Terns

Draycote Water was a little more impressive than of late this morning with a juvenile Spotted Flycatcher on the farborough bank barrier on our arrival followed by 5 adult summer plumage Black Terns feeding out in the middle with at least 9 Common Tern dotted around the site and 3 adult Yellow-legged Gulls. Only a single Little Egret noted along the north shore and a Raven over but after a rain shower our best sighting was of 2 Sandwich Terns that were observed leaving to the east. After breakfast we found a day flying Barn Owl and more surprising was a juvenile Lesser-spotted Woodpecker working its way through the canopy of a small coppice – a county tick for Dave so he was chuffed especially as he found it. With overnight temperatures of a minimum of 16c over the last two nights if it wasn’t for the thunderstorms in the wee hours on both mornings I would probably be shovelling my way towards a record count, even so 91 species from 489 moths in two days is pretty Impressive for my small garden. Nothing bionic but plenty of first of the year species.

Emerald Damselfly

Emerald Damselfly Stockton Cutting by Paul Cashmore

Six-belted Clearwing

Our first attempt at the pond this morning was thwarted by thick fog after overnight rain so enjoyed a lazy breakfast till it burned off. By the time we arrived it was warming up nicely and we had 3 Little Egret, 10 Common Tern, Common Sandpiper and 2 Yellow Wagtail on our walk to toft shallows where there were family parties of Bullfinch and Blackcap plus 2 Treecreeper and plenty of young Great-crested Grebes riding piggy back. Gave up on counting Yellow-legged Gull but must be getting on to at least 10 present of various ages. Once we had cooled down in the visitor centre meeting with up with Paul and Martyn we moved on to Stockton Cutting and with the help of Paul’s pheromones attracted 13 Six-belted Clearwings and later an Emerald Damselfly. Nuthatch and Kingfisher noted here before we called in on The Boat for a welcome pint as the temperatures rose to 25c.

Six-belted Clearwing by Bob Hazell

Common Scoter

A trip to the pond with Bob produced my second group of Common Scoter within 4 days with 14 (13 male & fem or immature) out in the center after there were 6 males on Sunday morning which did not hang around. Also present were 5 Little Egret, 5 Yellow-legged Gull, 10 Common Tern. 2 Common Sandpiper, 4 Teal, Sparrowhawk, 6 Buzzard and a lone adult Greater Black-backed Gull. Earlier I was lucky to have my second new moth of the month with Black Arches in the trap hot on the heels of a Scarlet Tiger seen earlier in the month so Bob did me proud with his pictures. It was a good catch with first of the year Shaded Broad-bar, Small Rufous (tatty) Yellow-tail and Vapourer. Best we have photographed from Dave’s catch has been Bordered Pug.

Black Arches

Elephant Hawk-moth

Scarlet Tiger

Bordered Pug

Red Kite

Oops forgot to include in my last blog a Red Kite that was hunting the fields south of Kites Hardwick at 11:30am on our way home. Although becoming more regular on the patch early July records are unusual.

House Sparrow outshines Egret

Little Ringed Plover still at the pond this morning along with 5 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Yellow-legged Gull, Common Tern while one of the Little Egrets flew along the north shore and settled to feed on lin croft point. Bird of the morning a House Sparrow - more egret records than this species theses days.
Stunning weather produced 16 Dark Green Fritillary and 45 Marbled White at Harbury plus a Shaded Broad-bar and the brightly marked micro Catoptvia pinella but nothing special at Stockton though Emerald Damselflies were reported to be on the wing today.

Dark Green Fritillary

Pond and Ryton Woods

Early morning walk at the pond produced 2 Little Ringed Plover, 5 Yellow-legged Gull, Common Tern, 45 Mute Swan and 68 Greylags, 3 young Great-crested Grebes hitching a ride off their parents and 2 broods of Yellow Wagtail totalling 9 birds. A long walk around Ryton Woods added 11 Silver-washed Fritillary and 16 White Admiral to this year’s list amongst 14 species of butterfly seen plus my first Southern Hawker Dragonfly and Brown Silver-line moths of the year. Birds included family parties of Chiffchaff, Garden Warbler, Nuthatch and Long-tailed Tit. A second visit to the pond mid-afternoon for the Little Egret found by Bob yesterday produced 2 individuals and a Hobby.