As with other recent visits, there was nothing exceptional on the patch in terms of birdlife. The most notable bird was a Garden Warbler that was perched out singing for a short while from a bush along Barrs Lane. 17 House Martins and 4 Swallows were over Butts Lane. At Stanklyn Lane paddocks there was a large mixed flock of c.150 corvids present. At least 100 of these were Rooks, with smaller numbers of Jackdaw and Carrion Crow also with them. 1 Common Buzzard was also present here. A Chiffchaff was singing from Stanklyn Wood and 3 Swallows were feeding over the beet field. There were12 Swifts present over Heath Lane. Skylarks, Linnets, Yellowhammers, and Common Whitethroats were singing from a number of locations around the patch.
Due to the slightly milder brighter weather it was quite good for the 'inverts' down at Butts Lane. During my set aside walk I recorded the following butterflies: 4 Brown Argus, 2 Common Blues, 1 Small Copper, 4 Small Whites, 1 Large White and 1 Green-veined White. I also had a really nice Mother Shipton moth. This moth is named so because the marking on its wings resembles the face of an old hag from 16th century Yorkshire who was known as 'Mother Shipton'. If you look at my photo below you can make out the face of an old witch.
Also of note were an interesting looking little creature in the form of a Bramble Sawfly. Thick-legged Flower Beetles were still numerous and a number of Hoverflies were feeding on the Cow Parsley. 2 Broad-bodied Chaser dragonflies were at the small drainage pond.
Common Blue:
Small Copper:
Mother Shipton:
Hoverfly (Chrysotoxum cautum):
Thick-legged Flower Beetle (Oedemera nobilis):
Bramble Sawfly (Arge cyanocrocea):
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