A riot of wildlife

Lade - mild, cloudy, w 2 - Muggy overnight weather conditions proved ideal for moths with 26 species in the trap this morning with five NFY including Marbled Coronet, Scarce Footman and Sallow Kitten, also three White Spots and plenty more Small Elephant and Elephant Hawk-moths.
A circuit of the local patch yielded the first Tufted Ducklings on the water, two Little Terns on the beach and over 50 spikes of Dark Mullein in full flower beside north lake. Juvenile birds seemed to be everywhere this morning with the Oystercatcher pair on south lake having got at least two juvs off the island and onto the `mainland` where they were fretting over their brood.

                                   Elephant Hawk-moth

                                  Marbled Coronet

                                An anxious adult Oystercatcher

                                Red Admiral

                                            Dark Mullien

With next weeks forecast of a mini heat wave in the offing Mrs PT decided to give Barney a No. 1 haircut, followed by a bath, which he was less than impressed with. Afterwards we called in at the Kerton Road café to photograph the poppies, where a Roesel`s Bush-cricket was basking on a wall.

                               "I`m so stressed..."

                               Roesel`s Bush-cricket, KRC