Huddsbirder

Out in the garden looking for the insects today, came across Wolf Spiders, and Painted Lady Butterflies

Painted Lady

Wolf Spider

Another insect day out at RSPB Old Moor, things were beginning to get a little bit more busy now with Brimstone, Common Blue, Dingy Skipper, Painted Lady, Peacock and Speckled Wood butterflies seen on the wing.

Odonata species seen on the wing were Azure Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Four Spotted Chaser, Hairy Dragonfly, Large Red Damselfly and Red-eyed Damselfly.

Other highlights were Dock Bug, Soldier Beetles and Thick-thighed Beetles

Azure Damselfly

Dock Bug

Hairy Dragonfly

Painted Lady

Soldier Beetle

Thick thighed Beetle ♀

A visit out to Bullcliffe in the hope of starting the year off on a Dingy Skipper Butterfly, as I walked thru I came across Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler and Wren

The Butterflies took so finding but I finally found them in the area where they are mostly found, around here Brimstone, Common Blue, Dingy Skipper, Large White and Large White

Other highlight were Hairy Shieldbug a Mother Shipton Moth and at a nearby site were a couple of Small Heath Butterflies

Common Blue Butterfly

Dingy Skipper Butterfly

Mother Shipton Moth

No pressure day today out with a friend just for a lazy day, it was birds all day, highlights were Blackcap, Cetti’s Warbler, Chiffchaff, Curlew, Garden Warbler, House Martin Marsh Harrier, Reed Warbler, Ringed Plover, Sand Martin, Swallow, Swift.

Birds Seen: Avocet, Black-headed Gull, Blackbird, Blackcap, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Cetti’s Warbler, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Curlew, Gadwall, Garden Warbler, Great Crested Grebe, Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, Herring Goose, Herring Gull, House Martin, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Little Egret, Little Grebe, Magpie, Mallard, Marsh Harrier, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Reed Warbler, Ringed Plover, Robin, Rock Dove/Feral Pigeon, Sand Martin, Sanderling, Shelduck, Shover, Song Thrush, Swallow, Swift, Tufted Duck, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren (47)

Just a day out with the camera today nothing special, it was a day just to be out and enjoy the wildlife

Cantharis rustica

Ichneumon wasp

Tetragnatha Sp. (Long jawed Orb Weaver)

Old Moor again and this time more of an insect day it was. Butterflies were first on the list with Dingy Skipper, Orange Tip and Small Copper seen. On the Odonata front, I only found a few Damselflies Azure, Blue-tailed and Large Red Damselflies.

On the bird seen the highlights were Blackcap, Common Sandpiper, Garden Warbler, Garganey, Little Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher, Willow Warbler

Other highlights of the day were 14 and 22 Spot Ladybirds’, Anthomyia Fly, Gorse and Hairy Shieldbugs, Helophilus pendulus Hoverfly, Leucozona lucorum Hoverfly, Swollen-thighed Beetle, Marsham’s Nomad Bee

Birds Seen: Black-headed Gull, Blackcap, Canada Goose, Common Goose, Coot, Cormorant, Gadwall, Garden Warbler, Garganey, Lapwing, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Little Egret, Little Ringed Plover, Shoveler, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Redshank, Shoveler, Stock Dove, Willow Warbler (21)

Swollen-thighed Beetle

Marsham’s Nomad Bee

Gorse Shieldbug

Another visit to Old Moor, bird highlights today were Blackcap, Cetti’s Warbler, Chiffchaff, Garden Warbler, Mediterranean Gull, Reed Warbler, Swift, Whitethroat and Willow Warbler

However today was mainly looking for insects, only butterfly I found was a single Painted Lady

A few Odonata were about, ones I did find were Azure Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly and Large Red Damselfly

Other insect highlights were my first Blue Shieldbug along with Pale Soldier Beetle (Cantharis livida), Common Green Shieldbug, Garden Carpet Moth, Masham’s Nomad Bee, Black Cloak Moth, Picture wing fly (Tephritis neesii) and a few Wolf Spiders

Birds Seen: Black-headed Gull, Blackcap, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Cetti’s Warbler, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Collared Dove, Coot, Cormorant, Dunnock, Gadwall, Garden Warbler, Jackdaw, Lapwing, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Mallard, Mediterranean Gull, Mute Swan, Pheasant, Pochard, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Reed Warbler, Robin, Stock D|ove, Swift, Tufted Duck, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler (30)

Blue Shieldbug

Common Green Shieldbug

Black Cloak Moth

Picture wing Fly

Wolf Spider

First May visit to Old Moor, lots to look for too. Highlights on the bird front were Blackcap, Cetti’s Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Little Egret, Little Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher, and Whitethroat

However today was mainly looking for insects, Butterflies about were Brimstone, Dingy Skipper, Green-veined White, Holly Blue, Orange Tip, Peacock, Small Copper, and Speckled Wood. Dingy Skipper being the highlight.

A few Odonata were now back on the wing with Azure Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Large Red Damselfly seen but now the first Dragonflies were on the wing too with Hairy Dragonflies seen.

Other insect highlights were numerous Ladybirds with 7 Spot, 14 Spot and 22 Spot about, and various Bee Species

Birds Seen : Black-headed Gull, Blackcap, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Cetti’s Warbler, Coot, Cormorant, Gadwall, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, Lapwing, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Lesser Whitethroat, Little Egret, Little Ringed Plover, Mallard, Mediterranean Gull, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pochard, Robin, Shelduck, Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Whitethroat (26)

Hairy Dragonflies

Azure Damselfly

Small Copper Butterfly

A newer venue today out at Staveley Nature Reserve, location is about NE of Harrogate, not far off the A1. Highlights of the day were Bittern, Blackcap, Buzzard, Cetti’s Warbler, Chiffchaff, Garden Warbler, Hobby, Little Ringed Plover, Marsh Tit, Reed Warbler, Swift, Treecreeper, Whitethroat and Willow Warbler

Butterflies on the wing Brimstone, Holly Blue, Orange Tip, Peacock, and Speckled Wood

Other highlights were Large Red Damselfly

Birds Seen: Bittern, Black-headed Gull, Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Cetti’s Warbler, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coot, Curlew, Gadwall, Garden Warbler, Great Crested Grebe, Great Tit, Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, Hobby, jackdaw, Lapwing, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Little Ringed Plover, Magpie, Mallard, Marsh Tit, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Reed Bunting, Reed Warbler, Robin, Sedge Warbler, Shelduck, Shoveler, Song Thrush, Stock Dove, Swift, Teal, Treecreeper, Tufted Duck, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren (47)

Sedge Warbler

Jackdaw

Lapwing

Large Red Damselfly

Cheilosia variabilis

Back at Old Moor out today looking for insects mainly but the birds were still calling, highlights were Bittern, Blackcap, Cetti’s Warbler, Mediterranean Gull, Pied Wagtail, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Reed Warbler, Whitethroat and Willow Warbler

Butterflies were now building up in force with Brimstone, Dingy Skipper, Green-veined White, Holly Blue, Orange Tip, Peacock and Speckled Wood

Other highlights were 14 Spot Ladybird, Box Bug, Gorse Shieldbug, Hairy Shieldbug, Marsham’s Nomad Bee, Spotted Cranefly

Birds Seen: Bittern, Black-headed Gull, Blackcap, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Cetti’s Warbler, Chiffchaff, Coot, Cormorant, Gadwall, Great Crested Grebe, Great Tit, Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, Lapwing, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Little Egret, Little Grebe, Magpie, Mallard, Mediterranean Gull, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Pochard, Redshank, Reed Warbler, Robin, Shelduck, Stock Dove, Tufted Duck, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon (37)

14 Spot Ladybird

Box Bug

Dingy Skipper

Unknown

Myathropa florea Hoverfly (“Batman Hoverfly”)