25th Nov 2012 ...Migrant micro

It was a nice day in Bedfordshire today, a brief respite between two weather fronts.
So I dragged my knackered knee and daughters dog along the local river Ivel, a feeder for the the Great Ouse.
As I wandered downstream of Jordans Mill (of health food bars fame) I was thrilled by the sight of a Kingfisher whirring past with the sunlight reflecting from its superb plumage, a strong contender for Britains most beautiful bird.

Pathway along the river Ivel

Found this leaf mine on an oak sapling that had retained its browning leaves, maybe a Stigmella spp. ?

Mine on oak leaf

I have switched on the garden traps tonight but had to cover them at 19.30 hrs as the next weather front moved in with its accompanying rain, but I found this Rusty Dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis on the trap before the covers were hastily put in place a couple of  hours ago.....

1395 Udea ferrugalis

26th Nov  am.... 8deg min with frequent periods of rain
Trap results:-
1 x 0998 Epiphyas postvittana, Light Brown Apple Moth
1 x 1395 Udea ferrugalis, Rusty Dot Pearl
1 x 2256 Eupsilia transversa, Satellite

28th Aug, The Mill, Biggleswade

Rain stopped play last night so nothing to report.
Today, took grandkids Keely and Louie to to the little park at the old mill (long since converted to des.res.) next to the River Ivel which flows through home town Biggleswade and is a feeder for the Great Ouse.
Coming through The Dells to Back St we checked out the Prickly Lettuce plants that seem to grow out of the asphalt edges of the paths and it wasn't long before Louie found the first Small Ranunculus larva, in fact almost every small patch of plants was occupied .....

... small wonder that I get so many adults in the garden.
There is also plenty of Ivy-leaved Toadflax sprawling down the brick walls along the pedestrian footpaths but no sign of any Toadflax Brocade larva, maybe the wrong time of year ?

Ivy-leaved Toadflax

The Mill, River Ivel

River Ivel

20 years ago the banks of the Ivel were covered with Common Comfrey and Purple Loosestrife etc, but now the invasive Himalayan Balsam has taken over.

A few young bunnies were having a nibble at the quiet end of the park

Cameraria ohridella on every leaf of the parks Horse Chestnuts trees

A larva found by the grandkids.... anyone ?
Bright-line Brown-eye looks good

I've been on the lookout for one of these in the garden recently... Red Underwing on its last legs, found in the park by Keely