Fowlmere

Went to Fowlmere in the hope that the very heavy lightning storms may have downed something. It had: A Green Sandpiper from the Reedbed hide. Also a very wet Turtle Dove was perched in the open.

Swifts

The Swifts in the bedroom are definitely feeding young now. Seems late but…

Dips!

The first was expected as the male Montagu’s around Sandon is only seen about once a week and the (presumed) female even less. Myself and Tom gave it about an hour on a Sunny morning but saw only four Buzzards.

Late afternoon we both went to Fen Drayton with Marcus Kohler for a summer plumaged White-winged Black Tern that had been present for a few days. Despite spending a couple of hours there, we continued to miss it on every pit we visited (normally by a few minutes.) A large number of Common Terns and a male Marsh Harrier were the only birds of note.

Gatekeeper

My second ever earliest (Amwell 1999 beats it by three days) seen in the Botanic Gardens in Cambridge. A worn individual at that.

Garden Moths and Fowlmere

A big catch that included five each of Privet (bottom) and Elephant Hawk-moth. In addition to what was caught yesterday:

Chinese Character
Buff-tip
Common Emerald
Common Wainscot
Lesser Cream Wave
Poplar Grey
Flame Shoulder
Marbled Beauty
Rustic
Uncertain
Shuttle-shaped Dart
Clouded Brindle
Dark Arches
Bright-line Brown-eye
Single-dotted Wave
Yellow-tail
Flame
Early Thorn
Mottled Pug
Buff Arches

In the evening at Fowlmere, a single Essex Skipper was found amongst the Small Skippers.

Garden Moths

Moth trapping overnight:

Privet Hawk-moth
Elephant Hawk-moth
Swallow-tailed Moth
Riband Wave
Common Footman
Buff Ermine
Scalloped Oak
Setaceous Hebrew Character
Smoky Wainscot
Clouded Silver
Burnished Brass
Small Magpie
Dot Moth
Heart and Dart
Dark / Grey Dagger
Dunbar
Large Yellow Underwing
Hebrew Character
Garden Dart
Apple / Orchard Ermine
Heart and Club
Common Rustic
Barred Yellow
Mother of Pearl
Willow Beauty
Emmelina monodactyla

 
Scalloped Oak and Apple or Orchard Ermine

Grass Snake

One swimming in the Botanic gardens in Cambridge showed for several minutes.