My first visit to Maple Lodge NR since pre-covid days

My morning started with seeing this little beauty ..... an almost completely yellow Ring-necked Parakeet spotted from the Lockdown Loftroom window at 7am ..

I'm used to seeing the usual green ones, but havent seen a pale version for a long time. 

I was at Maple Lodge NR today, my first visit since covid hit, and it really was lovely to go back. 

The Kingfisher didnt feel the same though, and kept well hidden the whole time.

Spot the Kingfisher ..... 

I had more luck with a female Black-tailed Skimmer in the paddock area ... 

and found three very different hoverflies ...

Xanthogramma pedissequem

Episyrphus balteatus

Rhingia rostrata

plus many of these little critters, hoverfly larvae ....

I think the two above are Eupeodes species

There were also the usual suspects around, the common Soldier Beetle ...

and the red headed Cardinal Beetle ...

I didnt see any flying Cinnabar moths, but did find two in the grasses by the owl box ...

And the ONLY butterfly I saw all day was this well camouflaged Brimstone in the 'horseshoe' area ... 

along with about 20 Mint Beetles ... 

I spotted three micro moths around the owl box as well, but I am no good at micros so my good friend, Neil Anderson, has identified the first two for me ... 

Celypha lacunama

Alabonia geoffrella

bit stuck on this one, possibly Knot Grass

The 'horseshoe' area was weirdly the only place where I saw any ladybird larvae. These are all  young Seven-spot ladybirds in various growth stages ... 

From the Rotunda Hide I watched a Great Crested Grebe ... 

and the Long Hedge hide had several Cormorants upsetting the Black-headed Gulls ... 

There were a couple of Canada Goose families around the paddock and owl box meadow. This little bundle of fluff decided to have a rest near to where I was sitting ... 

The next photo is just for Martin Parr ..... weird fungi in the rotting log by the new pond. My photo has lost the colour, they were almost orange and quite small ....

The little flies below were by the Shell Hide. They are fairly common but I never realised how colourful they are. Chloromyia formosa

A thoroughly enjoyable visit, even if it was too cloudy to make out the partial eclipse. 

Hopefully next time the Kingfishers will be a bit more obliging.