Better than usual for waders off Mudbank this evening. Six Greenshank, 50+ Whimbrel, 2 Turnstone and a Black-tailed Godwit were all good indicators of some wader passage happening. Also off there - 2 Red-breasted Merganser, 6 Sandwich Tern and 5 Black-headed Gull.
I raced around Orcombe at first light before work this morning but could only muster 2 Wheatear, 2 Whitethroat, 3 Swallow and a Lesser Whitethroat. The latter a singing male and my first this year. Offshore just 3 Great Crested Grebe and a tardy Dark-bellied Brent Goose.
Yesterday afternoon 4 Bar-tailed Godwit were noted off Mudbank and on Wednesday evening a Grasshopper Warbler was reeling near the top of the lane down to the Bristol Schools camp.
Running a blog makes me very lazy. Apologies but I'd appreciate some help with the identification of a couple bees and a micro moth..........
Edit - Vestal Cuckoo Bee - thanks Nick.
Edit - Grey Gorse Piercer - Cydia ulicetana - Withycombe Raleigh Common - many thanks for the ID Nick.
Edit - Buff-tailed Bumblebee - thanks again Nick
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ReplyDeleteHi Matt,
ReplyDeleteHmmm ... not sure on any, but, here goes ...
Moth might be Cydia ulicetana. From the same family as Codling Moth, pretty common, and the right flight season.
The first bee, on the pink flower, is Vestal Cuckoo (B. vestalis), I think (same as on my last blog post). There appears to be no colour band on the abdomen or the top of the thorax, and the tail has a white tip with some yellow on its base. Outer side of hind tibia is hairy too, so looks like a Cuckoo to me (no need to collect pollen if you aren't planning to build and supply your own nest cells!)
The second bee looks like Buff-tailed Bumblebee (B. terrestris) to me, though the fact I can't see it's head means I'm guessing a bit. the midriff band and the buff in the tail look good to me though.