Self-isolating at home - Water Carpet

Events surrounding Covid-19 continue the spiral downwards to potential oblivion. It's very frightening if you are a 60 year-old with underlying health issues, which I am.

I am probably still ok to visit the patch, but in the meantime I'm determined to make the best of wildlife watching in the garden.

Birdwise our garden in Redditch is a bit of a waste of space. The feeders attract the usual suspects; House Sparrows. Goldfinches, Blue Tits, Robins etc. The best bet seems to be scanning the skies, but today these included nothing better than Buzzards, Sparrowhawk, and Cormorant.

The insects are a bit more fun. Today I recorded three butterflies; Small Tortoiseshell, Brimstone, and Peacocks.

Peacock

The smaller things are largely a bit too tricky, but bees are often identifiable to species; Tree Bumblebee, Red Mason Bee, and Early Bumblebee were new this week. On the other hand spiders, such as this one which was probably clinging to my lawnmower when I gave it its first run out today, are usually unidentifiable without dissection.

Wolf Spider sp

I think it was a species of Wolf Spider.

The most fun (if you don't own a NocMig recorder for night migrant birds) can be had from moths. You need a moth trap for best results, but ironically this evening a moth was attracted to the kitchen window. I popped out to pot it, and was stunned to see a very impressive moth. In fact a lifer - a Water Carpet.

Water Carpet

The books say this moth flies in April and May, but moths don't read books. OK Water Carpet is not rare, but after two years of trapping regularly in the garden I have never caught one.

Right now I don't feel too bad about staying in the garden.