Spring detonation

 Dark-edged Bee Fly- plenty about today

Eupeodes luniger (For hoverfly id I'm referring to this photo list of species recorded so far at Beddington Farmlands identified by I-spot or UK Hoverflies group: BEDDINGTON HOVERFLIES). Any errors please comment. 

Eristalis intricarius (thanks Roger Morris- fly in flight id- love it!) 

Syrphus ribesii

 Playcherius albimanus

Epistrophe eligans

Male Spring Flower Bee (also called Hairy-footed  Flower Bee)  

 Female Spring Flower Bee

 Small Tortoiseshell on Blackthorn flower

Peacock

 Adult Red Kite- aged on streaked underparts and deep rufous underwing coverts. 4 Red Kites today and over 35 Common Buzzard (with eight in one kettle alone).  Also a few Swallow, Sand Martin and Meadow Pipits moving. 

 Adult Common Buzzard (with Sparrowhawk)- compare to juvenile below (yesterdays post). Notice the prominent dark trailing edge to wing and tail band of the adult.

The farmlands literally exploded into life today with building temperatures and a light north airflow producing the first main insect emergence of the year. Things are set to become busier as the week goes on as conditions continue to improve.

Insects along the path today: Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Brimstone, Comma, Small White, several species of hoverly, a sawfly sp, various diptera sp, various bee sp and the first Green Longhorn moths Adela reaumurella. 

Plants in flower/or leaf recently (at farm and local area):
Begonia, Purple Plum (flower), Ground Ivy, Bluebells, Magnolia, Horse Chestnut (buds bursting), Hawthorn (leaf), Berberis (leaf), Willow (leaf), Box Elder (catkins), Cherry (flowering), Ramson, Hyacinths, White dead nettle, Wood Anemones,  Thyme, Rosemary, Heather, Photinia,
This list follows on from this: First spring plants