The weather has been quite poor in the valleys so far this year. My hoverfly yearly total stands at a meagre 28, this time last year I was on 52.Over the weekend there was just about 3 hours sunshine on Sunday afternoon for a walkabout. Hoverfly numbers are still below average for the time of year and managed just 18 species headed by Chrysotoxum arcuatum, with Melanostoma scalare (18) being the most numerous.
Other insects are also a little scarce, just 3 species of Butterfly. But I did manage to photograph Gorse Shieldbug for the record.
Amongst the birds, summer visitors are now returning including singing/calling males of Cuckoo (2), Tree Pipit (1) Grasshopper Warbler (2), Whitethroat (3), Blackcap (2), Willow Warbler (11) and Chiffchaff (4). No Swifts, Swallows or House Martins yet though (2 pairs of Sand Martin have returned to the lower valley site this week).
Although all the spring flowers are now in bloom like Cuckooflower and Early Dog Violet, the tree blossoms are all 3 weeks late like Rowan, Sycamore and Guelder Rose. In Fact Sallow is still in bloom from March ??.
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