A morning check around the irrigation lagoon at Hadham Hall this morning was eventful in that several new day flying moths were recorded as well as a new plant for the parish and the first emperor dragonfly of 2014.
The moths on the wing were the expected, but never recorded in the parish before, Mother Shipton and the burnet companion. Both common moths and just a matter of time before I found them.
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| Mother shipton |
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| burnet companion |
As well as the emperor dragonfly, azure damselflies and common blue damselflies were present in good numbers (100+.) Also, several male common blue butterflies were nectaring on the plants, particularly, the clover.
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| common blue (male) |
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| common blue damselfies |
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| azure blue damselflies |
Bird wise, a solitary tufted duck was on the lagoon, some moorhens and coots whilst 5 swallows were feeding over the water. Both green and great spotted woodpeckers were heard and a pair of red legged partridge were flushed from the wheat field. Linnets, yellowhammers and whitethroats were all in good voice, as were a few skylarks.
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| moorhen |
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| coot |
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| tufted duck |
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| swallow |
An unusual plant was found, a common broomrape, a new species for the parish records. Several of these parasitic plants were just flowering. They derive all sustenance from their host plant, in the case of common broomrape, it feeds on clover.
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| common broomrape |
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