Chiff-if-if

First decent day for sometime at Pulborough although still chilly in the north facing areas early on. Butterfly wise this Comma (below), a few Orange Tips, Peacocks, Red Admirals, Speckled Woods and lots of whites plus a brief Small Copper. Three Broad-bodied Chasers included a male and plenty of Azure Damselflies. The birding highlights were three 'chiff-if-if' ing Wood Sandpipers flushed by a raggedy Red Kite and two or three Hobbies, the first of which perched up for extended scope views. Swifts and Swallows plentiful earlier soon dispersed. A distant LRP was still display-flighting.

The three Nightingales were very subdued and only heard briefly and two Cuckoo's were equally elusive.

This Chrysotoxum hoverfly didn't hang about for a decent picture and a similar or same species later on in the play area was even more elusive; the former looks OK for cautum. Also an Arge spp Sawfly and a couple of Beeflies.

Local stuff

On the way to Petersfield pond, a Red Kite overhead and on arrival far fewer people than a couple of weeks back thankfully.

A Reed Warbler in the south-west corner in reeds and another in scrub on the east side. About 100 Swifts, 50 House Martins and the odd Swallow. A Grey Wagtail was collecting food and another was calling from the grounds of one of  the houses on the west side, presumably the nest being there.

A Small Copper (below) was NfY but didn't pose long enough and, back at the carpark, three Orange Tips.

At QECP two Firecrests and a Buzzard. Lots of hovers but all Cheilosias, variabilis/ranunculi/albitarsis/pagana. The Xylota segnis below was typically mobile. Just Syrphus spp, Platycheirus spp and Meliscaeva auricollis.

On the vegetation piles from the 'tidy up'  (nice chat to grounds staff) a couple of Nomada spp,  the one below being a female marshamella.

On Butser, another couple of views of Kite and Buzzard, one Lesser Whitethroat, two Cuckoos (one being chased off by M'ipits), one Raven being chased by a crow and a couple of Skylarks. No Butterflies except for the Grizzled Skipper below - will be interesting to see how Bryn and Jan got on descending into Rake Bottom next time our paths cross.

Finally the A3 'roadside Buzzard' was in its usual spindly tree on the east side.

May the bug be with you!

Just three 'May Bugs' in the trap along with a single Heart and Dart; certainly not worth the electricity. Next time must try against the south side fence.

At Titchfield two Arctic Skuas from the restaurant(!) and two overhead Yellow Wagtails were both new for year. A good continuous passage of hirundines, mostly Swallows, fewer House Martins and just a handful of Sand Martins although many distant birds were unidentifiable. Also 25+ Swifts.(Probably 600+ birds whilst I was there).

A Cuckoo was calling closely from the canal path but was only glimpsed in flight from Meadow Hide.

Some warmer and sunnier weather early afternoon produced Azure and Large Red Damseflies, Cardinal Beetle, an Anasimyia hoverfly (possibly transfugus per Roger), loads of Cheilosia albitarsis/ranunculi on buttercups, Beefly, Drinker Moth caterpillar and a Roe Deer.

 Nomada lathburiana

Friday and Saturday

Friday saw three Swifts over early and later a single over the Pond. Exitted the library just in time to see a newly arrived Hobby slip by, I think maybe the first I've ever seen on Portsea Island. New in Reed Warbler singing strongly from the east side and Blackcap doing the same from the woodland area.
Four smart adult Lesser Black-backs and a couple of Swallows.

Today the Reed Warbler was silent or possibly departed, the male Gadwall still on his todd. Insect wise Dock Bug and numerous Myathropa florea (both below) and single Large Red Damselfly, another shieldbug spp, several each of Small White, Holly Blue and Speckled Wood and finally four Swallows over the rooftops.

Later at a crowded QECP, two Buzzards and three Firecrests, one seen, plus more Myathropa florea, various unidentified Cheilosia and several Brimstones/Small Tortoiseshells/Holly Blues/Peacocks/Small Whites.

Andrena haemorrhoa

Jinxed, but sadly not Jynx'ed

Well, after yesterday's visit to a very slow Blashford and missing the TH 'rumper', today was Titchfield's turn to be overcast and (almost) birdless whereas the Blashford Bonaparte's was on show unlike yesterday!!

A coffee on arrival, watching the ever smaller flotilla of Eiders, down to six or seven and constantly harassed by large gulls.

A Cuckoo was calling strongly from near Suffern but disappeared across the river and never gave me even a glimpse.

Two Little Terns were off Rainbow Bar along with 20 ish Commons.

The odd warmer period brought out a few hovers but mostly unidentifiable Cheilosias ( a pagana above)  and Sphaerophorias plus Marmalade Fly

Nothing much from Meonshore other than a few distant Swifts and a small number of Hirundines to search through, but nothing with a pink bum!

But then a little purple patch with a distant Red Kite, a couple of Buzzards, the male Marsh Harrier and finally a cracking but distant male Hen Harrier - never seen a male here, my first HH for 18 months and my first ever male in May.

Will last spring's Wryneck (Jynx!!) sighting be repeated? Or something better?

The Wrong Reserve

Well, another ropey spring(!) day with cold NE winds ensuring no insect activity.
Probably twenty each of Swift and Sand Martin and ten each of Swallow and House Martin. Two mating LRPs, 3+ Redshanks and Oystercatchers. Probably 20-30 Common Terns with one pair showing interest in the single Tern raft already laden with BHGs. No obvious sign of the Bonaparte's Gull.

A Garden Warbler sang strongly but wasn't up for being papped.

An Eyed Hawkmoth was in the trap but not available due to school party, and it was too cold and grey to wait around.

And a kick in the teeth in the form of a Red-rumped Swallow at Titchfield where I first thought of going!! Ggrrr!!

Sarcophaga spp

One remaining Lapwing chick

LRPs on the job

First tern raft

Non-wildlife day

Just after dawn a Grey Heron went east chased by gulls.

Later at Mount Folly a couple of Swallows, presumably birds intending to be local breeders and a heard only Firecrest.

Back at the pond just this Myathropa florea, an unidentifiable Cheilosia and this Red Admiral. Far fewer insects than three weeks ago. Overhead four or more Med Gulls went east and on the pond just a couple of small Mallard broods, the rest presumably having been predated plus lots of loafing large gulls. A Blackcap was singing strongly from the taller trees adhjacent to 'Stagg Woods'.