Anticipation is the name of the game at this time of year. When will we hear or perhaps even see our beloved nightingale and will the cuckoo arrive from Africa? The insects are now emerging in numbers. Always exciting to see the first non-wintering butterfly emerging from their pupa.
The weather has been mixed in early April. One or 2 beautiful warm sunny days followed by a wind that is decidedly chilly. The insects make the most of the sunny days and so do we! A few of our macro photography group took a very slow walk around the Meadow Trail on 8th April.
There were lots of hoverflies and mining bees out and about. Down on the side of Hayling Lake, a couple of us watched an Andrena become caught in a spiders web, the spider tried wrapping it up, but the bee managed to escape for another time.
We saw 7 species of butterfly, including my first speckled wood of the year. We joined 2 specialist butterfly hunters on the Redlands area to search for the grizzled skipper. However, we decided they needed an extra day of warmth to bring them out and I am yet to see one. Have you seen one of these minute butterflies? I would love to know if you have.
If you want to encourage butterlies in your garden, give them some help. They require extra minerals. Godmanchester café and nursery are suggesting you fill a large plant saucer out with moist builder’s sand and a little sea salt(not table salt) in it. I’m going to do it. It will remind me of large numbers of “puddling” butterflies in the Pyrenees.
What we also didn’t see, but heard, was our first nightingale of the year as we walked across Redlands. Oh, joy of joys! Also several willow warblers were in full song. The nightingales are also singing along the Anglian Water Road.
My Insect hotel is busy at home with Mason bees. It is worth putting one up on a sunny wall to watch the activity. Mine is about one metre above the ground and easy to see.
I also saw my first teneral damselfly in the garden last week. Difficult to see what sort, but likely to be a common blue.
I also saw my first swallow on the first Breeding Bird survey of the year. My route takes me through East Scrub, by the Heronry Lake. The red kites appear to have a nest there and saw a couple of jays. Both birds, I did not associate with Paxton Pits only a few years ago.
A super place to go and watch what is happening on a nest is Cobham Hide. There is an active Heron’s nest close by. Jacqui Hill took a photo of the activity there a few days ago.
There is so much to say at this time of year, however, I must mention bats. We had our specialist team in at the weekend to monitor our boxes and they have decided to include our site in the Nathusius’s pipistrelle study. They didn’t find any this time, but what they did find were Barbastrelle bats, which are roosting in one of our boxes. This is unusual, as they are more likely found in ancient woodlands.
Finally, please remember the birds in your garden. The RSPB are recommending that you DO NOT feed them from 1st May to October. The likelihood of transmission of infection is greatly increased during this time. Look at their website for more information.
All the best for your wildlife watching. I also want to know about the local Paxton Pits news at friends@paxton-pits.org.uk .
Ann
Ann Thomas 13.4.26