Monday 24 December 2018

Of Bees, Birds, Hoverflies, Common Fumitory and Tugs on Christmas Eve

'Twas the Day before Christmas.

The Sun was Shining so we popped over to the Allotments in search of Hoverflies. Annoyingly, Clouds then hid the Sun and there was absolutely nothing to be seen, Bee, Fly or Hoverfly.

So: down to the Thames in the Erith area. By now, the Sun was Shining again. A lot of Mud was still exposed so whilst we waited for the Incoming Tide to bring the Birds in closer, we stood beside some flowering Hebes in The Riverside Gardens, hoping to see a Bee, a Hoverfly: anything really. And we were lucky enough to see a Bee (a possible White-Tailed Bumblebee) viz.


Then back to the River. Birds present on the Foreshore included: Black-Headed Gulls, Black-Tailed Godwits, Mallards, Moorhens, Redshanks, Shelducks, Teals and these Little Guys (viz. a Pied Wagtail and a Rock Pipit):



With the Sun still Shining we hurried back to the Allotments: hopeful of a Hoverfly or two. In the Event, we saw five viz;

[i] Ersitalis tenax (two of 'em):


[ii] Episyrphus balteatus (two of 'em):



and [iii], a single Meliscaeva auricollis.

Last but not least, in addition to the Charlock, we were pleased to see that the Common Fumitory is still flowering viz.


Footnote: all quiet on the River, Shipping-Wise, but we did see four Tugs moored together viz.


Namely, GPS Illyria, GPS Ionia, GPS Cambria and GPS Anglia…

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