More Pan Species Listing

God knows whats flying over

Lunar Underwing (correction to Turnip Moth)

Gatekeeper on Watercress

Starlings- a bumper year with 2000+ birds present today

Met up with Steve and Frank today for a pan species tick feast. Things got off to a cracking start with Greater and Common Duckweed followed up swiftly with Marsh Ragwort. Best sounding bit of botany for the day was Trifid Bur-marigold.

On the bird front: 3 Greenshank, 4 Common Sandpiper, 8 Green Sandpiper, 1 Garganey (although I missed it), 1 Shoveler, 2 Teal, 15+ Willow/chiff, 6+ Reed Warbler, 1 Sedge Warbler, 10 Whitethroat, 4+ Blackcap, 50+ Swift, 10+ Goldfinch, 8 Linnet, 2000+ Starling, 1 Hobby, 2 Kestrel, 2-3 Sparrowhawk and 1 Peregrine.

Had a couple of Lunar Underwings recently and finally identified (rather Frank and Steve did) a moth called Sitochroa verticalis which is pretty common on the farm. Butterflies today included Purple Hairstreak (4), Gatekeeper (20+), Large Skipper (2), Common Blue (4+), Comma (4), Peacock (10+), Essex Skipper (6+), Holly Blue (1), Speckled Wood (4), Small White (10+), Large White (10+) and Meadow Brown (15+).

On the Dragonfly front we had Ruddy Darter (new one for me) and Black-tailed Skimmer.

Also on the botany front today Guernsey and Canadian Fleabanes, Russian Comfrey, Blue Water-speedwell, Brooklime, Water Dock, Hoary and Marsh Willowherb.