Little on offer

Another silly o'clock start with a Grey Heron, presumably the same individual as a few days back slipping overhead silently. Once again thin pickings in the trap with a couple of different caddisflies ( have to admit  I assumed they were moths!!). A Rush Veneer was new. Just Dark Arches, Riband Wave, Buff-tip, Clouded Border, Small Blood-vein, Buff Ermine, Heart and Dart, Green Pugs and one or two other micros which escaped the trap. A tatty Mottled Beauty was new.

Placing the trap in front of a fence panel seems to do better in retaining some moths resting on it, rather than elsewhere on the garden.

That time of year again..

From yesterday.

Duty, BBQ and moths

A late start at PB today with the evening's BBQ in mind. A fairly slow meander around produced little although Small Skippers and Brown Hawkers were new for the year and the very dainty hover Bacchia elongata was nice to see although virtually impossible to photograph. Lesser Whitethroats and Garden Warblers were still singing and the recently regular Marsh Harrier was seen by others. The North Brooks are drying fast; Redshank, Common and Green Sandpipers and a couple of LRPs. Back at base caught up briefly with Pete Hughes although distracted by the bee man trying to discourage a good number from entering the building around the education area and office.

Pete W and I had a cuppa on the tea terrace, made by Lucy (and thank you too!!),  had a Sparrowhawk zip through flushing all the doves and starlings and photographed this robberfly, Machimus atricapillus.

We took a stroll to Hail's View where an incredibly confiding Roe Deer buck watched us go by. On return it was still there and I assumed it was injured but it did eventually stand and bound off a little; it seemed to move OK, wasn't lame or carrying any obvious injury. Sadly the camera was in the car!!

Some moths and cold drinks kept us entertained prior to a short and informative briefing; if only everyone who visited the reserve could understand how much goes on behind the scenes - truly amazing.

As always the BBQ went well, the food was really nice and it was good to catch up with  other volunteers, some I hadn't seen since the last BBQ!!

It was forecast overcast, mild, dry and windless so I put the moth trap out.
With about eighteen street lights in direct sight of the garden I'm amazed it catches anything. Up early to check, and again very little, but another Elephant Hawk Moth and first Leopard Moth were good although outclassed by this super Privet Hawkmoth.

A Great Spotted Woodpecker flew over silently whilst having a post-trap cuppa and I could hear a Grey Heron calling but probably best of all was a Hedgehog, the first (live or dead) I've seen in ages. Hopefully it will return and thin out the slugs and snails.

Syrphing time at QECP

Leucozona laternaria

Syrphus ribesii

Home

Just a couple of Common Footman and Small Blood-vein new for the trap and a Plume awaiting ID. As thought this was Common Plume.
If only all moths were as relaxed as LYU.

Large Yellow Underwing

Butser and QECP

Pretty rubbish weather although perfect for the guys flying model gliders on Butser. I'm guessing the pilot of the real thing wasn't looking to land in this field especially so close to power pylons; hopefully no injuries.

All the Common Spotted and Bee Orchids now gone over; a couple of Pyramidals at QECP were small but fresh and plenty of this Viper's Bugloss in the drier, sunny areas.

A pair of Kestrel were hunting and taking food back, so I'm guessing a nest site nearby. Still Skylarks, Meadow Pipits and Whitethroats singing but  I'm assuming the food supply for Med Gulls is over as I didn't see any here or en route.
Rather like this-:

I am the skylark researcher.
I am keening my ears for them,
eyeing people in the street,
asking ‘Do you believe in skylarks?’

Nobody has seen one.
They look at me as if I’ve spoken
an exiled word.
I worry that skylarks have been expelled,
become dissident birds.

I try to pretend they are simply out
of fashion, like Shelley,
but secretly I am afraid
they have been hushed up...
by Diane Hendry

Still gazillions of Small Heath plus plenty of Meadow Brown and a few Large Skippers in the scrubby edges. The arrival of the sun encouraged a number of Marbled Whites out and two Dark Green Fritillaries which never stop, although even if inclined to, were constantly chased by other butterflies - not sure why they are so unpopular!!

Two Ravens, always nice to see and hear, were pushed northwards by crows.

The Swallows nesting in the outbuildings are still taking food in.
The umbellifers which were alive with insects last week are now past their best but still produced hovers Xanthogramma pedisequum and Chrysogaster solstitialis. Also a dipterous fly which I think I know but just need to check elsewhere.

As I thought, the below was indeed Gymnosoma rotundatum!

Garden

Several smart but unidentified ichneumons in the garden plus this Eristalis tenax on Scabious.