Purple Hairstreak

18th July 2022 - Polly M was very happy to spot a Purple Hairstreak butterfly flying low just above the lawn this morning. Whilst quite commonly found around oak trees, this butterfly is normally only glimpsed flying high in the canopy, and so seeing it close up was quite a treat, making identification a good deal easier.

The slight damage to one wing, allowed the dark colour of the upper wing to be glimpsed

Hummingbird Hawkmoth

12th July 2022 - Derek T had a visit from a Hummingbird Hawkmoth, rapidly flitting between the flowers of a Buddleia in his garden.

Emperor Dragonfly

17th July 2022 - Andy M spotted a large dragonfly patrolling around his garden, which helpfully came to rest in a tree allowing a photo and more certain identification as an Emperor Dragonfly.

Key features being the size (large!), blue/green eyes, a mostly green thorax as well as green on the first part of the abdomen, then a mostly blue and black abdomen, and amber front edges to the wings.

Silver-washed Fritillary butterfly

13th July 2022 - Polly and Andy M were lucky enough to spot a Silver-washed Fritillary butterfly in their garden today - in fact it even came into the kitchen briefly to pose for a photo.

Many Young Swallows

10th July 2022 - while cycling around the Land Settlements, Andy M was very happy to spot 45-50 Swallow, mostly young ones, lined up along the wires, busily preening in the lovely sunny weather. Clearly the first broods this year have been rather successful.

An adult Swallow (centre) with the long tail streamers, which the juveniles lack initially

Compare the more colourful adult (third from left) with the 

more muted brown-blue plumage of the  juveniles

One youngster still trying its luck for a free meal!

Young Blue Tit

9th July 2022 - A young Blue Tit exploring the garden, and finding something tasty in a spider's nest, before hanging out at the water cooler! - Andy M

Young Great Tit and Blue Tit hanging out for some 'water cooler' chat

Butterflies galore!

8th July 2022 - Warm, sunny weather and virtually no wind seemed to provide the perfect conditions for butterflies in Andy and Polly M's garden at the weekend. Overall they spotted a whopping fourteen different species, several appearing for the first time this year in the garden: Brimstone, Comma, Common Blue, Gatekeeper, Large Skipper, Small Skipper, Large White, Small White, Marbled White, Meadow Brown, Peacock, Red Admiral, Ringlet and Small Tortoiseshell.

Large White - dark colouration extending well down the side of the wing

Small White - single black spot, with no veining

Brimstone - with its characteristic 'hooked' wing shape

Gatekeeper - two white spots in the black eye-spot, and extensive bright orange on the upper side

Gatekeeper - two white spots in the 'eye spot'

as well as distinctive uneven row of white spots on hind wing

Meadow Brown - single white spot, and lacking the row of white spots

Meadow Brown - upperside lacking the extensive bright orange colour of the Gatekeeper

Ringlet - distinctive 'target' spot pattern

Common Blue - strong orange areas in the outside row of spots

and unbroken white fringe to the wing

Small Skipper - only the size of a 1p piece, often resting with wings closed

Small Skipper - orange ends to the underside of the antennae 

(cf Essex Skipper which have black ends)

Large Skipper - prominent broad diagonal dark stripe (sex brand) 

Comma - bright orange and with distinctive outline

Red Admiral - a very tatty specimen