30 Mar 20

Wakeham

Back in the garden today and I'm glad I did as a Yellow Wagtail flew over the new Bumpers Lane Housing Estate and headed towards the Lower Horse Paddock. So not only was this a first for the year but a good garden tick as I self-isolate. It wasn't however the only garden tick today, as two Greenfinches flew over the garden, as did a pair of Blackbirds, bringing my garden total to 27

Looking back at the last two years I saw my first Yellow Wagtail on this very day 30 Mar 19 and in 2018 on 14 Apr.

The temperature today didn't get much higher than 8.0°C and with that chilly easterly still blowing, it felt very cold in the back garden. However when the sun came out for any length of time, it was good to see a few bees along the flower beds and a Tapered Dronefly.

Regular sightings now are Sun-jumper spiders and the Common Green Shieldbug, which appears not to have moved for days. A new fly for the garden was a Moth Fly and I also found the handy-work of a leaf-miner on a Bramble leaf.

Here are a few images from today:

When the sun eventually stayed out longer than 5 minutes, there was an increase in flying insects including............

............this Tapered Dronefly, which incredibly let me get right up close, not only for this photo but.......

...........for a video as well.

This is a worker Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris).

Until someone tells me any different I'm still going.................

...........for Andrena scotica, Mining Bee and........

............ for this one a Bronze Furrow Bee........

........(Halictus tumulorum)

One of the many Sun-jumper spiders in the garden.

Love those yellow "fangs", which are in fact called chelicerae and are actually the spider's jaws

This was a nice surprise a Moth Fly which hung around long...........

...........enough to be videoed. 

The Common Green Shieldbug which is pretty dormant at the moment. Not surprising really as it was pretty chilly outside.

This is a Girdled Snail, Hygromia cinctella. More on this snail Here.

This is an interesting snail,because it is a common species around the Mediterranean region, and a relatively recent addition to the British fauna, having been first found at Paignton in 1950. It remained around that area of Devon for quite a long time before gradually spreading further in the south-west, and in more recent years rapidly northwards. Now in several areas of Yorkshire.

This is the work of a leaf-miner and most likely by the caterpillar of the Golden Pygmy moth (Stigmella aurella) which "mines" bramble leaves. More on this moth Here

Garden Birds Recorded since 24 Mar are: Kestrel, Pheasant, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Yellow Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Willow Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Raven, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet, Goldfinch and Greenfinch

Bees Recorded: Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris), Bronze Furrow Bee (Halictus tumulorum) and Mining Bee (Andrena scotica)

Hoverflies Recorded: Tapered Drone Fly (Eristalis pertinax)

Flies, Gnats and Midges Recorded: Moth Fly (Tonnoiriella pulchra)

Bugs and Beetles Recorded: Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina)

Slugs and Snails Recorded: Girdled Snail (Hygromia cinctella)

Spiders Recorded: Sun-jumpers (Heliophanus sp.)

Note - Moth Flies

There are are 99 British species in the Psychodidae family and they are all very similar looking. However the Moth Fly does look like Tonnoiriella pulchra. Common names also given to this family are Owl Midge, Owl Fly and Drain Fly. The latter so called because the larvae frequent drains. More Here on this family.

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On this day..........

2019
Today's Sightings Here.

2018
Today's Sightings Here.