First butterfly sighting of the new year today: a red admiral basking on one of the estate garages. A little while later, it visited my garden to do some more sunbathing. Not surprising that a red admiral is the first of the year, as it was almost entirely this species (of the 5 that might overwinter) that I saw last Autumn.

Just saw a fox outside the kitchen window. The first for 4-5 years, and great to see again after a long wait.

A pipistrelle sp bat was hunting over Romiley Park at 4:50 this evening. Nice to know they are still somewhere close to home as Sunfield appears to have been deserted. Probably not unrelated to the big drop in moth numbers (amongst other things) this year.

My gob was well and truly smacked when I went into the garden this morning to find a Wall brown nectaring on some buttercups!! Incredible is an overused word, but that is what it was. Obviously a first for the garden.

After just (almost) 37 years, finally had a record of large red damselfly in the garden just after dinner today. I don't have a pond, by the way! Only the 2nd ever species which has alighted during the same period.

A wood mouse was in my back garden, in open view, for over 15 minutes around 7:45 this evening. First time I've seen one this year (although there was some evidence that they might have been in the shed during Winter - since sealed off).

Following on from Bredbury sightings, one further comma and three small tortoiseshells were on 'back field' next to Sunfield estate. Another site sheltered from the easterly breeze.

A few honey bees and a hoverfly (prob eristalis sp.) today on well sheltered heather, giving hope of Spring soon arriving, and an end to the tedium of Winter.

This little beauty crash-landed on my patio window this morning; a superb Western conifer seed-bug. Only a few records for the Stockport area, and a first for me. The definitive version of an 'armchair tick'.

In a similar place to Andy's post from May, I did my first 'wider countryside butterfly survey' today along my breeding bird survey route, which goes from the top of the low down to Compstall road and back, down over the top of the golf course, up Cowlishaw brow. Perversely, the butterflies were most abundant walking back along the top of the Low, with lots of gatekeepers and small skippers, though did pick up a reasonable diversity on the actual survey.

Was a bit nervous beforehand about by my white identification, but seeing large after the end boosted confidence that those en route had not been and I'm reasonably happy small predominated over green veined. Harder was keeping focus within an imaginary 5m-cubed box and ignoring the birds (and butterflies!) beyond.

A very good cross-section of inverts at the Golf Course today included:- 6 small heath, 4+ green-veined white (inc pair in cop), 2+ small white, 2 orange tip & 1 holly blue. Moths were:- 2 silver-ground carpet, 1 green carpet, 1 common carpet & the first silver 'Y' of the year. 3-4 cauchas rufimitrella (a micro moth - see photo) were new for the site (and me, I think). 13 azure, and 2 large red damsels. 1 agapanthia long-horn beetle, many swollen-thighed beetles (male & fem), and oedemera lurida (which is similar), 1 hairy shieldbug and much more. No time to look at things like hoverflies for instance. 

Typical of our Spring. One minute I'm watching the first orange-tip of the year, and the next we have a biting, cold wind with soft hail thrown in! Still it MUST be Spring now the orange tip is out. 

What appears to be a pretty food find was made on the Golf Course area last Sunday. With only one record for Cheshire moth recording area since 1966, stumbling over a couple of nemophora cupriacella was a bit of luck, and a reminder why you should never let your guard drop. On top of that, it is a superb little specimen.

p.m. Romiley Golf Course area. Summer staggered forward another step today with year-first sightings of large skipper (3), and a single meadow brown. The only other butterfly new since my last visit here was a fly-through Painted Lady. Moths provided the real 'excitement', with a site-first CHIMNEY SWEEPER, my first for 7 years, and only the fourth locale I have ever seen this in Grt. M/c., also the nearest to my home. Also cinnabar moth was a year-first, and silver-ground carpet up to two in number.

-- Edited by Andy Bissitt on Saturday 12th of June 2021 09:15:23 PM

First bats (2),- pipistrelle types, of the year flying together, viewed from my living room window, yesterday evening. Must have known what was coming!!!

Don't often record moths on here, but as this was the first macro for 2021, I thought it significant. One pale brindled beauty was at the security light near my garage on Sunfield Estate this morning.

I specifically went up to the Hilltop 'summit' at dusk to check for bats, and was rewarded with the best display I've ever seen close to home. There were 4 pipestrelle types on view at the same time, with a potential total of 8 seen as I saw others away from the place of original appearance. As if this wasn't enough, I was thrilled to spot a sparrowhawk amongst them after about 10 minutes which made a few attempts to catch one. It appeared to be unsuccessful. The bird continued to be seen until just before 4.55 p.m. when it was very thick dusk.

A pipistrelle sp. was flying in my garden airspace (i.e. below rooftop height) at 4.40 p.m. this evening.

A painted lady in the garden this morning was a nice surprise, and unlikely to be seen again if the forecast is correct. 

After JUST 34 years of waiting, a species of odonata finally touched down in the garden this morning: a common darter, which spent about 40 minutes sunning itself on a fence. I don't have a pond, of course, and there are none suitable that I know of nearby.

With the heat being as it was last night, I decided to wander around the Sunfield estate to check whether there was perhaps the odd moth at the lights that are dotted around. 75 minutes later, I had almost 20 species of macro, including 2 lifers!!! I had to keep walking back to my house for more pots. The 2 new ones were Oak Hooktip, and Buff Footman (I might have seen this in Dorset, I would have to check). Amongst others seen were copper underwing, iron prominent, antler moth, marbled beauty , and ruby tiger. All this before midnight, and I timed it well as the storm began about 15 minutes later. And, on top of that, I saw a fabulous shooting-star, part of the Perseids meteor shower. I couldn't sleep after all this (well it was due to the storm really).

Not a day for insects, or so I thought. On a shopping trip to Romiley village this p.m. (in heavy drizzle), a large insect was seen flying towards me which landed about 10 feet up on a wall. Due to the size, I expected a peacock butterfly, but was amazed to find it was actually an Old Lady moth!!! Wrong place, time and weather. A nice surprise on an awful day for anything.

Around the golf course yesterday, the first Ringlets were about (17), whilst other species included 45 meadow brown, 11 small tortoiseshell, 9 large skipper and 2 red admirals. A couple of 5-spot burnets also. Today, as I passed through on the way back from Werneth Low, an adult male emperor was cruising a quiet corner of the course; first for me this year.

First meadow browns today at the golf course (6), and the tattiest small copper I have ever seen. As one species emerges, another bows out (for now). Best sighting, though, was of what I think was the sawfly abia candens, but as this is a rarity I will need to seek advice. Whatever, it is a really smart looking beast.