Deluge drenches Jubilee June bioblitz

The Safari was out at 05.00 and with a dozen other early risers. We approached the moth trap location with some trepidation as it had rained heavily all night - would the light have blown up and tripped all the electrics to the cabin in the woods, would the trap be full of drowned moths, would there be ANY moths?

No it hadn't and yes there was, nine species in fact. Not brilliant but considering the rain and cold temperatures but a nice selection to kick off the list - - will we reach the now rather optimistic target of 500.

A bird walk followed but only a paltry two dozen hit the notebook as the rain poured down. 

Next was the inspection of the mammal traps - a great result four of the 28 had an occupant, a whopping 14+ % and even one of the first pair of traps had a Wood Mouse.

Very welcome hot bacon butties followed with many thanks to the girls at the Crematorium Tea Rooms.

By late afternoon a trifle over 300 species had been recorded with only a pond survey for amphibians;  still no Toad on the list and a Great Crested Newt or two wouldn't go amiss either. After that the bat detectors will be out but if the temperature doesn't reach double figures and the rain doesn't stop it's quite likely no bats will be found, but try we must.

Where to next? Far more news and the final result tomorrow.

In the meantime let us know if the rain put the dampners on the wildlife in your outback.

Another scorcher - but very windy

The Safari set up the moth trap with high hopes last night.

Unfortunately the catch was very small. just a couple of Codling Moths and an escapee which could well have been a third.

Biggest was a Garden Carpet which was on the piece of wood the bulb is attached to rather than actually being in the trap itself.

This small nondescript Caddis Fly has been posted on iSpot but as yet there have been no IDs offered.

After a morning and half of the afternoon taken up by garden prep work we got out onto the North Blackpool Pond Trail for a shuffy, hoping for some Bee Orchids either in flower or at least buds in advance of the Bioblitz, which is now on its countdown.

Could only find these very small rosettes, the second one looks like it may have a starts of a bud forming.

Be(e) there or be square as they say!

Lots of Marsh Marigolds still in flower round the ponds and House Sparrows and Swallows everywhere.

The Swallows were attracted to the Horses or at least to the insects that are attracted to what comes out of the other end of the Horses.

Only a very few House Martins and no Swifts, although we did get one over the garden this morning (Garden #34). Anyone else noticed an apparent serious lack of these two so far this spring, or is it just us?

Also present were a couple of Whitethroats and a singing Sedge Warbler in the reedbed which was good. A pair of Mistle Thrushes gave a Magpie some serious gip.

Despite the very warm sunshine, although there was a stiff breeze, we only saw two butterflies both unIDd whites.

Once again the local gulls failed to put us onto any passing Honey Buzzards :-(

Where to next? Mothy will be on again tonight and tbh we don't expect to get much in this wind.

In the meantime let us know what's missing in your outback