GVW

This evening I had to attend a meeting at the local school about a residential school trip for Josh next year. All very exciting. Except that this was whilst everyone else was over at Rutland Water happily filling their boots with the first Glossy Ibis for VC55. C'est la vie - it may be there tomorrow, and if not I'm damned sure there will be another before long. In fact it will probably be breeding here within the decade ...

Whilst pottering about in the garden after the meeting, I found this Green-veined White roosting on the lilac bush.

I also found yet another Lackey larva randomly wandering around the garden. All the ones I've found have been moved to the Japonica bush on the front, so I reckon there have been at least 10 individuals over the last few days. Not sure what they are doing - seems too early in the year for them to be full fed and looking to pupate but with the ridiculous April weather they may well be doing just that.

On a sadder note, I found this perfect small cup nest lying on the front garden. No sign of any eggs or shells, I reckon it must have blown out of a tree or bush during the strong winds earlier in the week. It has a mossy outer, and the cup is lined with some really soft stuff that looks like cavity wall insulation to me. Only c4 inches in diameter, a couple of inches deep and it weighs nothing. No idea what species, maybe something like Chaffinch?