Out of Bounds

Yesterday's walk saw me take a wander around the remnants of Stanion Lane Plantation which turned out to be somewhat uneventful. No birds of any note were seen and a herd of Fallow Deer was probably the highlight. A Holly Blue was the pick of the butterflies and once again Large Whites were seen but not photographed, I still haven't managed a snap of them yet this year.

Fallow Deer and Holly Blue

I also popped along to have a look at the area around the Clayholes in Corby for the first time in years. While they're not open to the public the vegetation nearby looks promising for damsels and dragons.

Speckled Wood and the Large Clayhole, Corby.

Today saw me heading back down to Weldon where I learned that the Woodland Park has been closed for the duration of the current lockdown which means that the pond and the stream are out of bounds too. While this will no doubt affect my dragonfly watching to an extent it's a small price to pay if it keeps people safe.

Weldon and wasp like Nomada Bee.

Whitethroats have now arrived in numbers and I heard several singing birds on my walk. No other bird news to report and it was once again insects that provided most of the interest. Orange-tips and the various whites including Brimstone were the most visible species and a Comma at Weldon was one of only a few that I've seen recently. Speckled Wood was noted at Corby Old Village and also on my stop near the STW.

Green-veined White and Green Hairstreak

Speaking of the STW I was lucky enough to see if not photograph another Large Red Damselfly. Also of interest were two Green Hairstreaks and a site year tick in the shape of a Holly Blue. Several Peacocks were my only ones of the day, their numbers appear to be dropping a little now.