In the meanwhile...

Reed Bunting

I haven't done any major butterfly expeditions but I did do a recce of the Cambois area to check out possible sites for the grayling - more hopefully anon.

On the way by bike I noted a bird singing very tunefully from the top of a small tree and wasn't sure what it was.  It turned out to be male reed bunting but I've never heard them sing so beautifully.  Maybe like the dunnock it only happens at key times of the year.

It was just on reviewing the photo I could actually identify it.

The only other trip out was a quick visit to Marden Quarry as I happened to be in the area and had heard there had been some sightings of a night heron there.

Anyway I did a circuit of the lake and didn't see anything of note.  So I sat on a bench near the car park overlooking the lake for a rest.  After a while I looked from my phone to notice... a grey heron squatting behind some flowers on the island opposite.

Grey Heron

At distance I briefly thought I might have hit the jackpot due partly to the untypical hunched-up pose.  My sense is that this is also a young bird with its whitish appearance and streaked breast.

One great advantage of having buddleia rather unnaturally in pots at the front garden is that they regularly attract an early season small tortoiseshell.  It was again the case this year, the second butterfly to be seen on them.

Meanwhile the larger bushes at the back are out and have attracted peacocks and red admirals but not a single small tortoiseshell.  The time was when they would I'm sure have been the most numerous visitor but clearly they are in decline and have been for a long while.

On the other hand commas have often been in evidence as have all three species of white, although the weather has been inconsistent and some times were much more productive than others..  

Comma

But possibly the most interesting sighting was a single meadow brown - obviously a more than common species but not one I've ever seen on buddleia.

The whites have also been showing a great deal of interest in the garlic mustard, fluttering around it and other plants slowly and landing frequently.  I think they may be females attempting to oviposit.  This is an example of the sort of behaviour I mean.

Green-veined White

Lastly a pleasant surprise one morning was to open my garage and find that a tiny moth was completing a sleepover on my rear windscreen.

Plumed Moth

It's the first time I've ever spotted one.