Still hot and windy

Four-spotted Chaser.

Hello

Another windy and hot day, great for Butterflies but hard work birding!

Sadly it seems that all the Avocets have now gone from Earls Barton New Workings/Whiston Wetlands.

Plenty of geese at Clifford Hill pits amounted to 670 Canadas, 270 Greylags and a single Barnacle Goose. Large numbers of geese can be found at Pitsford and Sulby Reservoirs - gathering together in post-breeding flocks to moult.

A Hobby was seen at Summer Leys LNR.

Birds north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir this evening included an Osprey, a Great White Egret, a Black-tailed Godwit and a Whimbrel.

The current weather conditions have provided a large scale immigration of moths and butterflies from the continent and moth traps up and down the country have been enjoying large numbers of both local and migrant moths. Coastal watchers have recorded waves of butterflies coming in off the east coast with Small White dominating. Angus recorded an Olive Crescent moth in his Pitsford village garden trap this morning, possibly only the second county record and Vicki saw White Admiral and Purple Emperor butterflies at Bucknell Wood this afternoon. Purple Emperor, Purple Hairstreaks and Silver-washed Fritillaries were the pick of the butterflies at Fermyn Wood.

Willow Emerald Damselfly was noted at Whiston Locks this morning, a recently arrived but now quite widespread damselfly in Northamptonshire.

Regards

Neil M

Willow Emerald Damselfly.

Purple Emperor courtesy
of Kerry Massey.

Hobby courtesy of
Robin Gossage.