SHP again Monday

It was nice to see that the Highland Cattle had drawn in three Cattle Egrets, birds I'd never seen here before and presumably from the Warblington area. Other birdlife was very quiet but I still submitted a complete Birdtrack entry.

The weather was a little disappointing being totally overcast but dry for the morning. Some areas were at least sheltered from the breeze. Later, at home it rained for an hour or so.

The only lepidoptera on the wing strangely were all moths; Speckled Yellow, Nettle-tap, Nemophora degeerella and Alabonia geoffrella.  The English names for many inverts are now being used more widely on websites and in books so I think I'll start to add them here and so the former two moths are Yellow-barred Longhorn and Common Tubic, the latter a pretty poor name for such a smart moth!!

I was pretty  chuffed to see 'Geoff' as we've not crossed paths for some years. (EDIT Just under 7 years since my last at Titchfield with Dave Wallace).

Hovers were few and far between and the two below were a bit too far for the 90mm macro but it looks as if both were new for me namely Platycheirus tarsalis and Criorhina floccosa.

SC (7th) and local 7th/8th

 

(Cantharis rustica x2, Swollen-thighed Beetle, Athalia spp, Macrophya spp possibly annulata, Rhopalus subrufus, Helina impuncta(?), Neoascia spp, Tachina fera/magnicornis, Andrena fulva, Wolf Spider spp Pardosa,  Honeybee swarm).

After some voting 'faff' - I'd forgotten I was still registered for postal voting - some weed pulling at home had the background soundtrack of invisible Swifts overhead and singing Goldcrest and Blackcap from nearby gardens.

At SC very busy with school party and a funeral plus other guests. Little on offer today with just singing Firecrest and a Small Copper which wouldn't settle for a photo. Hopefully, the heavily cut vegetation will recover soon and be full of insects in the next few months.

At home the usual local walk on both days saw a dozen or more Holly Blues but not much supporting cast.

Presumably the local Whitethroat had moved down the hedge line and was singing close to the pond. Pleasingly, today saw the first singing Reed Warbler of the spring on site, albeit well hunkered down. The Cantharis above and a Blue-tailed Damselfly were new-for-year.

Pulborough 6th

 

(Four-spotted Chaser emerging, two Azure Damselflies)

The above dragonfly was emerging at Fattengates raised pond. Several other exuviiae were obvious and both Azure and Large Red Damselflies were ovipositing.

A few waders, notably Greenshank (4+) and Ruff but no (obvious) LRPs today.

Only four Nightingales heard, presumably now more concerned with raising young. 

From the tea terrace my first Garden Warbler of the year was singing.

Best birds today were at least five Hobbys mostly distant and hunting over the river but with one making some close passes of Winpenny pool.

Highlight of the days was provided by two very noisy and rumbustious Weasels which rocketed out just feet away by the raised 'Adder bench' and rolled and tumbled before barrelling off across the field.

A new month..

A local singing Willow Warbler was nice to hear but I'm sure it won't stay long and, as yet, no Reed Warblers on the pond. One calling Swallow and a couple of calling Med Gulls overhead and the swans have seven cygnets.

EDIT The swans lost all seven within two days; presumably rats/foxes

Plenty of Nephrotoma appendiculata including this mating pair and a couple of sawflies below, Arge cyanocrocea and a Macrophya spp (ribis?).

Previous day saw little at SHP where the Lasioglossums by the footpath are now replaced with these cleptoparasitic Sphecodes spp.

SHP again

 

(Lassioglossum spp, Dock Bug, Diphyus quadripunctorius, Xanthogramma citrofasciatum)

A song-flighting Whitethroat and a pair of Stonechats adjacent to the carpark were unexpected.

Back home a couple of Sphecodes blood bees were on the Ceanothus.

HillChi and local

First coffee outside in the sun this year with M and plenty of birdsong from the usual suspects (Robin, Wren, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Skylark). Four crow species, Buzzard, Swallow, Herring and Med Gull, Linnet and Goldfinch were flyovers.

Whilst waiting at the inevitable roadwork traffic lights a Goldcrest was heard from adjacent gardens.

Back at base it was nice to hear Whitethroat along 'butterfly alley' for the first time this year and a single Cettis.

Whilst warm, the breeze from the south-east was still making it hard to find inverts.

So below, my first Osmia bicornis and Nettle-tap Moth of the year with this tumbling flower Beetle Anaspis spp 'photobombing' the moth. I didn't notice it until downloading the pictures.

Post shopping and local only

The strong and cold north-easterly meant that the early morning temperature was in single figures.

The wind ensured little or no insect life in a twenty minutes walk and, unsurprisingly, no butterflies. 

Although yesterday saw my first Large Red Damselflies of the year it was nice to see a local individual as they are few and far between most years and never seem to be around the ponds and are typically, like this individual, perched up on the sunny side of Squirrel Wood's scrub.

Bees were Buff-tailed, Honey, Common Carder, Hairy-footed, Yellow-legged and Grey-patched Mining (below) and a couple of Nomadas which were worn and hunkered down,  so just tri-coloured species.

Even the normally combative Myathropa florea, were happy to shelter on sunny leaves.

This male Xanthandrus comtus was best-of-the-bunch and recorded on FB.

A few craneflies included this Nephrotoma (appendiculata?)