Sprung

Today was a really nice sunny spring day; plenty of sunshine, light breeze and moderate temps. I needed fresh air and some exercise, so Nichola drove us over to Huncote Embankment for a bit of a leisurely amble. And very nice it was too, with Blackthorn and Gorse in full bloom, Chiffchaffs in full song and with a bit of invert action to boot.

The smell from the abundant Blackthorn was great, and there was plenty going on around the blooms. I failed to successfully point the camera at a few hoverflies, flies and bees but I managed to get these: 

Small Tortoiseshell

I'm pretty sure this is Andrena flavipes - Yellow-legged Mining Bee

 

Plenty going on around the gorse too, with abundant ladybirds and Gorse Weevils, plus a fair few shieldbugs.

Sloe Bug / Hairy Shieldbug

Gorse Shieldbug

Around the pool I had a bit of poke around the reedmace heads, finding larvae of Limnaecia phragmitella in the process along with a couple of Water Ladybirds and Bulrush Bugs.

I decided to collect a fallen stem, cut into foot-long sections so I could fit it in my bag. When I got home I had a poke about in the stem and found a few more bits.

Think this is also Limnaecia phragmitella, though actually in the stem-sheath.

Think this is a pair of Notaris spp. weevils, either N. acridulus or N. scirpi - retained to key.
Keyed to Notaris scirpi

European Cinchbug (Ischnodemus sabuleti)  - micropterous adult

Bulrush Bug (Chilacis typhae)

Skirting round the hole ....

... and it's a bloody big hole at that!

Croft Quarry

Saturday afternoon, and I headed over to Huncote Embankment to get some fresh air and have a nosy about. I had low expectations, as the conditions were far from ideal - strong winds, flip-flopping between overcast and brief sunny spells, and always a chance that a shower would roll in. As it happened I ended up spending a good three hours there, walking the full length and breadth of the site which skirts about the north and east of Croft Quarry.

The conditions did make photography more than a challenge, but I managed to pot up a few bits to check. One of these turned out to be Hill Cuckoo Bee, one I maybe should of seen before if I'd taken more notice of bumblebees. I've also got a sand wasp (Ectemnius sp.) to try and sort out and a couple of nice weevils to try and photograph.

In fact the bees were just about the only inverts active in the strong winds. There were 1000s of flies, but they were all settled on tree trunks and fence posts to keep out of the breeze, and I've got a few shots of them that I'll post another day. Otherwise, just about every buttercup had a Swollen-thighed Beetle on it but not much else going on.

Gorse Shieldbug - sheltered on gorse trunk

Really pleased to find a couple of spikes of Bee Orchid still clinging on at this site.

By the time I got round to the small pool, it was quite dull. There was a constant cheeping noise coming from the water-side vegetation that was clearly a juv bird but I had no idea what. I eventually saw what it was, and it was about the last thing I expected on small man-made pool.

Little Grebe

There was one adult feeding the chick, but I did see that it was able to dive for itself as well.

More Devonian Stuff

Yesterday was spent entirely indoors - continual precipitation all day, varying from heavy rain to miserable drizzly clag. This morning looked brighter but with showers threatening. I needed to get out and get some fresh air and peace (and respite from the boys and their cousins!). I headed over to Northam Burrows, and then had a walk along the Taw Estuary. The showers held off, and sunshine prevailed although it was a bit blowy. Whilst I enjoyed the walks and air, the birding was very slow going indeed. Plenty of stuff singing, and a party of four White Wagtails at the burrows, but nothing exciting or unexpected. Still enjoyable to get nice views of common birds going about their business, like foraging Goldcrests, singing Blackcaps, Chiffs and Skylarks and alarm calling Oystercatchers.

Skylark

As is pretty much always the case these days, I was drawn to other things and managed to find yet more new stuff - both whilst out and in the garden when I got back.

Gorse Shieldbug - found on, er, gorse

Lygus maritimus - also on the gorse, though I failed to get a better shot

Gooden's Nomad Bee

As yet unidentified bee

I took this on Saturday and have now identified is as Maidenhair Spleenwort

A couple of shots of some sort of leaf mould on Navelwort rust (Puccinia umbilici) - many thanks to Nigel Pinhorn for the ID