GARDEN WILDLIFE

A few things of interest have been seen in the Firs Chase garden over the last week or so.

Butterflies have been a bit scarce in the garden during the cloudy and chilly days of the last week, however a green hairstreak was nice to see resting beside the back door of the house on Friday 26th. Up to five holly blues have been fluttering around various parts of the garden recently, also at least one small white occasionally. 

A large red damselfly was resting in the sunshine in the garden on Friday 26th - not always seen each year here. A hornet seemed to be feeding in a decaying cavity in the wooden pergola on the 24th - first garden sighting.

Several birds have been prostrating themselves in the sunshine, this great tit leaning over at such an angle it looked like it was just about to topple off its perch!

A recently fledged great tit has quickly learnt about the benefits of sunbathing in the garden!

A pair of stock doves has paid almost daily visits to the bird feeders in the Firs Chase garden recently.

A male sparrowhawk was displaying over the Firs Chase garden, with a second bird higher in the sky on Saturday 27th.

At least three red squirrels have been visiting the Firs Chase garden in recent days usually individually, although three were seen at once on Friday 26th.

At least one of the red squirrels has taken a fancy to the peanut feeder for the birds.

Another unusual mammal sighting for the Firs Chase garden was a badger on the front doorstep trying to wrestle open the big tub of peanuts stored beside the doorstep, late at night on Saturday 27th.

Moth-trapping has been very poor this spring because of the cold nights and has only been operated on five nights during May. This lime hawkmoth was a nice surprise in the garden moth trap on Wednesday 24th.

The buff-tip was resting beside the trap on Friday 26th - looking like a snapped-off twig.

A small ranunculus was a nice moth to record on 21st May, only the one was seen last year.

The Scarce Forest Tubic- Dasycera oliviella, was noted on the 21st and 31st May - a distinctive looking micro moth.

Up to four cockchafers have also been recorded at the moth trap during May, with four seen on the 26th.