Unusual plant fair

With heavy showers rolling through, the larger trees at GWH provided a convivial meeting point for those of us without umbrellas!!

But it eventually dried out  and was nice enough to sit out in the sun with a cheese burger from the BBQ tent but sadly no onsite-brewed beer for me.

Wildlife was pretty much nil with just a Kestrel chasing a Buzzard, one kite and two Swifts. The first, very tiny, Pyramidal Orchid and Yellow Rattle plus a Roe Deer (below) whilst I was standing next to a signboard telling me to lookout for Roe Deer!!

And this sentence from Christopher Somerville, read whilst having a coffee, sums things up nicely:-

"For the hundredth time this year, it's borne in on me how very little I know about everything I see"

GWH and an Arundel WWT-funeral-Pulborough RSPB day.

Not the best weather at GWH being typically overcast but luckily pretty sheltered from a light breeze, and virtually no-one else in the grounds.

The Epistrophe diaphana below was the first in a long time and the Downland Villa was the first this year as was an Emperor dragonfly on the pond. A variety of hoverflies all posted to FB Hoverfly Group and the list stored in Bird Journal.

Birds were typically thin-on-the-ground but nice to watch a point blank Marsh Tit in the herb garden and a Wren feeding a gape-flanged youngster. Just a few Common Spotted Orchids scattered around the site. 

After last nights reports of little Nightjar activity at Ambersham, presumably due to cold weather and so few moths, it seemed sensible to opt out of tonight's event with SDOS/BFF. Maybe a little later in the summer - if it ever arrives.

The day before saw a very brief visit to WWT, mostly to kill a little time over coffee and breakfast roll. No Kingfisher activity but plenty of Sand Martin's coming and going.

The grounds of Worthing Crematorium are very pleasant and with the sun out it certainly lightened the mood of what is always at best, a sombre occasion.

And then on to PB and a catch up with Gary whilst watching a few Hobbies - with some of MJ's photos from last Wednesday now on X/Twitter.

This morning's early Savi's Warbler was only putative at this point and it was only after leaving that more people managed to hear and briefly glimpse this hard-to-see LBJ with a similar situation on Wednesday and even less of a performance on Thursday. My last encounter with this species was a spring singing bird at Stodmarsh in 1992 but easily eclipsed by the bird I extracted from a mist net at Farlington and for which I was the sole observer. It took a little while to realise what I was dealing with - and, if I remember rightly, a BBRC submission was required. It finally appeared in John Clark's recent book on Hampshire's rare birds - sadly attributed to someone else!!! 

(Volucella pellucens, unknown bee, Epistrophe diaphana, Villa cingulata, Cheilosia illustrata)

Another few days....summer struggling to arrive.

 

Moth trapping is still desperately thin - not surprising with overnight temperatures still in single figures. Tuesday was slightly warmer (at 6a.m.) and very still so a few more moths. Being warmer at least 8 'pinged' out of the trap, hopefully all common stuff.

Above Pale Mottled Willow, Oak Tree Pug and Scythropia crataegella.

Later in the day this Osprey (below) was a highlight at TH,  its arrival in front of KBH whilst chatting to DH was announced by irate gulls. It hovered high over the river but eventually slipped away eastwards.

A few other insects of note; a Cantharis beetle probably rufa, an Epistrophe predated by Misumena vatia. The first Fairy-ring Longhorn Beetles appeared - I dont think I've ever seen them not paired on daisies!! Broad-bodied Chaser locally along the sheltered path, Dark Bush-cricket, another BBC at TH, Southern Marsh Orchid, Celery Fly.

Yesterday at Pulborough was mostly talking about birds (and politics!!) rather than watching, although the Hobbies were a very nice exception. The usual 'barn door' was just a dot being escorted away by even smaller dots - Buzzards.

This morning's walk around GWH was pitiful compared to last week. 

Plenty of inverts and a twitch..

 

(Sycamore, Scoparia pyralella, Mother Shipton, Pipiza spp, Tachina fera, Zophomyia temula, Volucella bombylans, Microdon spp, Andrena cineraria, Five-spot Burnet, Crambus lathionellus, Common Spotted Orchid, Med Gulls, Burnet Companion, Peppered Moth, Volucella pellucens, Wasp Beetle, Epistrophe melanostoma, Mesembrina meridiana).

News broke early on Thursday of this Red-necked Phalarope at Sidlesham and so a quick drive down found the bird immediately but very distant on the left-hand side of the pool. Decent scope views when the sun broke through - and a catch up with CR from Titchfield and Barry and Margaret. (Photo courtesy of photographer - not mine). News broke of Hampshire's breeding Roseate Terns.

Precious little..

 

(Poplar Hawkmoth, Syrphus spp NOT ribesii, Ancistrocerus spp, Sarcophaga spp, Eumerus spp and a few Orb Weaver spiderlings).

A minimal moth trap (white Skinner) produced this fresh Poplar Hawkmoth, a few Willow Beauties and little else.

The rest above were beyond the pond; the Reed Warbler was silent or possibly long gone but the very vocal 'back garden' Cetti's had not moved more than 50yds in weeks!!

PS Another wet night on the cards tonight so no trapping.

PPS Monday, the Reed warbler was back to singing strongly, so obviously not departed and a Swallow, presumably a local breeder, was hawking just inches over the ground. A flush of  Broad Centurions (below) were the only new insects although it was pretty windy.