Wildlife Journal | Hainault Forest

AUGUST 2025

Swallow

Hirundo rustica

TQ49 05/08/2025 ©Rachel Kail

Swallows are summer visitors. They build nests in sheltered locations. The nests made with a mixture of mud, saliva and straw, can sometimes be found under eaves, in garden sheds, and other outbuildings. Nests are lined with feathers for comfort and warmth.

TQ49 04/06/2025 ©Debi H

There is usually 4 or 5 eggs in a clutch. Both parents feed the chicks regurgitated insects. Chicks typically leave the nest roughly 18-23 days after hatching.

TQ4792 10/08/2025 ©Michael Trump

Under the watchful eye of their supportive parents it may take the chicks up to two hours to get airborne once they have left the nest. The parents fly alongside the chicks until they are able to go it alone unsupervised. After fledging, swallows normally return to the nest for a few weeks before leaving for good. These young birds fledged on 6th August and within a few days were venturing further from the nest.

TQ4792 10/08/2025 ©Michael Trump

Once they become independent they will join with other swallows in flocks. During autumn they begin a hazardous flight to South Africa where they will spend winter, braving stormy weather and possible starvation on the way.

Kestrel

Falco tinnunculus

TQ4792 05/08/2025 ©Michael Trump

The Kestrel is a small bird of prey known for its distinctive hovering flight when searching for prey in the meadows. They mainly consume small mammals such as voles and mice, but will also feed on small birds and insects.

Wren

Troglodytes troglodytes

TQ4792 03/08/2025 ©Michael Trump

Wrens spend a lot of time on the ground which gives ticks an opportunity to attach themselves. A bird's head, neck and face are especially vulnerable. Ixodes brunneus is a specific species known to feed on passerine birds, including wrens. A dust bath, the process of rolling about in loose dirt or dust, helps birds rid their bodies of parasites. Ticks seeking a blood meal can transmit diseases and sometimes cause paralysis, or blindness if located near the bird's eyes.

Nuthatch

Sitta europaea

TQ4792 03/08/2025 ©Michael Trump

During summer when insects and arachnids become abundant Nuthatches usually switch to feeding on those instead of seeds.

TQ4792 03/08/2025 ©Michael Trump

Nuthatches can walk upside down due to having strong, curved claws and a special toe that allows them to grip bark.

Tufted Duck

Aythya fuligula

TQ4792 10/08/2025 ©Michael Trump

Tufted Ducks normally like to stay on the water and are seldom seen leaving it. Females are brown.

Grey Heron

Ardea cinerea

TQ4792 06/08/2025 ©Michael Trump

It is not uncommon to spot a heron standing on the rowing boats. They like to perch near the water waiting for an opportunity to catch fish.

TQ4792 09/08/2025 ©Mike Rumble

When a fish is caught the heron usually tosses it into the air to be swallowed head-first so that the scales and fins don’t catch in the throat.

TQ4792 06/08/2025 ©Michael Trump

TQ4792 09/08/2025 ©Mike Rumble

Great Crested Grebe

Podiceps cristatus

TQ4590 13/08/2025 ©Michael Trump

This Grebe family was photographed at Fairlop Waters. Parents sometimes give their young feathers to swallow when feeding. The reason for this is unclear, but it has been suggested that this is done to assist them in regurgitating fish bones and to make them less susceptible to gastric parasites.

TQ4590 13/08/2025 ©Michael Trump

European Hornet

Vespa Crabro

TQ4792 01/08/2025 ©Mike Rumble

The European Hornet is a large brown and yellow social wasp measuring up to 35mm in length. They fly with a deep buzz and may seem threatening, but are not normally aggressive unless provoked. Queens wake from hibernation during May to establish new nests which are often built in hollow trees. Workers emerge in June and often go unnoticed because they do most of their hunting in tree canopies. If a nest is encountered, back away quickly and quietly without any arm flapping and it is likely the Hornets will not feel threatened.

TQ4792 01/08/2025 ©Mike Rumble

European hornets are primarily carnivorous, feeding on a variety of insects, tree sap, fruit, and nectar. They sometimes raid spider's webs for food. Caterpillars are often taken back to the nest for their grubs to feed upon.

©Raymond Small

This picture shows an Asiatic Hornet otherwise known as the Yellow-legged Hornet. It is smaller and has a far darker body than the European Hornet. The two species can also be told apart by the yellow legs. European Hornets are not a major pest of bee hives. However, the Asiatic Hornet currently spreading across Europe can be a problem for beekeepers. Fortunately, the Asiatic variety hasn't reached Hainault Forest yet (except in resin!).

Willow Emerald Damselfly

Chalcolestes viridis

TQ4793 10/08/2025 ©Raymond Small

The Willow Emerald Damselfly is usually seen from July near water where eggs are deposited in willow and alder bark. Large pale wing-spots and a prominent spur on the side of the thorax are distinguishing features that help to identify this species.

Black-tailed Skimmer

Orthetrum cancellatum

TQ4792 11/08/2025 ©Raymond Small

This species of Dragonfly is on the wing from May to August. Mature males are blue, females and immatures are yellow.

Ruddy Darter

Sympetrum sanguineum

TQ4793 10/08/2025 ©Mike Rumble

The Ruddy Darter is common around well vegetated ponds. Males are red and have club-shaped abdomens. Females have ochre-yellow abdomens with black markings and are not club-shaped. Both sexes have black legs.

Brown Hawker

Aeshna grandis

TQ4792 10/08/2025 ©Mike Rumble

The Brown Hawker lays its eggs in floating vegetation and timber in ponds or slow-flowing waters. It has a brown body with yellow stripes on the side of the thorax and brown tinged wings. The brown wings make this species distinct. It can be found hunting along woodland rides some distance from water.

Mother of Pearl

Patania ruralis

TQ4793 10/08/2025 ©Raymond Small

The Mother of Pearl is a micro-moth, but with a wingspan up to 4cm it is larger than many macro-moths! It is easily disturbed in stinging nettle patches during August. It likes to rest on the underside of leaves. The wings are iridescent like mother of pearl when viewed from different angles, hence its common name. Its larvae mainly feed on stinging nettles, living in folded leaves spun together.

Latticed Heath

Chiasmia clathrata

This smallish macro-moth has several named forms and subspecies. The ground colour ranges from white to yellow. Its larvae feed on members of the Pea family such as Clover, Trefoil and Lucerne.

Leafhopper

Eurhadina

Leafhoppers in the genus Eurhadina normally have a flattened appearance, particularly at the nymph stage. This nymph discovered on an oak leaf measured about 2mm long.

Common Fleabane

Pulicaria dysenterica

Common Fleabane is a perennial found in damp habitats during August. Its golden-yellow composite flower-heads (15-30mm across) grow on erect stems. The basal leaves often wither before the flowers appear.

Water Mint

Mentha aquatica

Water Mint grows in freshwater habitats and during August can often be found near Hainault Lake, Roes Well and Sheepwater. It has clusters of lilac-pink flowers and aromatic, dark green leaves.

Mugwort

Artemisia vulgaris

Mugwort is a perennial often found on disturbed ground from May until September. It has erect reddish-brown stems that grow up to 1.5m tall. The tiny flowers, 3-4mm long, are wind pollinated.

Meanwhile... on a balcony in Hastings!

©Janet Rogers

Janet thought these pictures might be of interest and emailed them to the website. This picture shows two recently hatched pigeons. Pigeon chicks are called "Squabs".

©Janet Rogers

Initially Squabs rely on "crop milk", a milky substance produced by both parents. The parents regurgitate crop milk into the chicks' mouths.

©Janet Rogers

The parents gradually introduce the chicks to partially digested seeds and other foods. The chicks eventually shift to a diet of seeds, legumes, and other foods.

©Janet Rogers

Pigeons typically leave the nest for the first time around 4 to 5 weeks after hatching. They may still be fed by their parents for a while after leaving the nest.

©Janet Rogers

And finally...

Thank you to everyone that has contributed this month.

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