Little Owl, little inverts, little time !

The big birding kick on my few hours last Saturday on the patch was observing a Little Owl. It's the 1st time I have connected with this species on the manor, despite having a good inkling they may still be about. I think weekends are not really the time they are likely to show, given the extra folks who interlope, but it showed nicely for a few minutes. A birding patch lifer is a red letter day, and  they get harder !
This weekend it was still about, so I grabbed a quick cheeky record shot before moving on.

Little Owl

I had started out thinking I would "do some flowers" the other day, and with a guide in my back pocket set out with flowery intentions. However, it soon became apparent it was going be a good invert session. Here are some of the finds that took my interest...

Parent Bug 

My attention to the area of the roadside that held the  Parent Bug was actually drawn by the emergence of a few longhorn moths bouncing about, Nemorhora degeerella

Pamenne aurana

This chap was spotted in the week, but there was a few near the long horns that were more photogenic.

 And this species has re emerged, earliest I have had them....

Small China Mark ( record shot from 2012)..just 1 present on pond

Celypha lacunana

A little colony of 6 24 Spot Ladybird's was busy in the grass

Not a new species

but this was Gastrophysa viridula

The special bit of Lep' of the day was finding this pristine ♀ Brown Argus. I only get one or two sightings of these in a  year, if I'm lucky.

With the aid of my scope, I confirmed Red eyed Damselfly were on the fishing pool, sitting on , obviously, Yellow Water Lilly
And finally, just to prove I have not completely neglected the plants again...
Common Mallow and Yellow Flag Lilly and Foxglove,Oxeye Daisy all noted  (easy ones I know, but that will do for this week )

Common Mallow

I'm far too short of time to add the scores to the doors, but promise a full update to the list with the next blog around the end of June..