A hummingbird visits Cambridgeshire

We had a very lovely visitor to the garden recently - a Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum). This is only the third one I've seen in six summers here (although it's likely that others have gone unnoticed).

It didn't hang around for long; for just a few minutes it zipped around from flower head to flower head, accessing the nectar from the tubular flowers (no, I don't know what they are!). I took many, many photos and managed to get half a dozen in focus. Thank goodness for digital photography!

The Hummingbird Hawk-moth is a smallish (wingspan about 2 inches) day-flying moth. They migrate to the UK in the summer from southern Europe and Africa, and it's thought that with a warming climate they may colonise the UK.

If you'd like to help monitor these amazing beasties, Butterfly Conservation is running a Migrant Watch Survey for Hummingbird Hawk-moths and Painted Lady butterflies -  it's easy to add your sightings and contribute to understanding the arrival, spread and departure of these migrant insects.

#30DaysWild, days 26-30, the final few days!

All too quickly it's the final few days for this year's #30DaysWild...

On day 26 I went off for a run along some as-yet unexplored bridleways. Startled a couple of pheasants into flight from right under my feet, and saw a fox too. I also discovered that my hi-vis running vest is a great lure for bugs of all kinds...

Day 27 was an afternoon down at Paxton Pits with the camera and sketchbook. I did get somewhat rained upon....

On day 28 I finished up my nature journal spread from the previous day's wanderings at Paxton Pits (bonus minibeast pics too)

Day 29 - here is our sparrow bush! I don't know what it is about this shrub that makes it so popular with our house sparrows, but it is definitely the place to hang out around here if you are of the Passer domesticus persuasion...

And finally day 30! Pretty much all my arty dabblings are inspired by the wild, so here's a linocut print I finished recently – the design is based on photos and sketches from an afternoon out at my local nature reserve, Paxton Pits.

 

#30DaysWild, days 21-25

Another catch-up post for the enjoyable #30DaysWild!

Day 21 was a visit to a new-to-me nature reserve - Overhall Grove, managed by the local Wildlife Trust and located in a village not too far from me. I've driven through the village many times and noticed the Wildlife Trust signpost, but had never got around to visiting. It's a little gem - woodland, beautifully quiet, muntjac deer barking and buzzards calling.

But the best bit came when I was walking back to the car - a family of foxes, four youngsters and a vixen, on the footpath right in front of me! I was able to quietly watch them for a good while, as they foraged in the leaf litter. The tree canopy was quite dense so the pics I got aren't great, but what a treat that was!

On day 22 I went out for a run for my breath of fresh air, heard yellowhammers calling in the hedgerows and spotted a buzzard. I finished up a couple of nature journal pages from my visit to Overhall Grove.

Day 23 was another rummage around the garden for minibeasts. So many!

Day 24 - I was disappointed that a bug hunting workshop I was going to got cancelled, but was happy to find this strange little mirid bug (Heterotoma species I think), with it's super thick antennae, in the garden. The unexpected free time meant I could go for a run too, and I saw two red kites - don't often get to see them in Cambridgeshire and it's the first time I've seen two together here.

 Day 25 - spot the hopper!

#30DaysWild, days 16-20

Keeping the wild theme going, here's the next batch for #30DaysWild...

Day 16, my new-found spider obsession had me looking around the greenhouse, where I found this intriguing structure - the egg sac of a pirate spider (Ero sp). The sac is about 3mm in length, and is suspended from the greenhouse frame, on the inside, by a silk stalk about 20mm long. Amazing little structure, looks like spun sugar! And since day 16, another one has appeared, though the original hasn't yet hatched... I've yet to find any adult pirate spiders but they are evidently there!

Days 17 and 18 I spent visiting family on a very hot weekend! Too hot really to do anything other than cook and eat barbecued food... But there's always something to see! First is a leafcutter bee's nest hole - I spotted the bee carrying in pieces of leaf to a hole in a concrete fence post. And the dried seed head just made a nice pic!

Day 19. Another hot and sunny day. Spotted some red kites on my drive back to Cambridgeshire from the Midlands. Had a mooch around the garden and found this really pretty little spider (Anelosimus vittatus, identified with help from the British Spider Identification Group on facebook). My list of resident spiders is growing!

 And day 20, some more garden invertebrates, there's just so much out there when you start looking. The moth is a Large Twin-spot Carpet, spider 1 as yet unidentified (maybe Enagplogntha sp. Candy-stripe spider), spider 2 is a running crab spider (Philodromus sp.)

 

 

#30DaysWild, days 11-15

Catching up on #30DaysWild! Some days were more wild than others...

On day 11 I visited the RSPB's Hope Farm in Knapwell, Cambridgeshire, just a few miles from where I live. There was a bird ringing demo, plus moths from a moth trap, and a trailer ride round part of the farm, with commentary on how the farm is run in a profitable and wildlife-friendly way. Lots of other things going on too, and lots of families visiting. Really enjoyed this!

Day 12 was a not quite so wild day for me. I got out for a run and enjoyed the fresh air and birdsong, then finished off my nature journal entry from my visit to Portholme Meadow a few days earlier.

On Day 13 I had some errands in town (St Ives in Cambridgeshire), and I grabbed half an hour down by the river. In the churchyard I found lichen on very old gravestones, and rippled reflections in the river.

I'd been looking forward to Day 14 for a while! I went on a guided walk at Paxton Pits Nature Reserve, all about water vegetation and freshwater fish. Saw lots of rare Norfolk Hawker dragonflies too, Paxton Pits is one of the few places to see them in the UK outside of Norfolk. Lovely way to spend a few sunny hours!

Day 15 I decided to do a bit of citizen science and add my recent wildlife records to the iRecord website. Check it out, every record adds to the understanding of UK wildlife trends!

#30DaysWild, days 6 to 10

Still enjoying a bit a of wild every day (well, mostly!). The weather has been blowing hot and cold (and really blowing too!). Here are days 6 to 10...

Day 6 was a wet one, so I strained and bottled the elderflower cordial (fab with tonic, or indeed vodka and tonic!)

Day 7 was a Wednesday evening run around Portholme Meadow - no pics, but suffice to say that it was glorious, full of flowers and buzzing with insects. I decided I would have to go back on a sunny afternoon...

Day 8 was a walk around the fields, late afternoon. I spotted a roe deer; it's usually muntjacs that I see here in my corner of Cambridgeshire so this was a treat. Followed him round the edge of a field and found a track. Not a great pic, taken on my phone... And later in the evening, a beautiful sunset.

Day 9's wildness was another walk around the fields, this time at dusk. The full moon was rising but rather hazy, but I was very lucky to find a buzzard perched on a bare branch in front of the shimmering moon.

Day 10 was a fabulous return visit to Portholme Meadow in Godmanchester. This actually deserves a full post all of its own at some point in the near future. So much to see! Here are some highlights...

#30DaysWild, days 1 to 5

The Wildlife Trusts in the UK have an annual campaign - 30 Days Wild (#30DaysWild) - in June, to encourage people (and especially families) to spend some time outside in the great outdoors. Here's what I've been up to (batches of 5 days at a time!)

Day 1 - spiders in the garden

I have made two recent purchases, both of which are FAB. One is an excellent new field guide to British Spiders (I had it pre-ordered for ages!). It is really very good, I recommend it. The other is a macro attachment for the camera, a Raynox 150 adapter. It clips onto the front of the camera lens. Takes a bit of getting used to but you can get some half-decent pictures for considerably less than a dedicated macro lens would cost. So the combination of these two things meant that some spider photography was top of the list for #30DaysWild! If you are on facebook I would also recommend looking at the British Spider Identification group, super helpful!

Day 2 - bats!

The bat detector is a DIY kit (you need access to someone who can follow a circuit diagram and who can solder to put it together). Listened to pipistrelles flying around the garden for day 2.

Day 3 - nature journalling
This is what I really enjoy doing - sitting in the sunshine, drawing :-) The pyrocantha shrub in the corner of the garden is covered in blossom at the moment and is also covered with insects...

Day 4 - fungi after rain
These tiny fungi appeared at the edge of the lawn near the log pile after some thundery rain. Unidentified as yet...

Day 5 - elderflowers and a pheasant
Rain and wind forecast for today, and it's quite a bit cooler than it has been too. I collected some elderflowers to make elderflower cordial. The pheasant has been a regular visitor for a few weeks, along with two hen pheasants.

On to the rest of #30DaysWild!