June 26th 2009

Late afternoon thunderstorms and heavy rain finally brought in birds to Draycote Water with 2 Black Tern and 3 Common Tern out in centre and a Wood Sandpiper on the shoreline of biggen bay. Other sightings included Sedge Warbler, 9 Goldfinch, Jay, Great-spotted Woodpecker, 2 Grey Wagtail, Lesser Whitethroat, Yellow Wagtail, 6 Bullfinch, 4 Green Woodpecker, 21 Lesser Black-backed Gull and the first returning Yellow-legged Gulls with 2 adults.
Earlier in the afternoon with Dave we had searched for butterflies being very successful with 12 Marbled White behind the Travel Lodge by the Princethorpe flyover on the A45, hundreds of Meadow Browns and Ringlets at Draycote Meadows with another Marbled White and day flying moths including 5 Cinnabar and Yellow Shell. We also searched the adjacent disused railway line (cycle route 41) finding 3 Silver-ground Carpet, Common White Wave, Yellow Shell and 2 Brown Silver-lines and 2 Large Whites.
Reason for the late visit at the pond was to run a trap for a couple of hours and I soon realised I should have brought a shovel – place was cooking. Soon ran out of pots and in the end recorded over 450 moths of 81 species adding Peach Blossom and Plain Golden Y to my pond list. Off to bed.

Richard