A cold and grey start suggested that normal August Bank Holiday weather would be the order of the day. Happily conditions improved a tad and sunny spells began to make things fairly pleasant. My travels took me no further than the area near the STW where I enjoyed a steady if unspectacular session.
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| Grey Wagtail and Hummingbird Hawk-moth. |
Several of this year's crop of Grey Wagtails were noted feeding along the stream while both Kingfisher and Redpoll made flying visits. Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers were both very vocal but there were not that many birds about today. Similarly it was quiet on the butterfly front with Comma, Red Admiral, Speckled Woods, Small and Green-veined Whites representing a meagre haul. Best lep for the second day on the trot was Hummingbird-Hawk-moth when one or perhaps two were noted visiting a patch of escaped Buddleia and just like yesterday the picture I took was fairly ropey too!
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| Comma and Willow Emerald breeding scars. |
I checked the ponds for signs of Willow Emerald, I saw a male here last year and wondered if there might be others around. That he or another managed to find a female was proved by the discovery of scarring on some overhanging branches, I couldn't tell if they were from last or this year but it does prove breeding. Echoing yesterday's experience (again!) I didn't manage to see any emeralds and indeed odes were a little scarce with just a couple of Common Darters, a Migrant and Southern Hawker to report. A hornet mimic Volucella hoverfly was perhaps the best insect and was also the last thing I saw of note before leaving.
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| Hornet mimic hoverfly, Volucella sonaria |
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