LOCKDOWN - Moths

Another spell of cold nights mean moth-trapping remains slow but a few new species have started to slow up, here's some of them.

One of my favourites - Chinese Character

Green Carpet

Pale Tussock

Green Longhorns

Large Red Damselfly (not a moth)

LOCKDOWN - Week Seven

5^th May

                Just walk up and down the lane at Wyke a few times where birds seen included 2 Swifts, 8 House Martins, 3 Sand Martins and a Peregrine over the woods.   There was a cool little dancing group of c12 Gren Longhorns at the gate to the Cart-track – all males, waiting for a female to pass by.

6^th May

                A decent walk round the Benthall loop in the bright, sunny, warm conditions produced the first Spotted Flycatcher of the year at Benthall Pools where the male Redstart was still giving little snatches of song and the first Greylag Goose goslings were out and about; other birds included a singing Garden Warbler at Watery Lane, a Swift, a Red Kite (with a second one in the afternoon) and two new Lesser Whitethroats singing at The Vineyards with a few more Whitethroats on territory as well.   The dancing swarm of male Green Longhorns at the Cart-track gate rose to at least 25.

7^th May

                There were three Peregrines over the woods at Farley in the morning along with 3 House Martins, a Swift, several singing Lesser Whitethroats and a Grey Wagtail.   A Sand Martin went over Wyke in the afternoon where there was also an adult female Sparrowhawk, full-on displaying to a 2cy male and a Silver-Y up the lane – the first migrant insect of the spring.

8^th May

                Not too much of note on the Benthall loop with a couple of House Martins over, two Swifts high over Benthall Edge and the usual singing warblers; there are now two broods of small Coot chicks out on Benthall Pools along with two broods of Greylag Geese.   The first Large Red Damselfly had emerged on the second Benthall Pool and there was another dancing swarm of 15 Green Longhorns near the Vineyards as well as a smart Scorpion Fly.

9^th May

                The highlight of this lovely, warm, calm day was a surprise Sedge Warbler singing in the cover crop just down the lane to the south of Wyke; a Sand Martin went north, two Lesser Black-backed Gulls went west and a couple of Lesser Whitethroats were singing further to the south of Wyke.

10^th May

                A complete change in the weather with overcast conditions and a chilly, brisk and increasing NE wind; the days highlight came straight away with a Quail heard singing in fields to the east of Wyke, early in the morning as I was checking the moth trap – it was later tracked down to the corner of the Rape field, right by the gate to the Cart-track.   The Benthall loop then produced a Spotted Flycatcher at Benthall Farm and a pair of Garden Warblers at Watery Lane with at least 26 Canada Goose goslings at the pools.   Another Spotted Flycatcher was then at Woodhouse Farm.

11^th May

                Partly cloudy with a very cold NE wind still; not too much to mention with a 2cy Red Kite heading purposefully NE into the wind over Benthall Hall looking like a real passage bird (wishful thinking that it is connected to the big numbers moving along the south coast at the moment) and two Swifts over Wyke the only birds of note.   There were 30+ Canada Goose goslings on the main Benthall Pool along with one brood of Greylags and four broods of tiny, ugly Coot chicks while the Little Grebes have probably hatched as well judging from the adults change in behaviour but I didn’t see any chicks.

Kestrel

Swallows

2cy Red Kite

Canada Geese

LOCKDOWN - Moths

The cold, clear nights haven't done the moth variety any favours recently but here's a few anyway.

Waved Umber

Scalloped Hazel

Muslin

Swallow Prominant

Grey Pine Carpet

Early Tooth-striped

Nut-tree Tussock

and a big, fat Cockchafer

LOCKDOWN - Week Six

28^th April

                Quiet all round.

29^th April

                The first Garden Warbler of the year was just to the south of Wyke, down the lane by the stream.

30^th April

                Not too much to mention.

1^st May

                Birds around the Benthall Loop included 14 Lesser Black-backed Gulls over to the north, a Heron, 2 Swifts low over Watery Lane and the Lesser Whitethroat singing again by Watery Lane before a few bits round Wyke in the afternoon comprised 2 Peregrines high over the woods and 4 House Martins.

2^nd May

                Walked the Wyke loop where the highlight was a group of three Fox cubs out playing in the morning sun, not really caring that I was nearby; the bird highlight was definitely the first Hobby of the year which cruised lazily west, roughly following the lane while other birds included single singing Garden Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat while more and more Whitethroats and Blackcaps are filling the hedges and woodlands with chatter.

3^rd May

                Just walked up and down the lane a few times over the day but there were a few things overhead including a Hobby high over the woods along with 4 Swifts, a Yellow Wagtail which went west, a Red Kite (the first one for several weeks) and a Sand Martin through while the hedgerows were full of Whitethroats and Blackcaps.

4^th May

                Not much really with 2 Grey Wagtails along the stream at Farley while at least four singing Lesser Whitethroats were in the hedgerows from New House Farm to the Wenlock road – interesting as there’s only been one to the north of Wyke.

Foxy