Today I was back on the patch. And I was on the hunt for critters. Therefore I only had my macro lens with me today so no photos of any birds.
The Buzzards are still nesting I reckon. Several times this morning there was one flying very low over the woods calling in that way that reminds me of a cat with a sore throat.
I also saw a male Kestrel quite a few times around the park, mainly hunting. The lack of sightings of the female makes me think she is probably on eggs too now.
Common Whitethroats, Blackcaps, Robins, Wrens, Chiffchaffs, Blackbirds, Mistle Thrushes, Song Thrushes and many more, were singing away today. It was a glorious day to be in the woods.
Martin's Wren nest is still active. Whilst I was talking to him this morning there was a very active Wren popping in and out of the nest, then looking for food and then singing away above our heads.
The wonderful Bluebell display is over for the year, but in it's place are beautiful swathes of Red Campion.....
Another pink flower that is attracting the butterflies at the moment is the Herb Robert......
After yesterdays chilly wind that kept the butterflies hunkered down, today the wind was warmer and there were several species out on the wing....
Large White...
Last week there were lots of male Holly Blues out and about. Today seemed to be the turn of the females with the darker markings around the edge of its upper wing.....
Orange Tips were out in force, especially along the River Crane where there is a large spread of Garlic Mustard at the moment.....
In the woods themselves the Speckled Woods have now established their territories and are chasing off any butterfly of any species dare they go near....
They are predictable. If you see one basking on a leaf and it suddenly darts off to chase away another, it will turn full circle and go back to almost the same leaf....
After yesterdays complete overload of Ladybirds at the Maple Lodge NR, today at my patch there weren't very many at all. But I did find these two 'getting jiggy with it'. Fourteen-spot Ladybirds.....
Thank you Paul McCullough and Chris Court for the confirmation of id.....
I came across this weird looking little critter in the nettle beds at the back of the stables. I know its not a Hoverfly species, and had it labelled as an Icheumon species, but it is actually a Nomad Bee species and a big fat first for me....
Found in the same area was this lovely harmless Wasp Beetle, another mimic but without wings, and it was my first sighting for this year....
At the alleyway leading to Roseville Road, there is a great spread of a type of umbellifer. All sorts of critters were attracted to it, but what caught my eye was a tiny row of eggs....
They are Ladybird eggs. I have never seen them before so another big fat first for me today.
Thank you to both Paul McCullough and Richard Comont for the identification.
The sun was out, I had a few hours to spare so a spot of hoverating had to be done....
First up is Myathropa florea.....
next is Dasysyrphus albostriatus....
a hastily snapped shot of one of the Cheilosia species....
and lastly one of the Syrphus species, many of whom cant be truly identified unless under a microscope....
Yesterday I mentioned in my blog post that I'm looking for male Scorpion Flies at the moment. As I said, there are three species but the males can only be identified by close examination of their red bulbous genital capsule. Today I found lots of males, but I cannot get a decent enough photo that allows me that all important close up of his rear end....
The one below is a female.....note the tapered orangey red end to her abdomen.....
This is a male, with the red bulbous end to its abdomen....
and it's this that I need to get better photos of........
and am still failing to do !! Oh well, I can always try again next weekend.
Lastly this is a macro image of Sycamore Gall. The galls are caused by a mite, a very tiny spider. The females lay eggs within the galls. Several trees in the woods are affected at the moment but they have no long lasting effect on the tree itself.....
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