I spent the whole day gardening and clearing out the shed, so there were very few highlights until 8:10pm, when 2 Hobby's flew over the cottage.
Unfortunately Bumpers Lane was being resurfaced again and the noise of the diggers, lorries and other machines was endless from 8:00am to 5:00pm. Though when the workmen did break for lunch the "resident" Common Whitethroat could be heard on a couple of occasions.
Only other birds of interest during the day were 2 Buzzards circling over Broadcroft Quarry Lane and a lone Swift heading up the island early afternoon.
A few things I noticed in the garden were Large White butterflies & a Red Admiral, a few Honey Bees & 2 Buff-tailed Bumblebees, an Ichneumon Wasp I need to ID, and 2 hoverflies a Marmalade hoverfly & a Sphaerophoria (Twist-tailed hoverfly).
A few things I noticed in the garden were Large White butterflies & a Red Admiral, a few Honey Bees & 2 Buff-tailed Bumblebees, an Ichneumon Wasp I need to ID, and 2 hoverflies a Marmalade hoverfly & a Sphaerophoria (Twist-tailed hoverfly).
As regards the Sphaerophoria, there are many very similar species, and can only be identified by checking the male genitalia. Having said that this individual I found on the Lavender has a bulbous tip to its abdomen and could well be a Sphaerophoria rueppellii. Steve Falk's Flickr page has some great examples of Sphaerophoria's. See them Here.
My Lockdown Garden List is Here.
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
Almost similar to the Marmalade Hoverfly, but........
It even stayed still long enough for a video.
And an Ichneumon Wasp.......
........which does look vaguely familiar. And another one to ID later.
Aircraft Today
Two Bell Boeing V 22 Osprey did a couple of laps around the island today.
