Wednesday at Pulborough was the best day of the year with good strong sunlight, little cloud and virtually no wind. The most obvious feature was the number of Brimstones and singing Chiffchaffs. A few close Snipe and singles of White-tailed Eagle and Great White Egret were the best of the birds on a day when the water had receded considerably in comparison to last week. Sadly, three photogenic Adders had gone to ground and worse was to come with both CL and I independently walking past what would have been my first Grass Snake of the year; and other peoples photos were frame-fillers. Gggrrrr!!
After lunch on the Black Pond bench we had a look at the Early Colletes colony - two weeks ago just a single individual, today many thousands. And a brief and distant Hummingbird Hawkmoth was a nice bonus. Gorse and Hairy Shieldbugs above.
Near the cafe first Beefly and Osmia bicornis of the year, an Andrena minutella potted by CL and several rove beetles - with maybe a 1,000 species to choose from, who knows what they were - Paderus spp or thereabouts?
Overnight into Thursday the moth trap was out at home and produced a small capture (7 of 5) but unlike last week when all the moths were outside the trap on the fence today they were all inside and, best of all, Herald was NfG and not a species I've seen in other peoples traps.
Breakfast at SC found a strongly singing Firecrest within earshot.
Later, a local walk found a few Andrena flavipes, those above being in a 'pile-on', Beefly, Anthophora plumipes, the above Green Shieldbug, the first Speckled Wood of the spring and two each of singing Chiffchaffs and Cetti's Warblers.
Finally on Thursday, a Bloxworth Snout (above) was flushed from the waste bin but luckily perched up for ID and a photo on the door frame.
Friday, a coffee outing to Liss had a tumbling Raven heading westwards during a shower escorted by a Crow but neither kites nor Buzzards.
And Saturday at TH was spoilt by cloud, the odd squall and a horribly cold westerly wind which ensured no chance of any insects nor migrants. Even the Siskins remained hidden.
