Bank Holiday Wanderings

A return visit to Priors Hall as it has once again become one of my favoured nature spotting spots. I thought that the continuing housing development would have put paid to any wildlife of note but am more than happy to have been proved wrong. With the promised sun blazing down I hoped for some insect activity and while numbers of both species and individuals are dropping it was still a good day.

Small Whites are very common at the moment.

The flooded quarry did not hold much of interest apart from the commoner water birds and a Kestrel and I soon left it behind to explore the other areas. Small Whites are getting very common now and far outnumber most other species. Only Speckled Woods are providing any competition and on the edge of woodland many could be seen scrapping with each other or sunbathing. They were joined in the latter activity by many Common Darters which are certainly living up to their name at the mo.

Brimstone.

A walk across the huge field covered in sow thistles produced a sighting of a Clouded Yellow which was sent packing by an argumentative Small Heath. Several tired looking Common Blues frequented the same area and at least three Brimstones, two males and a female, were seen. Up to three Brown Hares showed during my visit though they were hard to see amongst the tall thistles. A few Small Torts were feeding on the yellow flowers, Red Admirals seem to prefer the brambles.

Emerald Damsel.

Around the ponds there were a few Migrant Hawkers while male Southern Hawkers had staked out territories over several of them. Darter numbers are very high and many pairs were ovipositing though a solo female Common egg laying was unusual, they normally lay while still coupled. Many Emeralds were seen today and some provided some excellent views, I did look for Willows but couldn't find any. Only a single Common Blue Damsel was found, they may be coming to the end of their season.

The cryptically coloured underside of a Comma.

Returning to the two largest ponds I was delighted to flush a Grass Snake, it's been a while since I saw one and it joined two Common Lizards that had been seen earlier. Two species of reptile in a day is not something I see often in the county, wish that I could have photographed the snake though!

The first pond at Priors.

As I was leaving I stopped to confirm Green-veined White for the day list where it joined a single Comma. While looking at the butterfly a moth feeding on ragwort which I took to be a Silver-Y was photographed. A quick look at the pictures revealed something different, the good people of Birdforum thankfully when I asked for help with the I.D identified that it was in fact a Scarce Bordered Straw. This is a rather uncommon migrant species and it may well have arrived with the recent influx of Clouded Yellows. That was the last interesting sighting and after that it was time for the rather hot trek home.

A couple of shots of the Scarce Bordered Straw.