Indian Summer

 A day off today and I was lucky that it coincided with a spell of beautiful sunny weather. As I didn't want to venture too far today I only walked as far as the flooded quarry near the Gretton Road taking in Willowbrook Industrial Estate and Brookfield Plantation on the way. Although nothing out of the ordinary was noted it was still a good day, not least perhaps because I might otherwise have been working!

Migrant and Southern Hawkers

At Willowbrook a Sedge Warbler was presumably a passage migrant and while it never stayed still enough for a photo I did get some decent views. It was still a little cloudy at this time though I still found a female Migrant Hawker roosting as well as several darters and a few Small Heaths. Walking on to Brookfield and with increasing amounts of sunshine I had both Meadow Pipits and a Grey Wagtail pass over. Not too much bird life visible in the wood  though it sounded as if someone was shooting in another part of the plantation. A Southern Hawker was the best ode while butterflies were represented by Speckled Woods, a Comma, a Peacock and the three species of common whites.

Butterfly selection

On leaving the wood I walked across the large field and followed the hedgeline next to the flooded quarry. Plenty of darters, both Ruddy and Common, were sunning themselves and a few more Migrant Hawkers were seen. Highlight though were the four Willow Emeralds that were seen along the hedge. Two females and a male posed very nicely even if the fourth disappeared way too quick for me to tell. Willow Emeralds may no longer be the headline grabbers that they were a couple of years ago but it's still nice to find new sites for them. Small groups of Siskins were beginning to pass over and a Raven croaked loudly as it passed by. Nothing much else of interest was seen other than a Peregrine at one of their regular sites.

Male and female Willow Emeralds.