Caravan of Love - The House Martins

a.k.a. 

Welcome to Slight Return II

Things are now really starting to warm up and by definition more Insects, especially Moths, are being attracted to the Traps. Strange thought, that we wait all winter for such days to arrive and then, despite all my wanderings through the Tropics, it is thought how much those cooler days are preferred. Whatever, it is now mostly a case of my day starting at 05:00 and then confine myself to Slight Return II for the rest of the time. We started with quite a BANG yesterday as the second Moth pulled from the first Trap, and after a little research, turned out to be an

OBLIQUE CARPET
Not only a new species for the Recording Area but a 
personal first as never seen before anywhere.  

Only a matter of moments later a 'second record' for our area was
teased out from among the egg-trays and with even more difficulty
in identification was found to be a

GREY BIRCH

 We do like to do the odd MICRO but only the easy to identify ones!

SMALL MAGPIE

 and we also love to find any kind of Creepy Crawly such as

 HAWTHORN SHIELDBUG

 Strange how this

 SCORCHED WING

has developed to perch in such a fashion?

A quick look around Janet's Stable before continuing our day showed the

COLLARED DOVES

 now nesting in the opposite apex as it is thought that a local

KESTREL

put paid to what Squabs (young Doves) there were?

At Parley Pond-side there are still a couple of rain puddles where this

LINNET

 was taking a drink yesterday while the

 HOUSE MARTIN

 were far more industrious

still nest building (on Gavin and Sam's house)

Before continuing, it was thought worthwhile to record the
chattering song of a
REED WARBLER
this is notable as, despite this area being ideal for this reed-bed bird
none have ever been seen or heard at this location.

Just look how big the young
CANADA GOOSE 
has grown in just a few days.

HEDGEROW CRANESBILL
before heading off to find out what restriction the new Bund will put on
accessing the area behind the Eco Recycling Works.

There, in the Game Crop Field, we found a couple of

MEADOW PIPIT
and also found the "elusive Pimpernel"

SCARLET PIMPERNEL
They seek him here, they seek him there;
those Frenchies seek him everywhere.
Is he in Heaven or is he in Hell?
That damned elusive Pimpernel.

Sir Percy Blakney and Lady Katherine Black

DOG ROSE

MISTLE THRUSHES
just seem to have sprung to life, and indication of a successful
breeding season we would think,

as numerous right across the
Recording Area.
Our final visit of the day was to the redundant plot at the side of the
Eco Recycling Works
where in years gone by there was an attempt made to rejuvenate
the Heath Land there after a period of being a Rubbish Tip.

It has naturally turned into a niche area for the likes of the

BURNET COMPANION (Moth)

COMMON BLUE BUTTERFLY

(male)

(female)

and where we also recorded a

GARDEN WARBLER

surprisingly an addition to the June List and the incredibly smart

GORSE SHIELDBUG

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Raven Ravine - Genesis

So much going on at this time of year that we have fallen behind a bit on bringing you 'full reports', but will be in no hurry to catch up so long as the Posts continue to be of interest. In reality, the temperature has risen noticeably over the past couple of days, but these Insect images were taken before that happened.

 PINE HAWK-MOTH

 significant for its size and beauty.

NUTMEG

an addition to the Year List and a

tiny ANT which obviously found one of our Traps to be

The Happy Hunting Ground

as it hauls away it new found prey!

 XANTHOGRAMMA PEDISSEQUUM 

which goes under tha far better vernacular name of

SUPERB ANT-HILL HOVERFLY

 as in part this 'uncommon' Insect in Europe is reliant to a degree on the

Black Ant for its procreation.

 We have been passing this plant, at the edge of Parley Pond, for some days now

so time to find out what it is?

 HEMLOCK WATER DROPWORT

with thanks to John Gifford.

 SHELDUCK

has never been officially recorded here during the month of June,

even though it is though someone must have seen one?

 The first

SKYLARK

seen holding territory in the Solar Panel Compound, but our

interest was soon focused elsewhere when we found this

SHEEP CARCASS

in the same area.

 This had attracted a number of

MAGPIE

(note one in the body cavity)

with a family party of c6

RAVEN

close by

but with only one seemingly brave enough to venture close

but didn't linger long enough to feed.

 RAVEN

STOCK DOVES

 feeding nearby along with young

LINNETS

The bund is also close to completion so

we will bring you images, in one form or another, when the workforce leave.

FROM the TRAIL CAMERAS

CHAFFINCH
 and

CARRION CROW

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Insect Nation - Adam and the Ants

While Moths continue to be thin on the ground, despite a small increase in overnight temperature, other Insects seem to be showing themselves all across the Recording Area, as will be seen. All that has been added to the Moth List in recent days were

STRAW DOT

YELLOW-BARRED BRINDLE

and

POPLAR GREY
additionally we did capture the more scarce 'dark morph' of

The usual shade for comparison.

A very nice start to the rounds, the

MUTE SWAN
eggs have hatch producing c7
CYGNETS
 The rest of the day was mostly about Plants and Insects
both now coming very much into their own!

GREEN-WINGED ORCHID

 which like last year seems to be the only stem and in exactly the same place.

 While there is plenty of Gorse all over the place in the Recording Area

 BROOM
remains something of a 'scarcity', and while it was thought that
Beautiful Demoiselle
would be found on the only known patch of

 BOG MYRTLE
it wasn't until we reached the

soon to be flowering
RHODODENDRON 
 that any were found

 BEAUTIFUL DEMOISELLE
(male)

 BEAUTIFUL DEMOISELLE
(female)
and

COMMON CARDER BEE
The fly-by of an

 AIRBUS A400M ATLAS
Transport Aircraft
It may be this one that is also known as
GRIZZLY II
shattered the silence, but impressive for all that, as we took a look at the
New Growth

 SCOTS PINE
the Heath cannot support too much of that, so perhaps its days are numbered?

 A female
BROAD-BODIED CHASER

 WHITE DEAD-NETTLE

 LARGE RED DAMSELFLY
and then at long last a bird poked its beak from cover, a

WHITETHROAT
Almost back to Slight Return II but not before checking the
House Martins at Gavin's House.
HOUSE MARTINS? 
Take a closer look!

'The Squatter'

 HOUSE SPARROWS
have moved in!
 While the latest from the
Trail Cameras
have produced

 CARRION CROW

 ROBIN
and

WOOD PIGEON

and thought we would end with something really special today

particularly as they say Craftsmanship is DEAD!

Courtesy of Willie Wine

 WHEN YOU'RE FED UP WITH THE WALLPAPER!

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