BACKYARD WILDLIFE

There was plenty of wildlife activity to enjoy in the Firs Chase garden during both Sunday 27th and Monday 28th. This long-tailed tit was busy trying to find food to feed the recently fledged chicks which were resting up in a bush in the garden.

The tight bunch of long-tailed tit chicks huddled together on a branch above the driveway waiting to be fed. Seven chicks were counted and certainly at one point, all were bunched up in one big fluffy ball.

Also noted was a male blackcap which dropped in for a bathe, as did a song thrush while the rattle song of a lesser whitethroat could be heard in a nearby garden. A Mediterranean gull flew over Firs Chase calling first thing on Sunday morning.

The butterfly highlight of the garden was the sight of two green hairstreaks spiralling rapidly round and round so fast it almost made me dizzy watching them! Both individuals were putting on a great show right by the backdoor of the house. Late in the day this male had settled down on a bush to soak up the early evening sun.

Both green hairstreaks were tussling with each other again on Monday morning. This individual rested on a rose bush beside the house at this very odd angle, hanging down so that the wings were almost flat on the leaf, catching the full rays of the sun.

This is the second time green hairstreaks have been seen in the garden following the sight of two males two years ago in the same spot by the backdoor.

Other butterflies noted in the garden over the two days included peacock, speckled wood, holly blue, orange-tip, large white and small white.

Resting high up in the same ivy bush on Sunday evening as the green hairstreak, was this hairy dragonfly. Another interesting sighting although they have been noted here before.

There were a couple of these tiny but colourful mint moths flying around the catmint and mint plants in the garden.

The moth trap operated over Sunday night and pulled in this silver Y moth amongst a small group of about 20 moths. Some silver Y moths are immigrants, so this one may have just arrived from the continent.

This first spectacle moth of the season was found in the trap. Most of the other moths were shuttle-shaped darts, along with brimstone, Chinese character, and hebrew character.

This spruce carpet was also noted for the first time this season.