Lockdown update - 21 April

It's late April, the sun continues to shine, and the wind remains easterly. Perfect for birding, but not so great here in balmy Redditch.

Cast your mind back to last Sunday when I set out on an expedition to see what I could find on the farmland beyond our suburban district. It was a good morning, and one thing I didn't mention was that I had a half decent bird from the garden that day. OK it was just another singing Willow Warbler, but it remains the best bird for garden since the weekend.

The 21st was supposed to be another big sit day, and I did manage to give it a good deal of attention, all for a distantly calling Green Woodpecker, two Swallows, and three House Martins. A displaying Sparrowhawk the day before had been wrapping it's white undertail covert feathers around to give a ring-tailed Harrier-like white rump impression. Calm down, it was small, just a Sparrowhawk.

I did attempt a short walk towards Henley, but there was more traffic than on Sunday and I didn't see anything new. Another Lesser Whitethroat singing unseen from a distant hedge the nearest to a highlight.

Actually no, the highlight was a Red Admiral seen in our Close. It later flew over the garden.

April 21 - Garden lockdown list (butterflies)

8. Red Admiral

Red Admiral

This lockdown listing is getting complicated. I now have two parallel lists; Lockdown and Garden Lockdown. If I start adding butterflies to the lockdown list, then I should include last week's Speckled Woods. So that would mean butterfly lockdown list:

8. Speckled Wood
9. Red Admiral

Are you keeping up? I'm not sure I am.

Fortunately moths present no such dilemma, the trap is in the garden and that's that. It went out overnight and I caught three moths; none of them new for the year; Twin-spotted Quaker, Hebrew Character, and Early Grey.

How about other stuff? I found that rare thing, an identifiable bee, in the utility room a few days ago, and photographed it before letting it out.

Ashy Mining Bee

The Ashy Mining Bee (I have also seen it called Grey Mining Bee) is quite a smart beast.

This morning a tiny beetle was crawling along the doorframe. I have no idea what it was, but will be seeing if some research gets me any answers.

Spider Beetle - Ptinus sexpunctatus

In fact I am fairly sure it was a Spider Beetle. The species apparently preys on Red Mason Bees (and there are tons of them in the cavities in our brickwork).