July 26th 2008

Another warm humid night so once I had my home trap up and running I suddenly had this brain wave – as you do and decided to bike to Draycote Water with some of my trapping gear and have a couple of hours there. Luckily they have a few power points outside the café so that saves me hauling me genny but I still got some very strange looks from those staggering out of the pub as I flew past in la tour mode. A worth while effort with plenty of White Satin Moths, Common Wainscot and Yellow-tails amongst a varied haul.
Back home and my own trap had many species including Ruby Tiger, Cloaked Minor and Vapourer new for the year and two Poplar Hawk-moths.
Managed a couple of hours shut eye then down valley but we have reached that quiet time of year when most birds have either finished breeding , not singing on territories or molting so some are becoming a little difficult to locate. Luckily Alfie Judge had dragged John out to Draycote Water so I gave up and joined them on farnborough spit before heading for coffee and a short search for butterflies in the Country Park adding Brimstone to the regular ones. Only birds of note were Common Tern 2, Common Sandpiper 4 and a couple of Yellow-legged Gulls loafing on the buoys – easier to see and identify this time of year and a you don’t have to struggle looking for them in the roost.
After A&J had left I went back to toft shallows where by the small pool (very little water) surrounded by trees enjoyed Common Hawker, Emperor Dragonfly, Buzzard 2 and a Great-spotted Woodpecker.
In the afternoon I had Purple Hairstreak near Broadwell and a Chalk Carpet in Southam Quarry along with Shaded Broad-bar. Finally home and a Grey Heron and a Yellow-legged Gull flew over garden this evening.

Richard