Rough Hill

Late this afternoon, when it was way too hot and late to be doing it, I headed over to a great site in Charnwood that I've only visited once - in June 2018. I've looked back and predictably my last visit was at a time when blogging enthusiasm had waned. Anyway, last time I went was to specifically look for certain dayflying moths - Foresters. I found a few, and loads of Grass Rivulets amongst other dayflying species. So today I want back ostensibly to look out for Foresters but I also took a net, you know, just in case. It was a good plan. I ended filling more pots than I expected (in fact I ran out of larger tubes) and have a selection of sawflies, robber flies, other diptera and hoverflies (and one bug) that I've been working though with some great rewards. But I didn't see Forester, though I wasn't paying enough attention.

The site is very close to Bradgate Park, which in Leics. is like a mecca for everyone wanting to get out for some fresh air. I like Bradgate Park, but right now is not the time. I could see that the car parks were chocca, there were huge unsocially distanced queues for ice cream vans and it was clearly very busy. The roadway where there is some pull-in parking for Rough Hill was also packed. But as soon as I was inside the gate away from the road I saw exactly zero people in what is a fantastic open site. Probably not enough flat areas for footballs, cricket and picnics I guess.

So whilst I carry on with pinning some specimens tonight, I'll just post some photos of the site: large flower-rich meadows, wooded areas with nice rides and a big pond that I didn't see last time.

And here's a Forester from last time ...

Here's a suitably ambient soundscape to look at these pictures to.