Friday 31 May 2019

The caterpillar I collected on the 25th May has now pupated in a silk hammock. I'm still sticking with an ID of a blood-vein moth.

Unknown pupa, ex larva, Christophstal May 2019

Unknown pupa, ex larva, Christophstal May 2019

Monday 27 May 2019
Small elephant Hawk-moth, ex larva, Christophstal May 2019

Small elephant Hawk-moth, ex larva, Christophstal May 2019

Small elephant Hawk-moth, ex larva, Christophstal May 2019

Small elephant Hawk-moth, ex larva, Christophstal May 2019

The small elephant hawk-moth caterpillar I collected back in July last year emerged today.

Sunday 26 May 2019

I've just bought myself a very nice beetle identification book so I'll be giving beetles some attention this year. We're starting with the basics with this pair of 22-spot ladybirds.

This common lizard was basking in the sun. He's clearly lost his tail in the near past.

A pair of slow worms were writhing about under the privet hedge.

We had swifts, swallows and house martins flying about today. I've included a photo of a swallow as they're usually quite difficult to photograph in flight.

In the evening, I was able to deploy my new beetle book again on this more challenging individual. In fact the book failed me as this species isn't in there. This is Platyrhinus resinosus - a fungus eater - and delightfully sluggish.

22-spot ladybird, Christophstal May 2019

22-spot ladybird, Christophstal May 2019

Common lizard, Christophstal May 2019

Common lizard, Christophstal May 2019

Mating slow worms, Christophstal May 2019

Mating slow worms, Christophstal May 2019

Mating slow worms, Christophstal May 2019

Mating slow worms, Christophstal May 2019

Swallow, Christophstal May 2019

Swallow, Christophstal May 2019

<em>Platyrhinus resinosus</em>, Christophstal May 2019

Platyrhinus resinosus, Christophstal May 2019

Platyrhinus resinosus, Christophstal May 2019

Platyrhinus resinosus, Christophstal May 2019

Saturday 25 May 2019
Peacock butterfly caterpillars on stinging nettle, Christophstal May 2019

Peacock butterfly caterpillars on stinging nettle, Christophstal May 2019

Grizzled skipper butterfly ovipositing, Christophstal May 2019

Grizzled skipper butterfly ovipositing, Christophstal May 2019

Grizzled skipper butterfly egg, Christophstal May 2019

Grizzled skipper butterfly egg, Christophstal May 2019

Unknown caterpillar, Christophstal May 2019

Unknown caterpillar, Christophstal May 2019

A beautiful sunny day with occasional thundery showers.

We went down to the dry stone wall to see if the sand lizards were out and about. They weren't, but we saw a nice lot of peacock butterfly caterpillars in front of the house. I also collected a geometrid caterpillar from the dry stone wall. I suspect this is a blood-vein moth.

On the way back we saw a grizzled skipper butterfly ovipositing and I collected one of the eggs she laid.

Friday 24 May 2019

I have been expecting to see a ring ouzel in the valley ever since we got here. Today I finally saw one at the top of one of the conifers around the back of the house. I ran to my camera as quickly as I could, but it had gone by the time I got there. I'd normally doubt what I actually saw, but I got a really good look through binoculars and it was a finely marked male, so I'm absolutely certain of of the ID.

The blue tits that are nesting in one of  house martin boxes are coming and going regularly. Here's a photo of some food going in.

Blue tit with food for the nest, Christophstal May 2019

Blue tit with food for the nest, Christophstal May 2019

Thursday 23 May 2019
Pipistrelle? bat, Christophstal May 2019

Pipistrelle? bat, Christophstal May 2019

Pipistrelle? bat, Christophstal May 2019

Pipistrelle? bat, Christophstal May 2019

Pipistrelle? bat, Christophstal May 2019

Pipistrelle? bat, Christophstal May 2019

Pipistrelle? bat, Christophstal May 2019

Pipistrelle? bat, Christophstal May 2019

Pipistrelle? bat, Christophstal May 2019

Pipistrelle? bat, Christophstal May 2019

A bat was flying around the house this evening around 7:30pm. I think it is a pipistrelle.

Tuesday 7 May 2019

We had both male and female blackcaps in the garden today.

Male blackcap, Christophstal May 2019

Male blackcap, Christophstal May 2019

Female blackcap, Christophstal May 2019

Female blackcap, Christophstal May 2019