Thursday, July 22, 2004

GARDEN WILDLIFE
The garden remains my bird and wildlife tonic during my hectic work periods (this year seems to have been nothing but one long hectic work period so far!).

Today the garden was hooching with stuff. Tree and House Sparrows did their usual battles over the seed feeders, and a new batch of juvvy Greenfinches are quivering in order to attract the attention of the their parents. A Green Woodpecker heard calling early morning is only the second garden record.

As the day heated up the garden insects took centre stage. A Small Skipper evaded my camera and it was simply too warm to get anywhere near the Brown and Southern Hawkers which seem very happy with the aerial soup of insects over the front and back gardens.

One species did sit around long enough for the camera, and that was the first record of Ringlet for my fenland garden. I've not seen this species on the fen previously, although I suspect nearby Conquest Drove (1/2 mile away) has enough tree cover to hold this species. If it ain't wandered across from there, then Conquest House (1.5 miles) or Holme Fen (2.5 miles) are the next likely spots.



Ringlet - a new garden butterfly

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