Spend the morning at Tophill Low NR with RL and ML. With spring wader passage over and everything down to breeding there wasn’t much bird wise of interest to see. A Common Sandpiper on South Marsh East was the only ‘vagrant’.Expected to see a few insects but even they were disappointing with the only Painted Lady refusing to settle and even the recent mass invasion of Diamond-back Moths failing to show. However had a few teneral damselflies with one proving to be our first Red-eyed of the year from a photo ny RL.
Teneral Red-eyed Damselfly-Tophill Low NR-RL
Dingy Skipper had been recently seen at Kiplingcotes so with good temperatures finally after recent dull days thought it worth a punt. Parked at the official reserve car park to save the long walk I usually take from Kiplingcotes Station. A bit windy in the quarry itself but quickly picked up a small brown butterfly which a settling was confirmed as Small Heath.
Small Heath-Kiplingcotes Chalk Pit YWT
Next, although not rare, was a nice Peacock which kept up with us the length of the quarry.
Peacock Butterfly-Kiplingcotes Chalk Pit YWT
Heard the familiar mewing of Common Buzzard and look up see not one but five drifting over.
Next had a male Common Blue but this just wouldn’t stop and eventually pushed it into the north-east corner where it finally gave itself up.
Common Blue Butterfly-Kiplingcotes Chalk Pit YWT
Walking back we were joined by MJ just in time to see our first Cinnabar Moth of the year.
Cinnabar Moth-Kiplingcotes Chalk Pit YWT
Reached the west end and were beginning to give up on Dingy Skipper but we saw a stout dragonfly. Initial thoughts were Four-spotted Chaser but had some suspicion it might be a Broad-bodied Chaser. Fortunately it ‘hung up’ allowing us to confirm it as the latter and all to get good pictures.
Female Broad-bodied Chaser-Kiplingcotes Chalk Pit YWT
Had an interesting butterfly which fly out of the reserve to the footpath but couldn’t be relocated and we were near to leaving when it or another landed on the bank below me. Ran back down to get a closer view and although initially unable to see it RL relocated it and I managed to get one clear shot to confirm it as Dingy Skipper before it flew towards ML and MJ then disappeared again.
Dingy Skipper-Kiplingcotes Chalk Pit YWT
Like Tophill Low NR Diamond-back Moths were scarce but had my first Straw Dot of the year.
Just after parting company with MJ she called and looking up had two low flying Red Kites.
Red Kite over Kiplingcotes Chalk Pit YWT
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