Arundel WWT Day Trip

The heatwave continues with temperatures in the late 20 degrees today. The moth traps were surprisingly very quiet with low numbers of individuals and species. The few migrants included another Bordered Straw, a couple of Vestals, a few Rush Veneers, single Rusty-dot and a few Turnips. Oak Eggar and Garden Tiger was the best of the rest. 

I spent the morning doing a bit of work with Holly  on the Little Oak Tree and Garden Care website and google presence HERE as we seem to have dropped down on google search, so we did some SEO work.

In the afternoon we took the kids to Arundel WWT HERE. The water levels were surprisingly high with little wader habitat. Birding highlights were a couple of Peregrine, a Red Kite and a juvenile Shoveler. The most interesting thing was the odonata and a bit of pond dipping. 

Comma in the garden today. Also 3-4 Small Whites, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood and Holly Blue but no Meadow Browns, Gatekeepers etc. 

Another cracking Bordered Straw but still no sign of it's Eastern cousin. The 700th species of garden moth slot is still open for the take. 

Willow Emerald at Arundel

Small Red-eyes at Arundel. Also had a few Black-tailed Skimmers, Emperor, Brown Hawker, Common Bluetail and Common/Azure Blue Damselfly. Also had Common Darter back home in the garden. 

According to the I-nat AI this is Black Mining Bee - a new species for the garden if correct. Latest on the garden pan-species HERE

The Arundel WWT pond dipping produced Lesser and Greater Water Boatmen. Dragonfly nymhs, Pond mites, Leeches etc. Must do some pond dipping in our own garden pond to see what has now established after two years.