Past few days

My 'birding spring' seems to have already morphed into an 'insect summer'. I can't say I'm too bothered about it as the local birding has not been all that productive over the past few weeks (for me, anyway). Avian highlights this week have been a migrating Hobby along the scarp at Colley Hill (watched it arrive from a mile-away, dead straight line, east to west) and a singing Firecrest on Banstead Downs, where I have only seen wintering birds in the past.

The image above may not appear to have any wildlife merit, yet it is here that both Striped Shieldbug and the giant weevil Lixus iridis is to be found here. I have failed to locate the former so far in 2021, but the latter are easy to find, double-figure counts achievable without the need of sweeping or beating the vegetation. A good selection of inverts are also present, and really bolster this flagging birder's mind. A few highlights below. I have found in the past that when I switch off from the birds they often come and find me - last year, on June 1st, I had the pleasure of a Bee-eater calling overhead just a couple of miles from home. As much as I don't expect a repeat performance this year, I am quite happy to receive any similar luck if it's going...

Lixus iridis

Hairy Shieldbug

Rhopalus subrufus

Comments

Gibster said…
Ah! I don't know why, but I had it fixed in my head that the area in question was the chunk of land that lies between High Down Rd and Downs Rd. Somebody liberated an assortment of fritillaries there some years back, I saw a Heath Frit and another I didn't even recognise. I guess that subconsciously I must associate that particular patch with weird inverts! Not sure I've ever been down Freedown Lane (or Freedom Lane as any escapees must call it:) )
12 May 2021 at 20:19
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