SHELTERED HOTSPOT

The moth trap was run on the nights of both Tuesday 28th and Wednesday 29th. The cool wind is blowing from the north-west and combined with a clear sky and full moon, the trapping has been below average with Tuesday the better evening.

The moth above is the canary-shouldered thorn with its distinctive posture of holding the wings upright. This individual didn't quite have the pale lemon head of some specimens.

The most interesting moth in the trap was this peacock-type moth. Separating the more widespread peacock from the scarcer Essex cousin the sharp-angled peacock isn't easy. This moth above is showing features of both but the darkness of the paw-print marks on the forewing probably indicate this is the peacock.

The copper underwing pictured below is a common moth with one or two individuals turning up in the trap over the last two or three weeks. It was very reluctant to show off its orangey / copper hindwings except when it took to the wing and it flew off into a bush.

The main bird interest at the park seemed to be centred round the bushes and hedgerows near the park entrance. As I walked past the area at 8am to open the country park, I could see and hear a lot of small bird activity. The highlight being 3 spotted flycatchers perched up clearly in bushes and on top of dead branches. This could've been a family on its way south and strange to think that the same bushes hosted a spotted flycatcher only four days earlier.

This field corner was sheltered from the cool breeze and there were all sorts of warblers, finches and other birds all feeding on berries or insects in the area. Even the local sparrowhawk was tempted to check out the area with a couple of fly-pasts. A few more warblers seemed to be evident with 2 willow warblers, 3 chiffchaffs, 5 whitethroats, 5 lesser whitethroats and blackcap all noted with some loosely associated with a tit flock. There were a handful each of greenfinches, chaffinches and goldfinches calling out and flying around. The great spotted woodpecker looked down from a tall tree calling loudly, while later in the day the male yellowhammer sat up in a bush here.

Martin Cock reported seeing two clouded yellow butterflies at Reeveshall on Tuesday. No real butterflies of note at the park in recent days because of the cool weather. Small white and green veined white and speckled woods have been the only ones noted.