Port and Wey: 7 May 22

Old Quarry Lane, Wakeham Meadow, Lower Horse Paddock, Upper Horse Paddock, Broadcroft Butterfly Reserve, Broadcroft Quarry Lane and Bumpers Lane

Well today's weather was probably the best we have had in a long while, with blue skies, sunshine and very little wind.

There were no migrants seen today and all the warblers I came across were all in their established breeding sites. Unusually though, a Song Thrush was showing really well at the bottom of Broadcroft Quarry Lane. Normally if one sees you, its off. But not this one today.

On the butterfly front I saw my first Small Skipper of the year, and as I tried to photograph it, I tripped over a bramble, lacerating the top of my foot. Yep I was also wearing my sandals for the first time this year. Hmm!!!

Birds Recorded:
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
Song Thrush
3 Common Whitethroat
2 Lesser Whitethroat
2 Blackcap
Long-tailed Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
2 Raven
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch
Greenfinch

There haven't been too many times that I have been this close to a Song Thrush.

It certainly doesn't seem bothered that I'm walking down the lane past it.

And its mate singing from the other side of the lane

One of two Ravens soaring way way above my head.

And an unusual stance by this male Linnet.

In fact he seemed quite well balanced as he was singing.

Butterflies Recorded:
1 Small Skipper
2 Orange-tip
4 Large White
2 Small White
3 Green-veined White
1 Wall Brown
2 Small Blue
4 Holly Blue

I think this has been one of the best years for Green-veined Whites that I have seen, since I moved here almost 5 years ago.

And apart from several Holly Blues, there are also quite a few.......

..............Small Blues out now.

Moths Recorded:
Vetch Piercer (Grapholita jungiella)
Cocksfoot Moth (Glyphipterix simpliciella) - Possibly

There are lots of Vetch Piercers out at the moment

I'm not 100% sure, but I think this is a very worn Cocksfoot Moth

Bees Recorded:
Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)
Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum)
Early Mining Bee (Andrena haemorrhoa)
Red Mason Bee (Osmia bicornis)
nomad sp.

A very smart looking Early Mining Bee which of late, I might have been recording as a Grey-patched Mining Bee. The buff colour on its rear end is Andrena haemorrhoa and is not found on Andrena nitida.

Ichneumon Wasps Recorded:
Ichneumon sp

And the one that got away. An Ichneumon wasp which disappeared into the long grass, before I could ID it.

Hoverflies Recorded:
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
Spring Epistrophe (Epistrophe eligans)
Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)

Its been awhile since I have seen either a Common Dronefly or a Tapered Dronefly. At the moment it's just Spring Epistrophes and the...........