The last week has been pretty poor despite mostly decent, dry weather. Insect numbers and variety have been deteriorating with only the tachinid Phania funesta of interest. Locally, daily sightings of BL67 and two days with overflying Swifts have been about it birdwise. Highlight was a long chat with MW about all things Portsea including Burrfield's gulls and the poor rate and variety of moth catches!
One extended walk to the harbour over high tide only produced two raucous Sandwich Terns and far too many cyclists on the roads, pavements, cycle path and footpaths. Their social distancing was minimal!
A return home via the stables and allotments added little other than Blackcaps, Whitethroats etc.
I think the 'extended patch' totals of warblers are (singing birds only):-
Blackcap 12-15
Whitethroat 12-15
Reed Warbler 7-10
Sedge Warbler 1
Lesser Whitethroat 1
Cetti's Warbler 8-10
(The only singing Willow Warbler moved on as they always do).
Yesterday saw a basic grounding in ladybird ID via a webinar although so far finding even the common seven spot (below) hasn't been easy!
Just for a bit of colour was this roadside Salsify, a Lackey moth caterpillar and a female Eupeodes luniger.
Postscript
A late afternoon exercise produced little other than a couple each of Andrena labiata and Merodon equestris which were on buttercups and a single, very high and distant Buzzard which was out to the west. Unsurprisingly, bird song was minimal.
