May 2022
3rd May 2022 - (Tuesday, Kedd)
Not too many butterflies at the SQ ... mainly because the drought has meant fewer plants in flower. But those seen were: Small Copper, Grizzled Skipper, Scarce Swallowtail, and Wood White. A Mother Shipton moth was photographed despite being very active. A single Green Tree Frog called from near Rock Bath 1, but I couldn't find it. Closer examination of my RB1 images revealed a single Fire-bellied Toad peering up through the water surface. One clump of spawn was seen in the centre of RB1. Two male pheasants strolled about on the airfield road, and the calls of Cuckoo, Nightingale, Chiffchaff, Yellowhammer, Hoopoe, and Bee-eater were heard. A Marsh Harrier and a Kestrel hunted over the bushes nearby. I was delighted to find that the single Green-winged Orchid that appears periodically inside the fence near the houses had put in another appearance this year. And how magnificent it looked! Two Green Lzards were seen, one of them about 2/3rd grown.
12th May 2022 - (Thursday, Csütörtök)
A mainly sunny day although clouds kept covering the sun and causing camera setting changes. The strong wind didn't help plant and insect photography either! Butterflies seen: Queen of Spain Fritillary, Grizzled Skipper, Dingy Skipper, Orange Tip (male), Small Heath, and Wood White = 6 species. Several Clouded Apollo were seen in the usual area at the airfield, but this species has never been recorded in the SQ, to our knowledge. Moths seen were: Speckled Yellow and some Grass Moths.
25th May 2022
A sunny, but windy, afternoon visit. My butterfly images are better than I imagined as the plant stems were blowing backwards and forwards! Butterflies recorded: Painted Lady, Sooty Copper (male and female), Pearly Heath, Silver-studded Blue (several), Common Blue (male), Chequered Blue (male), Clouded Yellow (unknown species), and Queen of Spain Fritillary = 8 species. The drought has reduced the quantity of flowering plants, and this has had a knock-on effect on the numbers of butterflies within the SQ. The only water is in Rock Bath 1, and the water level is dropping quite quickly. No amphibians seen or heard today. One Nightingale was seen in the air.