Weekend Round-up - 15th & 16th August

Red Underwing - Warnham LNR

A mixed week of weather led to some indecision as to whether bother putting the moth trap out for the Friends of Warnham LNR Butterfly and Moth Safari which was being held on Sunday morning. When it came to about 7.00pm on Saturday evening and I was setting up the moth trap in torrential rain I was questioning my sanity. However it could not have proved a better decision with plenty of moths to sift through and show the members in the morning.

Webb's Wainscot - Warnham LNR
 

In total we had 172 moths of 48 species with the obvious highlights being six of the Nationally Scarce B Webb's Wainscot which is a reedbed specialist. We also snaffled a stunning Red Underwing which entertained the crowd until it departed like an erratic Red Arrow! We then moved from the Visitors Centre out onto the Reserve to look for butterflies and we were not dissapointed. In total we found eighteen species with the obvious highlights being two Brown Hairstreaks and a stunning Painted Lady by the Visitors Centre.

Greenshank - P. Shergold

Sunday afternoon produced the main avian highlight of the week as Paul Shergold managed to hear, see and then photogrpah a Greenshank as it breifly paid a visit to the millpond. It was calling as it flew around before landing next to the Great Crested Grebes nest and continued calling. After a few minutes the adult Grebes had heard enough and chased the bird off. Sadly it was not refound by dusk but it represents the 7th record for the nature reserve so a fantastic and well earnt find for Paul.

 

The bright sunshine also meant that there were many insects on the wing at Chesworth Farm and whilst checking on the llamas, sheep and goats lots of Common Blues could be found roosting or flitting about the meadows. Fingers crossed it won't be long before we can get the annual hay cut completed at Chesworth but at the moment the weather looks to be to unreliable to start.


Common Blue - Chesworth Farm


White Campion - Warnham LNR

Also of note was the slightly unusual discovery of a White Campion in full flower in the feeding station. I believe this is the only plant we have on the Reserve and it is unusual for it to turn up in the feeding station. I wonder whether it has actually come from one of the bird seed mixes but we will keep an eye out for more appearing where the other feeders are.