Back to normal last night (in Pompey) with a minimal count - just Lime-speck Pug, LUY(2), Ruby Tiger, Buff Ermine, Red-barred Tortrix. A Tree-lichen Beauty was confusing and presumably uncommon.

A big surprise when starting to unload the trap this morning was this female  Volucella zonaria which was active (in a sluggish way) at 06:15.

A little later a Meliscaeva auricollis appeared. Rather more moths in terms of numbers and variety than previously, perhaps not unsurprising given the hot, sticky and still conditions ovenight. Nuthatch and Great Spotted Woodpecker were both vocal and a few unidentified hirundines headed south.

Very sweaty early afternoon conditions produced a blizzard of flying ants and 20+ screaming Swifts almost too high to see with the naked eye.

HIWWT walk at Finchdean

St Hubert's Church Idsworth

http://www.hampshire-history.com/st-huberts-church-idsworth/

Some new moths from the trap this morning, notably Scarlet Tiger, Garden Carpet, Sycamore,  Buff Footman, Anania coronata and Buff Arches although the latter was a corpse in a spider's web! Flyover Yellowhammer and Bullfinch were surprising 'garden' ticks.

The walk from Finchdean was a short anticlockwise stroll although extended by a diversion due to closed footpaths. Sparrowhawk over the car park, a few Buzzards, Green Woodpecker, some heard only Marsh Tits were about the only notable birds. A Roe Deer buck bounced through the crops and was the only mammal. Other members of the group noted down plants but that's beyond me!

Insect wise just a few butterflies, bonking beetles and  Myathropa florea on the hoverfly front plus many longhorn beetles ( Rutpela maculata) on umbellifers.

By the end of the walk it was stifling so a pint of Doombar at the George in company of a couple from S'oton was definitely order of the day!!      

Can this summer get any worse?

Not expecting much from last night's trap and not disappointed (!) with just one Large Yellow Underwing.

Bought a few more plants for the garden and went up to QECP.

The weather was solidly grey, none too warm but only a light breeze. The only obvious insects were Rhagonycha fulva and Episyrphus balteatus mostly on umbellifers with one or two Pammene aurana (micromoth) and a few Meadow Browns and Red Admirals disturbed from long grass. Bees barely in double figures, no wasps and only one sheltering Ichneumon.

This hover, Scaeva pyrastri, was easily the best of the day.

Not a peep from any Firecrests.

Titchfield

Arrived just before opening and started with butty and coffee whilst chatting to Mark and Grant who'd already been there a few hours, mostly along the canal path. East path closed so all time spent on the other side where a Kingfisher was glimpsed and heard near Darter's Dip along with Emperor and Four-spotted Chaser and Common Darter.

Water levels are still high so no mud for waders; Common Sand, two LRP, two Dunlin, 30+ Avocet, 70+ Black-tailed Godwit and 75+ Common Terns.

Not much in the way of insects but Four-barred Major (Oxycera rara) was a nice find and this longhorn beetle (Rutpela maculata) posed well.

A coffee at Mud Island and picked up a couple of plants.

On the way back 15+ Med Gulls were flushed up by a low flying helicopter near the top of Portsdown.

Nice sunrise

One side benefit of running a moth trap is being up at first light, especially this morning which was bright, sunny and still. Even in this urban area there is stil a smattering of bird songs and calls and, at this hour, little traffic noise.

This September Thorn was the best and new along with Rustic/Uncertain, Common Rustic agg and Clay. Otherwise just Buff Ermines and Double-striped Pugs plus two common micros and one ID outstanding. For the first time in ten sessions no Heart and Dart.

The afternoon was allocated to a Butterfly walk with other volunteers at Pulborough. On the journey a Kestrel was perched up on roadside wires near Rogate were there always appears to be one or two and a good showing of roadside Common Spotted Orchids. On arrival, and whilst waiting for everyone to assemble, a female Emperor dragonfly was ovipositing on reception pond surrounded by a school-party pond-dipping.

http://www.discoverwildlife.com/british-wildlife/how-does-caterpillar-turn-butterfly

After setting off the first netted and potted butterfly was an Essex Skipper, a season's first for many of us. A short, sharp shower got us sheltering before heading down the zigzag where more butterflies and this very nice Chrysotoxum verralli.

Along the new path a big surprise was a hot sunny spell and a daylight active Barn Owl! Very nice.

Further on, the sea of Yorkshire Fog looks nicer than it really is, engulfing pretty much everything else. A Six-spot Burnett was netted for a closer look. Raising a corrugated sheet produced two Grass Snakes, one adult and one youngster. Further along the path Carey and I had a nice encounter with a Bank Vole being chased towards us by a Chiffchaff with several others alarm-calling. We then realised the vole was being hunted by a Weasel which showed well. The vole came towards us and sat just inches from my foot before barrelling down the path and up to the rest of the group. The Weasel was far more wary and despite obviously wanting to continue the chase was dissuaded by our presence. The Chiffies kept alarm calling.

A final stiff shower got us all wet and the day ended with a short classroom session putting things into context.

The last piece of chocolate cake was washed down with a coffee before heading home where a couple of Egyptian Geese were grazing between the road and Benbow Pond.

The roadside verges and roundabout near junction two have been mowed but a large area is still intact with many Pyramidal Orchids.

This morning's unidentified Eudonia micro had been assigned to lacustrata via Facebook when I signed on.

Overslept and, as a result, the early morning rain had started and the trap was slightly wet but still dry inside. Three hawkmoths were nice but Swallow-tailed Moth, Coronet and July Highflier were new.

At Blashford a few more moths notably Scarce Merveille du jour and Eyed Hawkmoth.

Plenty of Swifts, House Martins, Sand Martins and a fair few juvenile Common Terns plus Kingfisher and LRP both heard-only. A circling Sparrowhawk appeared twice overhead setting the Swallows and House Martins a-twittering.

Tawny Longhorn Beetle