One good day deserves another

The Safari's good fortune the other day continued into the next. We'd put the moth trap out and fortunately the weather overnight remained calm and muggy resulting in easily our best catch of the year. There were a number of Heart & Darts as expected but some 'new for the year's' too like this spankingly fresh Brimstone.

Not quite so dapper but still a beaut, Pale Shouldered Brocade.

And a 'New for the Garden' in the form of a May Highflyer.

The larvae feed on Alder and to be honest we couldn't tell you where the nearest Alder tree is, it's not a tree planted in gardens parks or along the roadsides although it would be far more interesting and useful to a wide range of wildllife than the cultivars of Sycamores that have appeared along the roads in recent years.

Also in the trap were three micromoths, all the same species, which on looking in the field guide showed them to be Tachystola acroxantha. We did record it in the garden last year but our Mapmate spreadsheet told us a specimen was required for confirmation of the ID. Luckily we'd taken some super-macro shots

Apparently it is an Australian species spreading northwards (as an introduction not naturally we'd guess) and still scarce/almost unknown north of the Ribble hence the warning on the spreadsheet.

While we were out mothing a little bit of a cloudy front developed and we heard the first screaming of Swifts (Garden #31) from Base Camp this year. They took some finding as they were way up high and there were five of them that moved on as quickly as they'd appeared. We're really missing these aerial beauts screaming round the rooftops in the evenings. They have bred (or at least roosted regularly) in a local roof for the past several years but we've not seen them around there this season. Hope putting up our Swift nestbox hasn't frightened them off - that'd  just be our luck!

As we were packing up another unusual bird turned up in the form of two House Sparrows, a male and without bins a presumed juvenile. This week and next as the juveniles fledge and leave the nest is the only time we see them in the garden why they don't keep returning to the abundant food on offer for the rest of the year is a bit of a mystery. A couple of Blue Tailed Damselflies were flitting around over the pond too which was good to see, they've been few and far between so far this season here.

Later that afternoon we took a walk down to the North Blackpool Pond Trail. News that the Heron's Reach Bee Orchids were now in flower had reached us so it was time to check the local ones. The wildflower area was looking a picture and we soon disturbed a couple of Common Blue butterflies, one landing close by and giving us our best views of the year as it perched on a rather windblown flowerhead of Yorkshire Fog.

One of our favourite wildflowers grows in abundance here, Tufted Vetch, we've tried on many occasions to get it to establish in the several gardens we've had in the past but never been successful. It shouldn't be anymore difficult than growing Sweet Peas shouldn't it?

However, it was Bee Orchids we came specifically to see and it was only a matter of minutes before we found the first little cluster of them.

A thorough walk-over of the site gave us a final count of 35 of which three had already been trampled probably by dogs as the area is too popular with the mutt n ball brigade. Then a bloke and his daughter arrived with a fishing rod and he started to practice casting. The little girl ran along the length of the line to free it from the vegetation then he reeled it in - right over the meadow with her running behind - - a real hand to forehead slap moment - - will any orchids survive the onslaught? After a few casts his line snapped and the lead went speeding over the railway fence like a missile, a really good job there were no trains coming along. He thought it landed elsewhere and he and the little girl and teddybear promptly started stamping down the vegetation to look for it. Fortunately this was in a much ranker and far less botanically diverse area of the meadow. Minutes later they gave up their fruitless search and he looked at the sole of of boots - dogsh*t!

One of the Bee Orchids we found had a slightly unusual form in that the markings on the lip were very indistinct, fairly certain we've not seen one like that before.

We also had a look for the Common Broomrape  that occurs here but not every year - it would seem that this year is another of those 'not every years'. It is a parasite of the clover family several species of  which are very numerous in the meadow so why it should be so fickle in appearances is a bit of a mystery. Looking for it gave us a couple more Common Blue butterflies and our first Silver Y moth of the year. Despite the warm sun and only light breeze thee number of insects was very poor barely a bee or a hoverfly in sight.

This morning the sun was out early but we got to the moth trap late and found the moth trappers worst nightmare, no not Wasps, even worse than that there were feathers inside! Some small birdy had been in there no doubt scoffing a way. Consequently we only found four moths inside (+ one escapee micro), three Heart & Darts and a Garden Carpet. The latter was lively in the pot and escaped while we were trying to get a pic. It landed just out of arm's length on our neighbours chimneybreast.

The warm sun had brought out about half a dozen Blue Tailed Damselflies and they were keen to bask on the edge of thee pond to warm up for the day's proceedings.

 Their being fairly settled allowed us time to go indoors for the super-macro lens.

We'd love to know just what they see through those impressive eyes

We watched a new queen and a drone Tree Bee mating and the Goldfish in the pond spawning and then the sun went in and the rain started and all the interesting garden activity came to a grinding halt.

Where to next? Back to Patch 2 tomorrow and the beach beckons again.
In the meantime let us know who's keeping a beady eye on who in your outback

Gardening for moths

The Safari bought a shed load of plants today. A whole heap of bedding plants and some herbaceous perennials and a few shrubs for the gardens at work

We needed the able assistance of the Young Uns to help us and before the plants were delivered we asked them to do some weeding...something 'normal' kids in 'normal' gardens rarely relish. But in our wildlife friendly garden these young naturalists are keen to get stuck in cos they never know what they might come across - hidden moths being the usual reward for their labours. 

And today was no exception. Hardly a weed had been pulled before the first shout went up...Large Yellow Underwing...minutes later Yellow Shell was yelled out. A few more 'weeds' were pulled from around our recently planted Gorse hedge to allow more light to it when a Garden Carpet was expertly caressed on to a gloved hand.

Not bad cammo on a work glove

Before too long the plants arrived and our attentions turned from pulling to planting and so stopped the moth extravaganza. 

After the planting was done a little more pulling resulted in the shiniest bronziest little beetle you ever did see but which was too lively for the lens and this rather battered wave sp moth.

Yes it did fly off but only in a sort of downwards spiral.

Also on site today, but not working with us, was fellow blogger JA promoting the RSPB. We had a bit a chin wag at the end of day and trust she had a productive few hours here at the Solaris Centre.

Fortunately we did twig why she had brought a couple of tame Tigers but were totally unprepared for the Pufferins two small children showed us  later.

Where to next? The mothy will deffo be going on tonight - it's warm and muggy with little wind so we're hoping for a good haul when we open the trap tomorrow morning.

In the meantime let us know what's been battered and bruised 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