Highlights from the latter half of last week include –
Wednesday
It was an early start for me last Wednesday as I started my 2011 bird surveying. I had a busy morning and managed to pick up a barn owl on phase 1, a stunning pair of wheatear on Phase 2 – a site tick for me and the first of the year, a pair of grey partridge on Phase 2, cetti’s warbler singing from silt lagoon 3 and the first whitethroats of the year.
Thursday
Male marsh harrier on Phase 1, male wheatear still on Phase 2, yellow wagtail on Phase 2 and greenshank on silt lagoon 7
And Friday
Cetti’s warbler on silt lagoon 3
And I was glad I left the moth trap out on Thursday night, as on Friday morning I was greeted by a small, yet high quality catch! The first was a beautiful waved umber. With their brown and black pattered wings, they look just like a charred piece of wood, brilliant camouflage! They fly from April to June, and the caterpillars feed on wild privet and lilac. The next was The Streamer. This is a stunning species with a light grey base colour to the wings, sometimes tinged lilac, patterned with black. The name ‘streamer’ comes from the black tapering mark running down the forewings from the leading edge to the tip. Common in England and Wales, the larvae feed on dog-rose and the adults fly in April and May. Next was a Herald – these are lovely, with their bright orange flecking on the forewings and white and brown stripy legs. They overwinter as adult insects and can sometimes be disturbed during the depths of winter. The larvae feed on willows and poplars. Also in the trap were 2 hebrew characters, 1 clouded drab and a pretty little micro-moth, known as the 20-plume moth – due to it’s feathery wings.
And one last piece of insect news – another early painted lady butterfly was seen on Phase 1 on Friday afternoon by volunteer Dave Watt and myself.