11th & 12th April..Spring edges into Doorstepshire

On Wednesday I tootled for no particular reason to Grimley Camp Lane. I enjoyed a hour or so on the causeway observing nothing outstanding, save for a male Wheatear which was occupying a dung heap on the westerly field.My attention turned to the increase of invertebrates on the wing, with a good emergence of St Marks Flies ( St Marks day is April 25th) and quite a few Alderflies.

Alderfly

From there I scooped up JK for a reconnaissance of the Shropshire side of the Wyre,  and a likely butterfly patch. The weather was closing in, and I was thankful to spot my first Speckled Wood of the year, as well as a Green Tiger Beetle



Green Tiger Beetle

With the weather continuing to be showery I decided to return for a spot of migration watching at Upton on Thursday. Unfortunately only the Hirundines seemed to taking it seriously, but after being pinned down in the east hide by rain, the sun came out and I decided to do a bit of butterfly spotting. I was chuffed to see my second Brimstone of the year, and the Orange Tips refused to allow me a decent pic, which was begining to annoy me as I had never photographed this species.

There had been a Redstart reported in Shenstone by JK earlier in the day. I had no expectation it would still be about but thought I would have a cheeky look as it was on the way home. I jumped out the car at the location I guessed it would be, and immediately saw a distant but wonderfully coloured male Redstart. Fortunately I had my scope so I set up and enjoyed the bird flitting up and down from the hedge into the paddock. What a bird for the year tick ! As it was over a hundred yards away the record shot is what it is, a record shot,you had to be there.

 

Male Redstart Fantastic colour !