An early visit to the patch hoping for Wheatear instead yielded Red Legged Partridge, a year first, as was a noisy Blackcap the next day. So, 64 species of bird in the grid now this year.
Revisiting around 10.30, just as it was warming Saturday, I immediately came across new inverts. This Tawney Mining Bee was warming itself
And this Scarce Footman Caterpillar was, I swear, the same one I photographed in November on the same fence post !
A section of Goat willow has been productive, and on the adjacent ivy I noticed this critter settle. Thankfully I was able to eventually get him with the superzoom. A Bumble Bee mimic Hoverfly called Eristalis intricarius
I hadn't managed any Hemiptera for the list up to this point, but a single Dock Bug and several colonies of Pied Shield Bugs got me off the mark.
Pied Shield Bug |
Dock Bug |
Fence posts are wonderful things. Also out catching a few rays was this beetle, Oulema melanopa
Plants. Hmm. Work in progress. I added Ground Ivy (which was very popular with the bees ) and Sweet Violet, a small cluster of scented flowers lurking in a sea of Lesser Celandines
Ground Ivy |
Sweet Violet |
Total 186
Another good few additions to your patch flora and fauna
ReplyDeleteIt's ticking along nicely thanks mate
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