UK Wildlife

And after the moorhen chicks, the day before in Regents Park, there were 4 coot chicks being fed by there parents

WIth some mallard chicks nearby as well

There were alos 2 pairs of little grebes, ive never seen more than one individual before. I hope they breed. Too far away for anything but a record shot though


So then I got the bus to the Ingrebourne and walk in to the nature reserve. Almost immediately I found a flower covered bush with butterflys nearby, and I got my first butterfly photos of the year:
This comma
and this peacock

In one of the drains exits leading into the Ingrebounre, these fish fry were sheltering

I also saw this Peacock butterfly further down, after entering Hornchurch country park
I saw loads more commas and peacocks during the day and even a few Brimstones, but as Jane has recently found out, they rarely land!

Near this peacock butterfly was this Tibellus oblongus spider on a flower

I then entered Berwick woods where I found my first Lizard in Essex, this lovely adult common or viviparous lizard

There were also some smaller specimens like this one:
Here a close up head shot of it
While looking for more lizards I found these mating earthworms.
I finally made it to Berwick pond and there wasn't much there apart from this aggressive swan I could just make out its mate on a nest in the reeds, which would explain the behaviour
I then circled round and came across a productive patch of long grass/scrub where there were a few bunches of 16-spot ladybirds (this group had a relatively big 7 spot ladybird wih them)
This hopper was also nearby
Along with this large midge
Throughout the day I saw and sometimes photographed quite a few bee-flies. This is the best photo

Heading back into Hornchurch Country Park I came across another, larger colony of common lizards: this juvenile has lost its tail at some point and is in the process of regrowing it
This guy was just basking nicely in the warm sun
Heading out of th country park I found this pied sheild bug

In the Ingrebourne nature reserve on my way out I spotted a butterfly. It was the fourth species of the day and in fact meant I saw all but one of the butterflys from my early spring butterflys guide. This red admiral however was looking a bit ragged:perhaps 'bit ragged' was an understatement...
Also around here were my first nursery web spiders of 2008
Just as I was leaving the reserve I noticed some mallards fly off from the river, and then noticed this:I count 10!

I then got the bus to Harrow Lodge Park and walked towards the lake, along the bank of another river, the Ravensbourne. In the river were a few sticle backs and a number of roach shoals

Down at the large lake were a large number of coots, mute swans (there can be getting on for a 100 or more at times, from photos I've seen), geese and mallards (one with more ducklings) It was my first visit to the lake and I think I'll return on a non-school holiday day! Despite it being busy, there was a cormorant perched cloe to the shore but frustratingly behind a willow tree!

At the bottom of Harrow lodge Park is Dagenham Chase, which is next to Eastbrookend country park. In these two parks I saw loads of rabbits
And I was swarmed by these midges

Other things to mention from all the parks include the 20+ calling chiffchaffs, a sparrowhawk, calling toads and teals and widgeon.

All in all a good day