A few moor migrants

A few migrants moving through at the patch this morning, with 3 Yellow Wagtail (2W, 1 around the livestock), 2 Willow Warbler, 1 Garden Warbler, 2 Common Whitethroat, 9 Blackcap (3H), 12 Chiffchaff (5H), 1 Sand Martin S, 27 Barn Swallow (some S, some lingering) and 1 Common Buzzard (E then W). Also, 1+ Hobby Still, 1+ Sparrowhawk, 2+ Kestrel, 1 Mistle Thrush, 1 Kingfisher (H along Bonehead Ditch), 1 Pied Wagtail over (H), 6 Skylark, 1f Reed Bunting, 1 Grey Heron, lots of Starling feeding around the livestock still, 32 Goldfinch, 1f Mallard with a few chicks on the Colne, and 1f Common Pheasant flushed from the one of the iris channels that was really unhappy with my presence - late breeder?

Juvenile Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris moulting into 1st winter plumage

Lots of good inverts seen. Quite a few Migrant Hawkers Aeshna mixta around, as well several Common Darters Sympetrum striolatum and lots of Banded Demoiselles Calopteryx splendens still. Butterflies noted included 2-3 Brown Argus, 4+ Small Copper, several Common Blue, 2 Speckled Wood, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 3+ Small Heath, lots of Meadow Browns, Gatekeepers, Green-veined Whites and Small Whites, and 3+ Silver Ys also seen. Orthoptera seen include 1 Short-winged Conehead Conocephalus dorsalis, 2 Long-winged Conehead Conocephalus discolor and lots of Meadow Grasshoppers Chorthippus parallelus and Field Grasshoppers Chorthippus brunneus.

Male Migrant Hawker Aeshna mixta

Male Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum - note the diagnostic yellow stripe on the legs

Meadow Grasshopper Chorthippus parallelus

Meadow Grasshopper Chorthippus parallelus. Quite a variation in colour

Field Grasshopper Chorthippus brunneus

Short-winged Conehead Conocephalus dorsalis

Early autumn at the patch

Some early signs of autumn passage at Staines Moor today, with 1 Green Sandpiper along the Colne this morning, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Sedge Warbler, 3 Garden Warbler, 4 Blackcap, 1 Common Whitethroat, and 8(3H) Chiffchaff all along the old railway (and 2 heard elsewhere), c.25 Meadow Pipit in the NW corner could be local birds, and 7 Barn Swallow over S. Also 1+ Hobby still, 1+ Kestrel, 2 Mistle Thrush, 1+ Grey Heron, 1-2 Kingfisher and 4+ Canada Geese.

A flighty Green Sandpiper on the Colne early morning

Shed loads of Lepidoptera around today: 1 Brown Argus, 3+ Small Copper, several Common Blue, (just) 1 Small Skipper, 2 Comma, 2 Peacock, lots of Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns, Green-veined Whites and Small Whites. Elsewhere 2 Small Heaths were noted, and a Holly Blue on the mud along Bonehead Ditch.

Brown Argus Aricia agestis

Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas

Male Common Blue Polyommatus icarus. I love how you can see the ventral side pattern through the wings on this pic.

Gatekeepers Pyronia tithonus are everywhere on the Moor at the moment!

Green-veined White Pieris napi

Small White Pieris rapae

A few moths also noted: 6 Silver Ys, and hundreds of Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella (there must be thousands present on the Moor at the moment), and a couple of Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella.

Six Silver Ys Autographa gamma disturbed from the grass today - a mini influx!

Pearl Veneer Agriphila straminella

Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella

Other bugs included: 1 Long-winged Conehead Conocephalus discolor, and lots of hoverflies including a Eristalis horticola, a Female Helophilus trivittatus, and a male Long Hoverfly Sphaerophoria scripta.

Long-winged Conehead Conocephalus discolor

Eristalis horticola

Female Helophilus trivittatus

Male Long Hoverfly Sphaerophoria scripta?