Draycote Water & Napton Cutting

After a dull wet week and getting frustrated at being confined by my limitations I finally managed a trip down to the pond at mid-day with Dave for lunch then a brief look in intermittent sunshine at Napton Cutting.

Bloody Hell it was good to get out even if the pond had every grockle and its kid out, never seen the places so packed and could hardly find a parking place let alone a seat in the visitor center, luckily the cutting was more tranquil. The pond only had adult Yellow-legged Gull and single Buzzard on show while the cutting had 3 Dingy Skipper, 2 Brimstone, 8 Large White, 2 Green-veined White, Peacock and Orange-tip plus 2 Cinnabar, 3 Blue-tailed and 2 Common Blue Damselfly. Birds included Garden and Sedge Warbler and the Butterfly Orchids should be flowering in a week.

In the morning my garden had 2 Buzzard and a Raven over along with 2 Common Blue, 4 Large White, Small White and 2 Green-veined White butterflies.

Not surprising the moth trap has been dire the first part of the week but as this warm weather front moves in the last two nights have produced Grey Dagger, Heart & Dart, Rustic Shoulder-knot, Grey Pug and Scoparia ambigualis new for the year.