Tidying up the loose ends


This post is a bit of a round-up, covering the last few days - those images that didn't quite fit into previous posts, those snippets of information that fell through the cracks in the blogging floor... to begin with, I've been visiting the 'Station field' on an almost daily basis, which is a recently cut meadow that is but a ten minute stroll from my front door. The bales of hay have been left in place, which has meant that any chats present are easy to see as they perch up, sentinel like, surveying all before them. Whinchats have only been present on one visit, although Wheatears (below) have been seen on each occasion, peaking (so far) at four last Sunday. The freshly exposed stubble has enticed up the three Red Kites (above) and six Common Buzzards to search for food. As previously mentioned, this site looks very good for sky-watching, being on proven fly lines. I await a chance to test the theory.


After 33 'blank' years, the migrant tortrix Cydia amplana turned up in my Banstead MV for the first time last year. So far in 2021 I have recorded five.

Soldier flies are not a regular in the MV, so this Twin-spotted Centurion was a surprise.

The small holdings at Little Woodcote are always good for a few interesting plants, especially those that might have escaped from the gardens and nurseries. A good patch of Reversed Clover fitted the bill admirably.

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