The weather this week has been far from ideal, with frosts down in Oxfordshire and only fleeting spells of sunshine. Unsurprisingly, birding has been fairly quiet, with just the odd sighting here and there. Even so, there have still been a few worthwhile moments in the field.
Despite the conditions, I managed a visit to Theale Gravel Pits near Reading, where a Pectoral Sandpiper was present. The bird was quite distant, but it was still nice to see, as it had been a few years since I last connected with one. It was also my first visit to the site.
Many thanks to (c) Michael Hubbard for kindly allowing the use of his excellent photograph of the bird.
With sunshine finally forecast for this morning, I was keen to make the most of the conditions and head out into the field for the day.
This morning I awoke to sunshine, a welcome change after a spell of unsettled weather. After getting myself sorted and enjoying a quick breakfast, I took advantage of the conditions and headed out to two sites for a day in the field.
My first stop was Hawkridge Wood in the Valley of the Pang, Berkshire, with one particular target in mind: the Drab Looper moth.
Hawkridge Wood
On arrival, conditions were ideal, with good numbers of Drab Loopers on the wing alongside Speckled Yellow moths, both feeding on wood spurge.
Wood Spurge
Despite their abundance, photographing them proved challenging because they were extremely active and fast-moving in the heat.
By remaining patient and focusing on a single patch, I was eventually rewarded with opportunities to photograph both species.
Drab Looper
Despite its name, the Drab Looper is anything but uninteresting in terms of behaviour. As the name suggests, it is a rather plain, unpatterned species, but it is one of the few day-flying moths and is strongly associated with warm, sunny weather. When freshly emerged, the wings can show a subtle, silky sheen, though it quickly fades.
In Britain, the species is largely restricted to southern England and Wales, where it inhabits wooded areas. The larvae feed on wood spurge, and adults are typically on the wing from May to June, with a partial second generation occurring in August in the south.
Speckled Yellow Moth
Moving on from here, I drove west to Salisbury Plain, where I had been given a site to try and see the Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth, a species I had never seen before. I knew it would be a long shot, as I wasn’t even sure if they were on the wing yet, but nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Sailsbury Plain
On arrival, the task looked daunting. On my own, I was faced with vast areas of kidney vetch.
Kidney vetch is the food plant of the Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth.
I spent the next two hours searching for the hawk-moth without success, but I did see a few other species while walking around the site.
Green Hairstreak
There were plenty of Brown-banded carder bees on site
Dingy Skipper
Brown Argus
I headed back to the car for a drink, and then the rain set in, although thankfully it was only a short shower. As the sun broke through again, I resumed my search.
Halfway down the plain, there in front of me in the undergrowth, was a Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth. The moth then emerged from the vegetation and started feeding, allowing me to grab a few images before it flew off.
Narrow-bordered bee hawk-moth
The Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth is a day-flying moth that can be seen on the wing during late spring and early summer. Over the last 50 years, it has undergone a significant decline, largely as a result of the drainage and loss of wet pasture habitats. Although still widely distributed across Britain, it is now considered a scarce and elusive species, most frequently recorded in southern and south-western England.
I felt incredibly lucky to find it, but it was just a reward for a good three-hour search. Soon afterwards, the rain returned, so I happily made my way back to the car.
On the drive home, I called in to see the Great Bustards and was rewarded with brief views of a Stone-curlew and a very vocal Corn Bunting.
Corn bunting
Despite the mixed weather and long hours searching, the day turned into a memorable one. Connecting with the Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth after such a lengthy search made the effort entirely worthwhile, and the supporting cast of butterflies, bees and birds only added to the experience.
Days like this are a reminder that patience in the field often pays off, especially when the weather finally decides to cooperate.
A thoroughly enjoyable day out and two more moth species added to the list.
Hawkridge Wood
