More black and yellow

First up a calling cuckoo, although somebody else had multiple birds. A glimpse of a Nightingale and three loud and close but invisible calling birds.

The Egyptian Geese still have four young and a couple of Redshank were still out towards the river. A couple of Avocet were new in and a single tatty Red Kite attracted irate crows. This Small Tortoiseshell was the first I've seen in a while and in Fattengates raised pond (actually pretty ugly with no vegetation) large numbers of these Notonecta spp (Backswimmers).

On the heathland a glimpse of one of the Spotted Flycatchers but sadly little in last weeks insect hotspot other than this Rutpela maculata, the other common yellow and black Longhorn Beetle. Big increase in Large Skippers and Black-tailed Skimmers plus a few Common Darters (above).

Nice to catch up with Mike Snelling for the first time this year but precious few other visitors.

A quick cuppa and walk at QE on the way back produced three singing Firecrests and a Buzzard, male and female Emperor on the pond plus one or two Figwort Sawflies (above).

Generally very poor for hoverflies this week; maybe its too hot!

Later at Creech Wood with HIWWT and John Goodspeed, two singing Firecrests in the car park, one Nightjar seen and probably a different bird churring, two Tawny Owls, one Roe Deer and a couple of small bats.

Back to summer..

Unsurprisingly the weekend's male Ruff  and Amy's Marsh Warbler from yesterday were long gone. One calling cuckoo and a second dull bird, presumably a female briefly perched up were the best; one possibly two Marsh Harriers plus single Sparrowhawk. Oystercatcher and Common Tern pairs still on eggs ant Meon Shore hide. No other notable birds and the warmer, less windy weather in conjunction with strimmed pathside vegetation and gone-over umbellifers meant the hover numbers were hugely down since last visit.

A few Emperors, with just this one perched distantly, plenty of Four-spots and the first Black-tailed Skimmer of the year. This Four Banded Longhorn Beetle above (Leptura quadrifasciata) was the best looking insect.

A nil day

Just a few female Sphaerophoria in the garden and on the pond 75+ summering Canada Geese, presumably non- or post-breeding and settled in for moult. Some were so short of flight feathers I wonder how they got here!! And a single roosting Cormorant.

Home only

A nice day for twitching a Red-footed Falcon or Elegant Tern maybe? Or maybe not. So just a quiet local day with numerous Ladybird larvae, Thick-legged Flower-beetles and few hovers. Several Comma and Holly Blue but nothing very photogenic. Over the field a hawking Swallow which presumably has a nest in a local outbuilding and in a sun-dappled 'alcove' near the centre three Volucella pellucens and glimpse of a hawker type dragonfly; can't believe it was Hairy at this site. Just Blackcap (2) and Chiffchaff singing and a fishing Grey Heron.

Eristalis tenax

Home

Cool and overcast last night so few moths (11!!), one of two Willow Beauty being very fresh, a Green Pug and this (below) an Oligia (Minor spp). A female Eupeodes luniger was buzzing around in the early morning sunshine.

Later at Blashford two basking Grass Snakes, one silt pond and one Ivy South.
On the way back to the car an overflying Buzzard drew attention to this much higher Hobby (below) and a Kingfisher zipped over the path. On the north side probably 100 Swift and a few dozen Hirundines and three Lapwing chicks from two broods plus a single Oystercatcher chick. Strangest sight was a fledged but still young Jay which landed on the shoreline but then flew over the water, landed and proceeded to drown!!

The moth trap had been emptied of the little it contained with just Clouded Border and Bloodvein remaining. Spent lunch with Jacqui and Jim and then headed back home

Should have checked the blog entry as there were two species of soldierfly on the HWD yesterday apparently.

Despite strong winds, some areas had the combination of shelter and sun to bring out 16 species/groups of hover although nothing outstanding. Just Four-spot and Hairy Hawker plus Azure Damselfly on the odonata front. One Large Skipper was the only decent butterfly. A couple of Sicus ferrugineus were the first ones I've come across this year.

Just the female Marsh Harrier on show and later two flybys of a female Cuckoo. Probably 40+ Avocets  including one well grown youngster, a family of 12 Shelducklings and a few BHG chicks. One pair of Common Terns on eggs amongst the BHGs in front of Meon Shore. Near the gate a Sedge Warbler feeding young.

Mostly Autumn

Well Spring has given way to Autumn over the last few days with today being the least wildlife-watching friendly so far. Should have put a link here to Mother Nature a track from Mostly Autumn, a latter day prog rock (ish) band once recommended by a friend.

A brief walk between showers produced a few Meliscaeva auricollis, although the photo was from yesterday, several Cardinal Beetles, two Firecrests were singing from deep in cover, one on the forest side and one on the road side. On the pond the Moorhens now have three very small chicks, presumably just a couple of days old. The usual route is now getting overgrown and so was very wet. Where the scrub thickens a Chiffchaff alarm called and came in response to some pishing; seemed as if it was tending presumably fledged young.