I did the rounds today to check out the state of the Patch and to see if there was any sign of migrant movement. Not much has really changed: the Trap Grounds pond was disappointingly empty of damsels or dragons though it was rather breezy. In one of the clearings in the Trap Grounds there is a lovely bank of Wild Marjoram which was really buzzing with insect life. I could have spent hours watching them all such was the variety. There were a variety of White butterflies, a late Ringlet, a Meadow Brown, a Gatekeeper, two Common Blues (male and female), several Pyrausta moths (both P. aurata and P. purpuralis) and quite a few Hover Flies (Sun Fly, Eristalix pertenax & Eristalix sp.).
In contrast, Burgess Field was remarkably quiet, even on the insect front and I didn't see a single butterfly. Along the river a LITTLE EGRET was a welcome sight - it's been a while since there have been any wading-type birds on the Patch. On the migrant front I did manage to find a couple of juvenile Chiffchaffs working their way southwards along the various hedgerows.
Female Common Blue
Eristalis sp. Hover Fly
Sun Fly
Little Egret
Pyrausta aurata
Pyrausta purpuralis
I'm off on holiday for a couple of weeks so there will be no updates. Should you find anything of interest on the patch then either e-mail me or add a comment to this post.
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