A bright sunny morning for my weekly recording walk around the local patch. Despite the bright sunshine, there is still a bite in the air, so I am not hopeful of much insect activity this morning. A few flies in the borders of the gardens and a Black-tailed Aphid Eater (Eupeodes luniger) in the rough grass at the golf course end. I am a novice at the identification of Hoverflies, but found this species in the same spot last week and had it confirmed by one of the experts.
Even the birds seem to be quiet this morning and the central gardens are silent and devoid of any activity. So onto the Tarn.
The usual species were present on the Tarn. This week, unlike the previous 2 walks, there were no surprises. Two weeks ago there was a Little Grebe and last week a Drake Teal, but neither is anywhere to be seen this week. Along the north side, I see my first, and only butterfly of the walk, a male Orange Tip.
Also nearby, a couple of one of my favourite insects, the Dark-edged Bee-fly.
At this point, it clouded over and the temperature dropped a couple of degrees and so no more activity was noted on the way back around the south side of the Tarn, except walking along a path through the trees I came face to face with a Moorhen coming towards me. I stopped, and he stopped. I looked at him; he looked at me. Not wishing to spook him I moved off to the side and began to move around him. He kept a good watch on me as I passed and then when he was happy I wasn’t a threat continued his saunter down the path.
Pete's Favourite Things 