Another good bug bash at Porth Hellick!

This Heterotoma planicornis was at Porth Hellick and was a bug I always wanted to see

  This morning I made my ways to Porth Hellick after my first taxi at 07.30 and noted an increase in Willow and Sedge Warbler. The only waders on the pool included 2 Common and 1 Green Sandpiper. A quick look at Lower Moors and there were over 20 Willow and Sedge Warbler but as the water level was so high after the heavy fall, there was nothing of note on the pool. Later in the afternoon at Porth Hellick there were now 3 Green and 2 Common Sandpiper and a single Redshank with 8 Greenshank.

At Lower Moors there were over 20 Sedge Warbler with lesser numbers at Porth Hellick

There were also over 20 Willow Warbler at Lower Moors with also lesser numbers at Porth Hellick

But only 2 Chiffchaff at the latter site

Common Sandpiper at Porth hellick

In the morning there were only 2 Common sandpiper and single Green sandpiper. By the afternoon there were 3 Green and 2 Common sandpiper and 1 Redshank with 8 Greenshank

Last week there were 6 Mediterrian Gull at Porthlow

This Heterotoma planicornis is a bug I've always wanted to see and I took the pic of this nymph just outside my digs on the Garrison before it disappeared. 

A few days later, Jo went and found an adult of the Heterotoma planicornis on our favorite Sallow by the Sussex Hide at Porth Hellick

Female Nursery-web Spider caring her egg sac below

Cyphon padi Beetle

Gorse Shieldbug

  The evening of the 28th was calm and Jo and I spent an hour just after dark in our usual area of Porth hellick between the two hides. Good numbers of moths were feeding and again we saw many new species that we had not seen before including a few that still need to be identified. We also heard 2 Dunlin and single Green and Common Sandpiper overhead at 22.30 on wards.

The nymph of a  Hemerobius stigma Lacewing 

Adult Hemerobius stigma Lacewing

Chysoperla carnea Lacewing 

Bark Louse on the tip of a pine needle

Gall Midge

Springtail

The Psallus betuleti is larger than other plant bugs

It turned out to be a good night for moths feeding on a single large Sallow. Migrants included a single White-speck and up to 5 Dark Swordgrass. There were over 10 Common Rustic actively feeding however the highlight was observing a Magpie Moth laying eggs.

White-speck

There were 5 Dark Swordgrass altogether

Brown-vained Wainscott

 

Riband Wave

Common Wave

Agonopterix umbellana

Agonopterix yeatiana

Acleris emargana

Garden Rose Tortrix

Pinon-streaked Snout Upper pic is of the usual pale form while the below pic is the first time in seeing a dark form.

And a female Magpie Moth laying eggs under a Sallow leaf

 

Pablo having a closer look at the hole Jo is making. Jo making sure the sand hoppers are jumping all over the shop for the ducklings to get stuck into. Now six weeks old!