... and the waters receded

In preparation for Cullaloe's 3rd Pectoral Sandpiper, I opened the gates last night to allow the water to begin to drain. The weather had other ideas, though, and the water may still actually be rising, but in a few days we should be seeing Common Sandpipers on the exposed mud

Hovers and Hogweed

Hogweed, some of which is now producing seed, is a great attractant for hoverflies. Most of them seem to be Syrphus species - mostly/all ribesii going by those I have caught and examined.

Don't wake dad!

Tufted Duck chicks at Cullaloe. A few days ago there were 5 - a couple of Pike victims possibly.

Beneath, the hoverfly Chrysogaster solstitialis - species number 29 for the year and 32 for the reserve

Tufted Duck chicks

Chrysogaster solstitialis

Myriad

So NT18 is a hectad and NT is a myriad, because a myriad in Greek is 10,000 and a myriad in Ordnance Survey speak is 10,000 square kilometres (monads) - a square of 100km per side.

Who knew?

Hovers

Scooped a few hovers at lunchtime in the hopes that one will be new. almost certain one will be as it's black and very small.Also this tarty Volucella trying to get rights to be the pinup of Cullaloe by posing on the info board. Not quite as good as the Green-veined white did last year. Maybe it's species of the year.

Double Square-spot, Large Yellow Underwing

Trapping last night yielded the above two new ones for me at Cullaloe and for the year. There's also a micro which will probably add another.

full story
 

Double Square-spot

  

Large Yellow Underwing

Large Yellow Underwing

Divit Watch reboot

With 500 in the bag (501) and July starting, it;s time to pay some attention to much neglected Inverkeithing for vismig season. Not much vismig today, but a nice Common Blue butterfly and some other stuff.

Divit Reboot