Local Patching Update,11th & 19th June 2022.

A couple of visits to the local patch here,with bird sightings slowing as happens every year,the insects on the local patch take centre stage with several first personal records added to the local patch list.

The following is what i saw and recorded on the two visits:

11th June

Very quiet bird wise on today's visit,with highlights going to a male Cuckoo at Winter's Pond and a Little-ringed Plover which flew south at the Skitter being the only notables.

 Several good insect records were seen today though and included first records for the patch for myself in the forms of an Ashy-mining Bee and Meredon equestris,with other nice species seen including Chrysotoxum bicinctum,several Scaeva pyrastri and a Wasp Beetle.

Butterflies featured heavily in the sightings for today and included 12 species being seen,with a couple of firsts for the year in the form of my first Meadow Browns and Large Skippers.

The mitigation area and verges along Skitter Road are both cracking habitats for insects and all the above records were seen in these areas.

19th June

Another quiet visit bird wise,but at least some hope of things to come with a NFY Green Sandpiper at Winter's first thing.

This moulting adult was watched as it fed along the southern shore of the main lake,no doubt a failed breeder on it's way south.

Some good news on the breeding front,saw 2 broods of fledged Bearded Tits,with 2 at the Skitter and a further 6 in the long reedbed,just north of Ruins Pond,really nice to see.

Other bits from the avian world included a single adult Peregrine which flew north along the floodbank near the Long Wood and a pair of Grey Partridge along Skitter Road.

Insect hightlights included a few firsts for the year in the guise of 2 Ringlet and at least 6 Cheilosia illustrata.

The latter are pretty good Bee mimics and are one of our commoner species of Hoverfly seen taking advantage of the profusion of Hogweed in flower at the moment.

The larvae actually burrow into the root systems and stems of Hogweed as well,an interesting breeding strategy.

The following are my favourite photos from the two visits.

Skitter Road.

Hoverfly Sp. - Cheilosia illustrata,Skitter Road.

Ruins Pond.

Tachinid Fly Sp.- Tachina fera,Skitter Road.

The Humber Floodbank,Looking Towards Winter's Pond & Killingholme Haven.

Geese In The Early Morning Sun And Mist At Winter's Pond.

The Important Verges Along Skitter Road,Superb For Insects.

Hoverfly Sp. - Volucella pelluscens,Skitter Road.

Hoverfly Sp. - Meredon equestris,a new species for the local patch,Skitter Road.

Skitter Beck.

Hoverfly Sp. Scaeva pyrsatri,A Migrant Species To The Area,Skitter Road.

Speckled Wood,Skitter Road.

Hoverfly Sp. - Chrysotoxum bicinctum,East Halton Marshes.

Meadow Grasshopper Nymph,East Halton Marshes.

Hoverfly Sp. - Eupeodes corollae,East Halton Marshes.

Red Admiral,Winter's Pond.

Painted Lady,Winter's Pond.

Hoverfly Sp. - Leucozona leucorum,Winter's Pond.

Conopid Fly Sp. - Myopa testacea,Winter's Pond.

Hoverfly Sp. - Eristalis horticola,Winter's Pond.