Newington Green Fauna

Large Yellow Underwing Moth ~ Noctua pronuba

This moth was found by chance amongst the lavender plants on Newington Green, where it had been roosting during the daytime. It then flew over onto the decking and this photo shows how well camouflaged it is against the wood. It also has bright yellow hindwings, unable to be seen in this photo, which it displays when it is disturbed, in order to frighten predators.

Hoverfly ~ Episyrphus balteatus

This is one of the most common hoverflies to be found in the UK and Europe and may well visit your garden as well as Newington Green. Although hoverflies mimic wasps and bees, they are unable to sting and are beneficial insects.

Robin ~ Erithacus rubecula

Robin Redbreast ~ Cock Robin

Holly Blue ~ Celastrina argiolus

This dainty Holly Blue butterfly spent some time drinking water from the wet earth, next to the end of a hosepipe on Newington Green one warm morning. This may be a male butterfly feeding on vital minerals and salts which can be found in the damp earth.

Starlings ~ Sturnus vulgaris

These starlings are feeding from a packet of chips left on a bench on Newington Green. Perhaps we could thank the starlings for clearing-up for us...

Starlings mainly eat insects and fruit but as the ground has been so hard after the shortage of rain, hunting for insect grubs in the grass has been rather hard to do, so an easy meal must be very welcome (hopefully there's not much salt on the chips, or this may harm the birds).

Waxwings ~ Bombycilla garrulus

There has been a special treat for local nature lovers again this winter. This flock of waxwings has been seen flying around the Newington Green area for several weeks, having migrated to the UK for the winter months and they were photographed in Lavell St. N16. Waxwings are on the Green List for Conservation, which suggests their numbers are still at a good level.

Sparrowhawk ~ Accipiter nisus

Sparrowhawks are birds of prey, mainly eating small birds and they belong to the same family as Vultures and Eagles!

This sparrowhawk has been seen hunting around the local area on a number of occasions and was photographed on a roof in Aden Grove N16, as it scans the scene for prey in the gardens below.

The Newington Green area does have at least one good sized flock of House Sparrows, as well as other garden birds such as Blue Tits and Great Tits, all of which will have attracted the hawk to this locality.

Blackbird Nestlings - Turdus merula

These blackbird nestlings are waiting for an adult to bring food to them as they sit in their nest. This nest has been carefully made and hidden in a mature wisteria, which is growing on a balcony at Newington Green. Who would have thought that you could see this happening on a London balcony!

Male Blackbird Brings in Food ~ Turdus merula

This blackbird is being a good father, bringing food to his nestlings in their balcony-nest near Newington Green. As this is the pair's second brood of the year, they must both have been kept very busy hunting 'for food to satisfy the cravings of the almost fledged young' as Mary Wollstonecraft describes in her children's tale 'The Lark's Nest'.

This male blackbird has probably brought in some small worms which, along with insects and caterpillars, are the nestlings' favourite foods.

Blackbird Feeding Nestlings ~ Turdus merula

Both male and female blackbirds help with the busy task of finding food for their young. This male blackbird is putting food right down inside the nestling's beak and wide gape, which is clearly visible.