasp spider at Egham toad ponds

From Tom: Certainly deserving of her own blog post, one of the highlights to my visit to the toad ponds was this beautiful female wasp spider. Becoming more frequent in southern Britain, the species first arrived from the continent in 1922.

Willow Emerald Damselflies

From tom: On my last visit to the Egham ponds, I had noticed a large emerald damselfly high up in the willow canopy but failed to get a photograph- could this be the willow emerald? I returned to find out. 

The willow emerald is recent colonist to the UK. One of four UK emerald damselfly species, it first became established in Suffolk and Norfolk in 2009, and is new to me. 

Ruddy darter. Also seen were a few migrant hawkers (the brown hawkers weren't flying), common blue damselflies and a few red-eyed damselfly sp. 

A willow emerald damselfly doing what willow emeralds do- sitting awkwardly high up in willow canopy.

Note the small pale-green spur colouration on the thorax differentiating the species from the common emerald.

My favourite photo.

Egham toad ponds: a post-dissertation visit

Following dissertation submission Tom quickly returned to the ponds by Prune Hill/RHUL sports centre:

 It was nice to get out, for the first time in a few weeks, and even better to find so much life. The invasive water fern has spread far substantially, creating some spectacular colours on the ponds. I initially went to find willow emerald damselflies (to be posted in another post), however the highlights were a wasp spider (another blog) and a variety of adult bush-cricket species. 

The furthest pond with water fern.

Water fern (Azolla filiculoides)

Water fern (Azolla filiculoides) with a couple/few duckweed species- that I may take the time to ID later if I get really bored.

An excavated wasp nest.

Alder leaf beetle.

Dark bush cricket and Roesel's bush cricket.

Long winged cone-head.

Long winged cone-head with spectacular antennae.

RHUL Campus wildlife

From Tom: Some wildlife highlights from the last couple of weeks from the walk to and from campus at Royal Holloway.  

Pyramidal orchid.

Pyramidal orchid.

Peregrine falcon.

Male stag-beetle.

Pine hawkmoths.

Pine hawkmoths.

Pine hawkmoths.

Bee orchids.

A faded specimen and a specimen with a split lip.

An unusual speckled lip yet to unfurl.

Silver-studded blue at Chobham Common NNR

 Another highlight of my trip to Chobham Common were the large numbers of silver-studded blues- a localised heathland species, which we last saw at South Stack, Anglesey (-click here-), although these are different as the females are fully brown opposed to the Great Orme and South Stack populations which are brown-blue.

The blues were everywhere on the reserve, but best seen on the edge of the paths where the heath had been cut as a fire break. 

The brown females.

Chobham Common NNR marsh clubmoss

One of the highlights of Chobham Common is marsh clubmoss- there are a few populations including a few areas that are managed for the species. They're certainly looking a bit more colourful than their autumn colours (-click here-)!

Chobham Common.

Sundew (Drosera intermedia) associate.

Chobham Common NNR summer dragonflies and damselflies

More from Tom: In the west of Chobham common, next to Sunningdale Golf Course there are two small lakes that I visited last September for dragonflies (-click here-), so as it rises to peak summer, I returned to see what I could find. The total list was: beautiful damselfly, large red damselfly, common blue damselfly, emperor dragonfly, four-spotted chaser, black-tailed skimmer and common darter. Also, I saw two new species to me: small red damselfly and downy emerald, the latter of which decided to be incredibly uncooperative and didn't stop once for a decent photograph. 

One of the two small lakes on the west of Chobham Common near Sunningdale Golf Club.

Four-spotted chaser, black-tailed skimmer (female and males) and common darter.

Downy emerald.

Downy emerald.

Red-eyed damselflies and common blue damselflies.

Common blue damselfly reflections.

Egg-laying emperor dragonfly with red-eyed damselfly.

Small red damselfly.

Chobham Common NNR

Taking advantage of Saturday's sunshine, Tom took a trip to Chobham Common: 

A spectacular day with highlights of juvenile green woodpecker in a nest-hole, my first British grass-snake as well as silver-studded blues, marsh clubmoss and a variety of dragonflies and damselflies (that all deserve posts of their own). 

Broad-leaved helleborine in bud at Longcross.

Broad-leaved helleborine in bud at Longcross.

The recovery from last summer's fires- the landscape is dominated by liverworts, algae, fungi and the first plants, mainly grasses and bracken, and small birch seedlings.

Liverworts.

Swimming grass snake.

Swimming grass snake.

Grass snake. Later on in the day I also had a nice view of an adder, as well as plenty of common lizards.

Sharp-tailed bee sp. and four banded longhorn beetle.

The first bog asphodel (with bumblebee).

Green woodpecker juvenile in nest hole.

Potential heath spotted x southern marsh orchid hybrid (Dactylorhiza x hallii) with hybrid vigour. Common spotted-orchid and heath spotted where also on the reserve.

A rather large female toad in the path.