Slow traffic-laden journey to PB today and just as bad on the homeward leg, so probably two hours of the day cooped-up in a car.

At the top of Bury Hill two kites were soaring over the ploughed field.

Very busy on arrival with a large local group and lots of other visitors.

The Bee Hotel Adders were down to one pair today. Despite cooler conditions precious little in the way of hovers, other diptera and bees although this Tachina fera sat up just long enough for a snap as did this orange Arge spp sawfly, later ID'd on FB as Arge cyanocrocea.

This Paederus species of rove beetle above was interesting; apparently when crushed this group of beetles release toxins which can cause severe skin irritation; to quote wikipedia - Some members of Paederina (specifically the genus Paederus), a subtribe of Paederinae, contain a potent vesicant in their haemolymph that can produce a skin irritation called dermatitis linearis, which in English has acquired the inaccurate name Paederus dermatitis. The irritant pederin is highly toxic, more potent than cobra venom.

The most notable insects today were NfY Broad-bodied Chasers and similarly coloured queen Hornets. Large Red Damselflies were ovipositing in  Redstart Corner pond  and smart, fresh Azure Damsels were perched up around the reserve. Butterflies were very thin with no Orange Tips today.

Bird wise the Tawny Owl family were still the stars of the show despite now being fenced off and 'wardened' due to weekend visitors caught climbing the trees !! WTF!! Otherwise a single very high Hobby and two Greenshanks on the south brooks; sadly the north brooks are still full of water so only suitable for the two rather 'lost' looking Avocets which have been knocking about for a few weeks.

On departure a couple of presumed Andrena cineraria were active between restaurant and carpark.