Pectoral Sandpiper, Maxey GP

Three years and three weeks since the one at Prior's Fen at last a Pec Sand at a twitchable site. I just hope it sticks around as I last saw it flying off with some Snipe but with luck will return.

Also single Ruff and Golden Plover flying about and the two Spotted Redshanks still present.

Best viewed from here.


Digiscoped in poor light with Nikon Coolpix P4 and 32x Leica APO77

Red-veined Darter

Red-veined Darters have bred at Maxey GP this year. It's an unusual dragonfly species as they are able to turn out a whole generation in only a matter of a few months. This new generation can be found in the weedy grass around the pits. In the chilly, dewy conditions this female was very dosile.

Red-veined Darter Sympetrum fonscolombii, female



Nikon Coolpix P4

Mallow

Only the second Mallow to appear in the garden along with some other goodies.

The Mallow Larentia clavaria


Beautiful Hook-tip Laspeyria flexula


Blair's Shoulder-knot Lithophane leautieri


Scarce Bordered Straw Helicoverpa armigera


Nikon Coolpix P4

125W MV Robinson-type
0985 Carnation Tortrix (Cacoecimorpha pronubana) 1
1292 Calamotropha paludella 1
1690 Small Blood-vein (Scopula imitaria) 1
1745 The Mallow (Larentia clavaria) 1
2087 Turnip Moth (Agrotis segetum) 2
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 2
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 2
2198 Smoky Wainscot (Mythimna impura) 1
2199 Common Wainscot (Mythimna pallens) 1
2240 Blair's Shoulder-knot (Lithophane leautieri) 1
2267 Beaded Chestnut (Agrochola lychnidis) 4
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) 25
2400 Scarce Bordered Straw (Heliothis armigera) 1
2434 Burnished Brass (Diachrysia chrysitis) f. juncta 1
2473 Beautiful Hook-tip (Laspeyria flexula) 1

Ventnor's Wall Lizards

Ventnor Botanical Gardens were really hot in the sun today providing ideal conditions for the famous Wall Lizards, which were abundant. The theory is that these were introduced but no-one seems quite sure when. Could they be a relict native population?

Be sure to click for the bigger picture.

Wall Lizard Podarcis muralis





Digiscoped with Nikon Coolpix P4 and 20x Leica APO77

Small Copper, St Catherines

Plenty of butterflies about at the southernmost tip of the Isle of Wight but as usual the Clouded Yellows refused to sit still. The Small Coppers were feeding on blackberries.

Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas

Nikon Coolpix P4

The Delicate

Two firsts for me at my parent's place in Hampshire (the first two shown here). There were two Delicates and other migrants included Rush Veneer and The Vestal.

The Delicate Mythimna vitellina



Pink-barred Sallow Xanthia togata


The Sallow Xanthia icteritia


Grey Shoulder-knot Lithophane ornitopus


Nikon Coolpix P4

125W MV Robinson-type
1398 Rush Veneer (Nomophila noctuella) 1
1415 Orthopygia glaucinalis 1
1716 The Vestal (Rhodometra sacraria) 2
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 1
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 2
2087 Turnip Moth (Agrotis segetum) 1
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba)
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes)
2110 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua fimbriata) 1
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum)
2160 Bright-line Brown-eye (Lacanobia oleracea) 1
2195 The Delicate (Mythimna vitellina) 1
2232 Black Rustic (Aporophyla nigra) 1
2237 Grey Shoulder-knot (Lithophane ornitopus) 1
2240 Blair's Shoulder-knot (Lithophane leautieri) 1
2267 Beaded Chestnut (Agrochola lychnidis)
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa)
2272 Barred Sallow (Xanthia aurago) 1
2273 Pink-barred Sallow (Xanthia togata) 1
2274 The Sallow (Xanthia icteritia) 1
2306 Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa) 3
2364 Frosted Orange (Gortyna flavago) 2
2375 Large Wainscot (Rhizedra lutosa) 1
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 1
2389 Pale Mottled Willow (Caradrina clavipalpis)
2450 The Spectacle (Abrostola tripartita) 1
2473 Beautiful Hook-tip (Laspeyria flexula) 1
2477 The Snout (Hypena proboscidalis) 3

Dusky-lemon Sallow

Another first for the garden.

Dusky-lemon Sallow Xanthia gilvago


The Sallow Xanthia icteritia


Small Fan-footed Wave Idaea biselata f. fimbriolata


Nikon Coolpix P4

125W MV Robinson-type
0985 Carnation Tortrix (Cacoecimorpha pronubana) 1
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 1
1342 Eudonia angustea 2
1413 Gold Triangle (Hypsopygia costalis) 1
1690 Small Blood-vein (Scopula imitaria) 1
1702 Small Fan-footed Wave (Idaea biselata) f. fimbriolata 1
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 1
2087 Turnip Moth (Agrotis segetum) 1
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) 1
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 3
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 3
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 4
2198 Smoky Wainscot (Mythimna impura) 2
2199 Common Wainscot (Mythimna pallens) 3
2267 Beaded Chestnut (Agrochola lychnidis) 1
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) 17
2274 The Sallow (Xanthia icteritia) 1
2275 Dusky-lemon Sallow (Xanthia gilvago) 1
2293 Marbled Beauty (Cryphia domestica) 1
2333 Large Nutmeg (Apamea anceps) 1
2361 Rosy Rustic (Hydraecia micacea) 1
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 1
2389 Pale Mottled Willow (Caradrina clavipalpis) 1
2441 Silver Y (Autographa gamma) 4

Little Stint, Ferry Meadows

Ferry Meadows is once again enjoying a good selection of scarce migrant birds, thanks largely to the sharp eyes of Matt Webb. These were needed for this Little Stint which could be incredibly hard to pick out on the gravelly shore of an island on Lynch Lake. It's also a bit distant for digiscoping but I thought I'd post a record shot.

Also Black Tern, Arctic Tern, Common Scoter and Mediterranean Gull there yesterday with all but the Scoter still present this morning.

Little Stint Calidris minuta

Nikon Coolpix P4 and 20x Leica APO 77

Not so Scarce

Only two Scarce Bordered Straws had been recorded in Hunts before this year. I've now had three and I'm getting fewer than some folk. It's quite a year for migrants. My first Diamond-back Moth for a while was also in last night's trap.

Scarce Bordered Straw Heliothis armigera


Barred Sallow Xanthia aurago


The Sallow Xanthia icteritia


Nikon Coolpix P4

Rosy in the Garden

Rosy Rustic Hydraecia micacea


Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana


Frosted Orange Gortyna flavago


Angle Shades Phlogophora meticulosa


Nikon Coolpix P4

Scarce Bordered Straws

They've taken their time but two finally arrived last night. The second of these is a female and has laid a couple of eggs.

Scarce Bordered Straw Heliothis armigera



Large Wainscot Rhizedra lutosa



Nikon Coolpix P4

Yellow-line Quaker

No migrants and precious few other moths here in Elton last night (just 19 moths of 12 species). This is the earliest Yellow-line Quaker I've taken and the Small Fan-footed Wave seems rather late.

Yellow-line Quaker Agrochola macilenta


Nikon Coolpix P4

0695 Agonopterix alstromeriana 1
0994 Clepsis consimilana 1
1076 Celypha lacunana 1
1702 Small Fan-footed Wave (Idaea biselata) 1
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 1
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 2
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 6
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 1
2264 Yellow-line Quaker (Agrochola macilenta) 1
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) 2
2364 Frosted Orange (Gortyna flavago) 1
2477 The Snout (Hypena proboscidalis) 1

The Vestal

Another visit to Maxey, this time at lunchtime. The two juvenile Spotted Redshanks finally showed for me but other than a Dunlin and a Snipe that was it for the waders. A Hobby showed off catching insects, specialising in paired Common Darters. Insects were a bit more interesting with Red-veined Darters about and this moth, a migrant more commonly seen in the south and first for me in the UK.

The Vestal Rhodometra sacraria

Nikon Coolpix P4

Through the miracle of modern digiscoping you can now get a small blurred image of a Hobby in flight.

Hobby Falco subbuteo

Nikon Coolpix P4

Brindled Green

Brindled Green Dryobotodes eremita


Dusky Thorn Ennomos fuscantaria


Frosted Orange Gortyna flavago


Angle Shades Phlogophora meticulosa


Nikon Coolpix P4

125W MV Robinson-type
0647 Brown House-moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella) 1
0985 Carnation Tortrix (Cacoecimorpha pronubana) 2
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 1
1331 Water Veneer (Acentria ephemerella) 1
1342 Eudonia angustea 3
1395 Rusty Dot Pearl (Udea ferrugalis) 1
1413 Gold Triangle (Hypsopygia costalis) 1
1690 Small Blood-vein (Scopula imitaria) 3
1707 Small Dusty Wave (Idaea seriata) 5
1914 Dusky Thorn (Ennomos fuscantaria) 2
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 1
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 20
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 8
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 10
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 10
2198 Smoky Wainscot (Mythimna impura) 10
2199 Common Wainscot (Mythimna pallens) 5
2248 Brindled Green (Dryobotodes eremita) 2
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) 3
2299 Mouse Moth (Amphipyra tragopoginis) 2
2306 Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa) 1
2353 Flounced Rustic (Luperina testacea) 1
2364 Frosted Orange (Gortyna flavago) 1
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 3
2434 Burnished Brass (Diachrysia chrysitis) f. juncta 2
2441 Silver Y (Autographa gamma) 1
2450 The Spectacle (Abrostola tripartita) 2
2477 The Snout (Hypena proboscidalis) 1

Migrant Hawker

Rested for some time in a Holly tree in the garden enabling some digiscoped shots.

Migrant Hawker Aeshna mixta

Nikon Coolpix P4 and 20x Leica APO 77

Darters, King's Dyke West

Plenty of Ruddy Darters at King's Dyke today but I seem to have managed to photograph a Common by mistake. Also saw my first local Clouded Yellow butterfly of the year here among many other insects.

Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum


Nikon Coolpix P4

Old Lady

No migrants in the trap last night where the highlight was the garden's second Oak Hook-tip. An Old Lady was attacted to the wine ropes and ended up in the kitchen.

Old Lady Mormo maura

Nikon Coolpix P4

Dark Dagger

Picking fruit from our Victoria Plum tree turned up this excellent garden first and another confirmed breeder for the garden.

As an adult this species is impossible to separate with certainty from Grey Dagger and the only one I've had dissected so far was a Grey Dagger. The larvae on the other hand are readily identifiable.

Dark Dagger Acronicta tridens

Nikon Coolpix P4

Holly Blue

An exceptionally obliging late second generation butterfly.

Holly Blue Celastrina argiolus

Nikon Coolpix P4

Birdfest Insects

Not a good day for birds or other wildlife at the Peterborough Bird Club Birdfest at Ferry Meadows today. Although warm and sunny, strong winds meant creatures were keeping their heads down and viewing was difficult. There were 5 or 6 Spotted Flycatchers, a good number of Chiffchaffs and the odd Willow Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat about in sheltered spots.

The Bush-cricket was on the back of one of the buildings and the big Hornet-mimic Hoverfly was on watermint along the sheltered adge of Overton Lake.

Speckled Bush-cricket Leptophyes punctatissima


Volucella inanis



Nikon Coolpix P4