Well I didn't get far today, the weather did look a bit dodgy when I left, and sure enough 40 minutes later there was a steady drizzle falling.
With a bit of shelter in the church grounds, I managed at least a good 30 minutes here before it got a bit to heavy. The main highlight here was the presumed emergence of at least 3 Scarlet Tiger Moths. What an amazingly colourful moth it is when its flying.
I also came across a couple of other moths, a Common Nettle-tap moth and a Small Fan-footed Wave. All three new for the year.
Here are my sightings from today:
Here are my sightings from today:
Penns Wood still green as ever and it appears a good location for lots of young birds. There were juvenile Blackbirds, Chaffinches and Blackcaps all calling.
Since I have returned to my local patch, it is quite obvious a lot has changed in a week, and just about every patch of nettles has a Miridae Bug on it. After going on Social Media I have been informed that this is the miridae bug Closterotomus trivialis
And a Common Nettle-tap moth on a nettle. Just had to be really.
Lots of these Early Bumblebees (Bombus pratorum) about.
This one was busy on the flower head of a Bramble and then it was lift off and onto the next flower.
Further into the wood, where the Comfrey use to cover the ground, there are now spikes of Cuckoo-pint now showing. It is also known as Lords and Ladies, Devils and Angels, Adam and Eve, Snakes Head and Wake-Robin. The latter rather appropriate as Penns Wood is Wakeham. At the moment the berries are green, but will eventually turn red. The plant contains a bitter, sometimes poisonous, sap and the red berries are particularly toxic. So a plant best left alone.
The rain over the past few days has transformed the landscape and there are even more nettles here in the church grounds and of course more............
.............Miridae Capsid Bugs.
A very dozy Common Carder Bee trying to warm up, though with heavy rain imminent I guess he will seeking refuge very soon.
In the relative shelter of the church grounds I came across........
.........3 Scarlet Tiger moths (Callimorpha dominula). A very striking moth and even more......
............striking when it has its wings open.
Poor attempt I know, to capture one in flight. However as bad as this image is, you can see how vivid the red wings are when it is in flight.
Sadly the video isn't much better. Moving on........
............and this is the third moth species I found today, a Small Fan-footed Wave (Idaea biselata)
With the continuous drizzle, it was a bit of a surprise to find two..........
...........Meadow Browns. Not that they were particularly active.
With the Alexanders now well into seed, it is now the turn of the Hemp Agrimony to flower. Hopefully this will attract a few of these large hoverflies such as Volucella zonaria, Volucella inanis and Volucella pellucens.
Something has got Ted's attention. Sadly it turned out to be.............
...........someones disposable BBQ dumped in the church grounds. Disposable doesn't mean leave it where you used it. Thank goodness it's been wet, otherwise I dread to think of the damage this would have caused, had been left here a week or so back. Sadly some people just don't get it.
Birds Recorded: Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Blackcap, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren and Chaffinch
Butterflies Recorded: 2 Meadow Brown
Butterflies Recorded: 2 Meadow Brown
Moths Recorded: 1 Common Nettle-tap moth (Anthophila fabriciana), 3 Scarlet Tiger (Callimorpha dominula) and a Small Fan-footed Wave (Idaea biselata)
Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum), Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) and Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum)
Wasps Recorded: Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)
Hoverflies Recorded: Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
Bugs and Beetles Recorded: Several miridae bugs (Closterotomus trivialis)
Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum), Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) and Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum)
Wasps Recorded: Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)
Hoverflies Recorded: Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
Bugs and Beetles Recorded: Several miridae bugs (Closterotomus trivialis)