May 31st 2010

Out before the Milkman even thought of getting up. Barn Owl down the Southam Road at 4am then popped over the road to the pond and had the place to myself or so I thought.
I ended up in a confrontation with another poacher as he was scooping trout out the inlet channel and it turned nasty. Common Scoter female was off rainbow, Barn Owl was below draycote bank heading for Draycote village and a Spotted Flycatcher in biggen bay were good finds for this time of the year.
On the way home I cleared down Dave’s trap so Bob and April came round to photograph the Knot Grass, Broad-barred White and Elephant Hawk-moth

Elephant Hawk-moth

Broad-barred White

before taking a gamble on the weather and we went to Ufton looking for butterfly’s and orchids but alas the sun never came out so only managed a single Common Blue. Greater Butterfly and Man Orchids were just starting to bloom so worth going again towards the end of next week and we managed to find Burnet Companion and Scorched Wing moths.

Scorched Wing roosting on nettle

Moved on to Stockton Cutting where there was only one Speckled Wood on the wing and only one Greater Butterfly Orchid out but did manage to find our first White-legged Damselfly of the year.

White-legged damselfly

There were very few birds seen at either site with the best being Buzzard, Mistle Thrush and plenty of Whitethroats.

All photos by Bob hazell

Richard