Various

Not sure I can keep posting V.z pictures endlessly but this and the Speckled Wood were the only posers in a brief walk.

Earlier, unexpected stop at the park in the wet was just a coffee break although am hoping to explore the mass of Hemp Agrimony along the access road in the days ahead. Dried up enough to get in a circuit of the east side of PHP, chatted to the Raynors and saw three Great-crested Grebes, Heron, several Reed Warblers, presumably some second brood youngsters, and the usual martins and swifts. A few Willow Warblers were vocally obvious although not showing. Watched a Treecreeper and heard others plus vocal Nuthatch near the carpark.

Walter's been back for a few days now and today he was standing quietly in front of INH with his bling on show. Highlight today was a Hummingbird Hawkmoth on Purple Loosestrife in the pond albeit briefly.

A distant Hobby from IVS but pretty little else and sadly the Wasp Spiders in the meadow weren't on show. This Hornet was hunting amongst the heather.

A couple of Bank Voles nipped along the path and later a Long-tailed Fieldmouse was under a refugium.

On the north side two distant Ravens circling with two Buzzards, 2-3 Common Sandpipers and a Whimbrel.

Library and pond stroll

Still Holly  Blues, Red Admirals , Speckled Woods and today a fresh Comma; also a Blue-tailed Damselfly, potter wasps(Acistrocerus spp), a hawker which didn't stop (either Southern or Migrant) and a snatch of Cettis song plus a mixed LTT flock with some phylloscs thrown in. Now half a dozen V.z on Hemp Agrimony.

Also a large patch of fungi under one of the trees.

Park loop

The usual park loop was a bit of a slow hobble today; the near end of the bottom track had been 'tidied' which made access a little easier but ensured not too mch activity near the path. The shaded patches of Hemp Agrimony held three male Volucella inanis (new for this site I think) although little else of note and the brambles on the short slope to the bottom path had a nice C.bicinctum.

Near the very flattened molehill another Adder, also a female but much more ginger than earlier in the week - sadly it was too alert and was off into the grass. A couple of Phasia hemiptera males and the usual other hover suspects. This Common Darter was sheltering and the hotter areas still had a few Chalkhill Blues although not to much else.

Conops flavipes

Despite  very windy, overcast condition still a few insects in the usual sheltered patch and the small patches of now very colourful heather were well populated with grasshoppers, bees, Ectemnius etc. (The bee above is a Colletes, probably succinctus and the robberfly probably Machimus atricapillus). Some small and quiet grass movement was almost certainly an Adder.  Not many butterflies, a couple of Common Blues bring the best and a flushed Mother of Pearl. Hoverwise Eupeodes latifasciatus and Eristalis horticola were unexpected NfYs. The Bee wolf area was devoid of life.

Over the lake probably 300+ martins, single Swift but no swallows. The Reed Warblers were now down to just croaking calls rather than song, usual Heron and Grey Wag.

Wet as f**k

Up early and light breakfast, coffee and paper watching the IOW disappear into the murk. Back to normal with GHWB gone. Too wet to do more than first two hides and no non-avian critters other than a Roe Deer. Two Harriers, a juvenile and the young male for the first time since June. A few pulses of Swifts ahead of rain totalled about 75 with just a few hirundines. Common Sandpiper heard and a Whimbrel arrived from the north. Lots of Common Tern activity still and the odd Med Gull.
Needless to say no pix.

A curious day with little on offer early and lots of staff and volunteers busy around the site. The walk down to Westmead was very quiet and nothing was on the pool despite being quite full after the heavy rain in recent days. From there round to Adder Alley little of note although a few Eristalis intricaria and at least eight Brown Hawkers. From the viewpoint, and later Jupps View, a Wood Sandpiper and five Green Sandpipers plus a single godwit and Mandarin. Highlights were a Marsh Harrier, a high Red Kite and a catch up with several people I don't get to see too often. A little purple patch on the way back with Chrysotoxum verralli (below) and this very smart soldierfly Stratiomys potamida which was a lifer. Anna kindly offered to show me where some 'Pantaloon' Bees were using the overflow carpark but sadly dipped out. Finally, some nice visitors on the heathland, probably 10-12 people in three families enjoying three Common Lizards basking on the Black Pond woodwork  - nice to perform some real hide/guide duties for a change.