I saw two magpies making attempts to catch something in mid-air just a few feet from the ground. I thought it was a small passerine until I got onto it properly, and saw that it was a small bat (this was 3 p.m.). It managed to evade the magpies with ease, gained height, and made off strongly towards the North.

Between Smithy Ln. and up to and including the Quarry, sightings included c140 Narrow-bordered 5-spot Burnets (including 120, many in cop, along a 50 meter stretch of road), 5 silver Y, 1 Latticed heath and a cinnabar. The pond was as busy as I've ever seen it with a pair of Emporers (fem. ovipositing), 4 Four-spot chasers (1 ovipositing) & 4 Broad-bodied chasers (fem. ovipositing), plus the usual damsels. A fresh Comma was nice to see, as were 2 red admirals. Other species of insects (e.g. hoverflies) in desperately small numbers.

Back at a different part of the 'moor' today, and pretty much the same mix of stuff. Only new species for the year was a male brown hawker at Brown Low. Apart from a few honey/bumble bees and soldier beetles, other insects were conspicuous by their absence. Passengers please adopt the brace position as a crash landing is imminent.

Combined dragonfly sightings from ponds at Brown Low and the quarry area:- 12+ common darter, 5 black darter, 4 Southern Hawker, 3 Brown Hawker, 1 prob Common Hawker (not commiting myself yet after last years migrant hawkers), masses of emerald damselflies, and 1 azure damselfly, the only other damsel noted. Not too many butterflies, but Walls everywhere (c15 in total), and 1 painted lady were the outstanding species.

Notable only really for 'new' butterfly sightings, namely 2 red admirals (1st of year, and probably latest ever such date), and newly emerged small copper and peacock. Moth pammene aurana seen, as well as several narrow-bordered 5-spot burnets, and best of hoverflies were leucozona laternaria & Chrysotoxum bicinctum. Hopefully, as more flowers come into bloom, things might get a bit more unpredictable. No hawker type dragonflies yet, they too being way behind this year.

Normally wouldn't mention a vole sighting, as they are usually brief and obstructed. However, on this occasion, what I believe was a field vole (very short tail) emerged from the vegetation at the side of the road about 30 meters away, and zig-zagged about, before running straight down the middle of the road towards me, passing to my left just three feet away!! Once a car had passed, it came out again and once more showed well. More than once, it waded through the stream of water draining down the side of the lane, so I thought of blagging it as a water vole for a minute or two! Brightened up a quite lifeless bird quest. 

A nice 'bag' of stuff this p.m., starting with 9 small tortoiseshells, a peacock and 1-2 silver Y on a Michaelmass daisy patch on Gird Ln. Up at Brown Low there was a min of 4 speckled wood and the odd white, whilst a Southern hawker came and went occasionally. Best was when I sat on a bench and a common darter (1 of c4) used my arm as a hunting perch! It flew off above me once, and returned with a minute fly which it proceded to eat on my wrist. That's why I love them: totally oblivious to us. At the quarry pond, a male common hawker was confirmed with some good flight shots obtained. 1-2 emerald damsels persist. Nearby, two green-veined whites were seen together.

Doing the BDS census on the ponds, best was 4 emperors at the same time at the main pond, with 2 females ovipositing (see photo). The first emerald damsels were also on view (about 6).

An impressive emergence of small tortoiseshells today, with over 100 seen on a circuit lasting a couple of hours. Also notable were a few silver 'Y' moths, showing that some immigration is taking place. This was further evidenced by 9 red admirals and a painted lady. Other moths seen were green carpet, yellow shell and silver-ground carpet.

Started as a walk for birds, but the sun unexpectedly came out, so I was soon into insects instead. Not many butterflies, although the first small heaths (3) of the year popped out, also saw small tortoiseshell, green-veined white, speckled wood, and a couple of peacock larvae. It was gratifying to see so many insects, especially snipe flies which were in their hundreds; also a fair selection of hoverflies. Best two were what I think were a couple of new insects to me, a rove beetle and a sawfly. It's going to be a good week! 

A stoat ran across the road ahead of me, disappeared into a drystone wall, then its head popped up through a hole just 10 feet away and we stared at each other for about 20 seconds. Excellent.

Started as a hopeful look for birds, but thankfully the sun came out to rescue the afternoon.

Dragonflies restricted to a female emperor ovipositing into a pool which is normally dry at this time of year. Tried to dam the outflow so perhaps it might stay wetter in future. Nearby, at Brown Low, a Southern hawker was ranging about. Most of the butterflies were fading species of the Summer, but there were 3 Wall browns around the 'Low' area, somewhere they are not often seen these days. Hoverflies included Sericomyia silentis and Volucella inanis. 

More searching for 'new' insects after last trip's success with moths (the second 'antler' turned out to be a very worn true-lover's knot). Found another couple of species that I don't recognise and am having to research. In the meantime, here's a picture that is fairly difficult to obtain - a female (obviously) emperor ovipositing at the main pond (where two males also were, plus two brown hawkers inc a fem. also ovipositing). Tantalising glimpses of what was probably a black darter (as I also has on Monday).

The crazy season continues with the year's first Green hairstreak this afternoon (after about 5 minutes of sunshine)! Don't think I've ever seen one previously before May.

Quarry area: 3 peacocks and 1 small tortoiseshell. On the field above the quarry, was surprised to find a group of toads, mostly in the flooded wheel ruts. Counted four, and others were calling nearby. I'm pretty sure this was a first record (for me at least) for the site.

-- Edited by Andy Bissitt on Wednesday 20th of March 2019 08:40:34 PM

John Rayner wrote:

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And still they are emerging...

A very fresh looking Small Copper in flight then roosting in the grass. The latest date for Cheshire is 13th November so this date equals that one. Not sure of the late date for GM.

Cheers, John

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Another reason they, and others like small heath and wall, did well at this spot this year was the exclusion of sheep for the first time. Long may it continue.

John Rayner wrote:

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Small Coppers flying in 6 degrees day temp!! And at an elevation of over 900 feet.

Today I saw the amazing sight of at least 6 (possibly 7) Small Coppers. One dead but 5 very much alive were seen simultaneously whilst, roosting, nectaring and in flight. A couple of them chased each other and dropped down into the grass then the male began courtship wing-fluttering. This must be at least the 3rd generation. Some were very ragged but others in really good nick. (Steve, one of the ragged ones was a decent ab. caerulea-punctata)

They are hardy little creatures.

Cheers, John

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 They certainly are John. Here's a photo taken with my phone at 9:20 a.m. on the morning of 18th October when there was still a frost on the ground. How do they survive such a chilling combined with saturation? Seriously though, it is not a desirable situation as they have reached a dead end whereby any eggs laid will not be able to reach the larval stage in time to pass the Winter. This is one of the silent killers brought on by climate change.