Flying Start

 A welcome return of the sun today saw temperatures soaring and an end to the cloudy dross that has ruled the recent weather scene. I chose to stay in my local area and walked no further than Priors Hall enjoying an interesting wildlife watching session in the process.

Mr and Mrs Muntjac.

My day began near the town's STW for yet another attempt at finding migrants,  happily it turned out to be third time lucky! A male Muntjac provided some early interest as he gave good views before disappearing into neighbouring vegetation, a female was seen a little later on.  At the stream a Grey Wagtail was again present and feeding amongst the stones mid stream. Checking the fence next to the railway track revealed a Spotted Flycatcher, my first at this site for many a year. This has been a very good Autumn for this species in the county and I was delighted to find one of my own. Unfortunately the bird flew across the tracks and was lost to view. Another section of the same fence played host to a female Redstart which like the flycatcher disappeared soon after though not before I got a dodgy record shot. Once I was happy that there were no more goodies lurking in the scrub I left the site heading for Willowbrook Industrial Estate.

Record shot Redstart and Grey Wagtail.

I couldn't find the Whinchats today though I know they were still here as late as Thursday when Alan Shorrock saw them. It's by no means certain that they've gone as it's a big area and they can be elusive so I'm hopeful that I might yet catch up with them again. No birds of note today but there were a few common butterflies to enjoy and a couple of day flying moths. My route then took in Priors Hall where the sunny conditions looked promising for dragon and damselflies.

Silver-Y and Common Blue.

Best birds at Priors Hall were about ten Yellow-legged Gulls loafing about in the quarry, one was possibly a Caspian but I'm not confident enough to make a definite claim. The rest of my visit was taken up with some ode observation in the company of Shozzer. Plenty of Willow Emerald activity with lots of breeding pairs noted. At least one male Emerald was also seen though this chap proved as camera shy as all the previous Priors individuals have been so far this year. Other damsels enjoying the sun were Common Blues and Blue-taileds. Commonest dragons were the appropriately named Common Darters though their Ruddy cousins were by no means scarce. Migrant and Brown Hawkers made up the rest of the list which came to a respectable total of eight. Lots of Speckled Woods around the alders and small numbers of Common Blue and Small Heath were noted.

Caspian Gull? and Willow Emeralds.