First night's trapping

Well the package came swiftly and was delivered yesterday just as I returned from shopping. Well packed and padded, all there, and easily assembled. Thank you and we'll done ALS. Set up outside garage. Up at 05:30 this morning  to remove the eight moths of six species: a few more would have been nice but,  as I'm unable to identify any immediately, they've been potted for later.

Got a few right and others IDd via Facebook - Willow Beauty shown.

An attempt to get to the Stansted Flower Show with Kate failed; massive tailback and suggestions of one hour wait! No thanks!
So off to the Sustainability Centre which was delightful. Three singing Firecrests and Cuckoo heard , Marsh Tits and  Green Woodpecker seen plus a few insects. Very nice chat with staff and volunteer.

Later, Butser was full of Burnett moths, Small Heath, Speckled Yellow and a Mother Shipton. A single Hobby zipped over to the south and the sky here and along the A3 was full of glisteningly white and strangely silent Mediterranean Gulls.

There's always something!

Despite being a non-birding day it proved still possible  to 'engage with the public' as a trip out to Mud Island led to a chat with a couple, also purchasing plants,  and driven by a nectaring Painted Lady. Needless to say Springwatch was mentioned!! And the presence of the PL feeding on it led me to buy a Scabious!!

Plenty of Swallow and House Martin activity, presumably all nesting close by. Earlier, a few minutes parked up at West Walk was quiet; hoping for some Crossbill 'chipping' but probably a little too optimistic.

Back home my new (and first) Moth Trap was being delivered unexpectedly. Woo-hoo!!

Pulborough Duty

Humid and slow drive to Pulborough with just ten or so Mediterranean Gulls over fields adjacent to A3 prior to QECP.

But hark! what heavenly sound is this that now
steals like a dream.....
It is the heart-song of the nightingale.....

(Anna Katherine Green)

Not so much Nightingale song now but the Fattengates bird still singing and elsewhere Williw Warbler, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat and Garden Warbler still singing .

At Westmead a croaking  call revealed a drake Garganey now well on its way to eclipse plumage. Can't  remember last time I heard one outside  of WWT's collection birds!!

After lunch a brief view of a very brown Cuckoo, presumably a rufous phase female, (unless any juveniles could be this big and fledged yet) disappeared into trees near the hanger viewpoint. No sight nor sound of any waders other than Lapwing but two distant Hobbies eventually  came in and put on a nice show for a number of visitors; three very distant Buzzards were the only other  raptors. Insect-wise just two Painted Lady and hoverfly Volucella pellucens.

On the way back a similar number of hawking Med Gulls still over the A3, this time with a Buzzard in attendance.

New Forest

An easy drive down with less traffic than anticipated. Short  walk out to viewpoint with  a pair of Redstarts close to the path ( and a day total of 10+). A Cuckoo was calling during the morning but remained hidden. A few people gathered in the hope of a Honey but all struck out (at least until I left). Three relatively quiet Hawfinches zipped through and I added a fourth later on, this being picked up on call and reasonably close. Raptor wise at least three distant Goshawks, probably double figures of Buzzard a single Hobby and two Peregrines. The morning rounded out with a few  Stonechat, two Woodlark, two Raven, six Mistle Thrush, three singing Firecrests and a single Crossbill. Insect-wise pretty disappointing with just male Emperor Dragonfly and a couple of Broad-bodied Chasers. So no Keeled Skimmer, Golden ringed nor butterflies.

Chichester Cathedral; late drama!

..Peregrines sear across the cold sky and are gone...
(J A Baker)

A glorious blue day and first stint at the Cathedral. Plenty of people on and off, enough to keep busy but not so many as to feel overrun. The female came in with a pigeon which it left on a ledge and in the afternoon took it or a new pigeon into the nest turret. One or two youngsters posing in the castellations ensured that there were birds on show for most of the day. Some chaos (and concern) ensued mid afternoon when a male chick (69) surprised everyone by launching from the turret , clattering into the building and ending up on the roof of Iceland with mum in tow. Much talk of phoning for help with recovery but apparently it made it back to the cathedral OK.

Other than that one each of Buzzard, Goldcrest and Grey Wagtail , a few swifts, Painted Lady(3), Holly Blue(3), several teneral damsels (presumed Azure) and Merodon equestris.

R.I.P Dave Swarbrick

And another one departs.

Duetting with Chris Leslie here

Blashford Lakes HIWWT

..The wave found its way to the shore

I thought it was a ripple and nothing more the wave found its way all the way to the shore... (kt Tunstall)

Getting stir-crazy so decided to go for a drive despite the ropey weather, the car thermometer showing 54F pretty much all the way to Blashford. Good numbers of Swifts zooming over the approach road. Probably 250+ over Ibsley Water and 145+ Greylag Geese but pretty much nothing else.

An LRP called distantly and, as I left, a few extra degrees of temperature encouraged four mewing buzzards to circle over the car park. Caught up with a couple of locals and 'talked tech' for half an hour. No staff present so no moth trap to poke about with. Ivy South is now mostly given over to nesting BHGS and Common Terns on the new HOS-sponsored rafts.

Just three hovers with one, Xanthogramma pedisequum agg,  being attractive, co-operative and pictured here.

Departed across the forest where half a dozen Stonechats,  mostly zipping across the road and flipping up onto the tops of nearest gorse bushes.