Round Up

Not a lot to report just a continuation of previous blogs with Yellow-legged Gull now becoming a regular at the pond while Yellow Wagtail have raised 2 young and can occasionally be seen early morning before it gets busy. Common Tern made an appearance today and Ian one of the rangers had 2 Oystercatcher this morning. Among the Canada Geese flock have been plastic Barnacle and 2 Snow Goose while the only other birds of note have been 6 Teal at Brandon Marsh last week and a Hobby perched in a dead tree between Napton on the Hill and Southam as Bob and I drove past today.
On the butterfly front it’s a question of being out when the sun decides to shine though apart from Small Blue (30+ today at Bishop Itchington) numbers are low for most species. Dragon and Damselflies have also suffered from the cold wet start to the season and though 17 species are on the wing in the county I have not yet reached double figures. The bridge nursery continues to hold plenty of damselflies.
Orchids are faring better with the pond now recording 35 spikes of Common-spotted and 20 spikes of Bee Orchid which would have been higher if they had not buried a couple of plants for the sake of a car park.
Surprisingly the water level have not risen as dramatically as we expected and remains just a couple of inches above farborough spit so in with a chance of some shoreline for the autumn passage if we don’t have too much rain and evaporation makes its normal impact over the summer months.
On the mothing front this warm spell has started to bring in a few summer species although very late compared to last year with numbers still remaining low. The best news has been the publication of the Field Guide to the Micro Moths of Great Britain and Ireland by Sterling and Parsons illustrated by Richard Lewington. Excellent piece of work though I’m still trying to get my head around the layout. Draycote Water and Bishops Itchington had Yellow Shell, Burnet Companion was also at Bishops Itchington and 2 Ringed China-mark at Just So.
Nationally I went up Lancashire last Friday to look at Dune Helleborine, Fly and Lady Slipper Orchid though the LS was way past her best and also managed a Bittern and Spoonbill at Leighton Moss plus a couple of sightings of Red Squirrel and Red Deer.