This afternoon I tried my best to add the one more species needed for the months list that would take it past the mean average number of species seen in July, that being 63.3, but try as I might, I couldn't find it, and the July list remained on 63, only a fraction below the mean, but still 6 species less than the highest July tally and 2 behind last year, putting this Julys list in 7th place out of 11, this is the 3rd month this year where I have not reached the months mean average total.

With the combined list for all the eleven July's being 88, it shows that there were 25 species that have visited in previous Julys that could have been seen this month, some of the more likely were Sand martin, Lapwing, Garden Warbler and Willow Warbler, also a big miss is the arrival of the Marsh Tit, it has turned up in most Julys and stayed over the Autumn/Winter, but none has arrived for this or last year  :-(  In spite of the lack of variety this month I still had two species that have not been recorded in previous Julys, the Coot and the Siskin, there's always something to end up on a cheery note  :-)

I did see more bird life than yesterdays visit this afternoon, Raptors were out, with BUZZARD, PEREGRINE, SPARROWHAWK and KESTREL all seen, and a few of the summer species were also recorded, up to 6 WHITETHROAT were in the Tree Nursery, with a CHIFFCHAFF, while at the Greenhouse Grounds there were 2 BLACKCAPS, the 40-60 SWALLOWS were whizzing around everywhere, and as I scanned them for a Sand |martin, I saw 3 SWIFTS up high, these will be getting very scarce here during August. Not much more to note than that, the usual 3 Gull species went over, and a LITTLE OWL was calling from the Greenhouse Copse.

I left the camera at home today, with the heavy cloud and occasional showers passing through it wasn't very conducive to photography, but I've got a few 'blog brighteners' that I took last weekend at my garden feeders, just the normal visitors  :-)

ROBIN

Immature BLUE TIT

Female CHAFFINCH

Back to work today, and back to the afternoon visits, which are never as productive as a morning visit, and today proved very unproductive  :-)  I walked the Greenhouse Grounds, Migrant Alley, and the Tree Nursery, as well as my first visit for months to the Pub Field, which has got a crop of Wheat in it, this has only just become ripe and dry enough to walk through, the footpath was ploughed and planted, so there has been  no way through it without getting soaked to the waist!

Anyway, in some indifferent weather conditions, which included sunny spells and a moderate SW breeze, there wasn't much that I saw that made the notebook, just the family of KESTRELS that seem to have got back together, 2 were hunting over the Tree Nursery while 2 maybe 3 were over Migrant Alley and the Greenhouse Grounds. HERRING GULLS, LESSER BLACK BACKED GULLS and BLACK HEADED GULLS all went over, a single SWIFT was seen, plus the 40-60 SWALLOWS hawking for insects were ever present around me. No other summer species were seen or heard.

 With just one more patch visit left for July, it looks like being another below par month for the number of species found, more on the stats tomorrow  :-)

One of the Kestrels

Today's weather was the reverse of yesterday, with the morning bright and sunny and the afternoon showery, which suited me  :-)

I got out by 05:45hrs, and headed as always at this time of year across to the Greenhouse Grounds, Migrant Alley and then on to the College Grounds, two GREYLAG GEESE flew over as I left home, and the SWALLOWS were already up in the sky catching insects, WOODPIGEON, GREENFINCH, JACKDAW, BLUE TIT, STARLING, a calling PHEASANT, plus CHAFFINCH, CARRION CROW, GOLDFINCH and WREN all went into the note book in quick succession. There were a couple of COLLARED DOVES at the Greenhouse Complex Grounds, along with the WHITETHROAT and BLACKCAPS that hang around there, under the poly tunnels BLACKBIRDS and SONGTHRUSH fed on the fallen raspberries.

At Migrant Alley I scanned all the fence lines for an early migrant, I always hope for a Wheatear or a Whinchat, or maybe something more scarce, but it wasn't to be today, still to early I think  :-)  Just the ROOKS were on the fence lines. HERRING GULL, BLACK HEADED GULL and LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL all were seen going over, and looking back across the fields I saw two KESTRELS on the Greenhouses. 13 more Greylags were on one of the paddocks, with two CANADA GEESE, as well as 5 MAGPIES.

At the College Grounds, it was not as quiet as yesterday, but still not very active either, CHIFFCHAFF, ROBIN, HOUSE SPARROW, PIED WAGTAIL, GREEN WOODPECKER, TREECREEPER, DUNNOCK, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, MOORHEN, GOLDCREST, and at last the first GREAT TIT of the morning were all seen, and of course mustn't forget the SPOTTED FLYCATCHERS, one of which sat in some perfect light for a photo, but as you can see, it wasn't in the perfect position!

Almost the classic Spotfly Photo! Of course as I moved round to get the bill in shot, the bird flew off!

A KINGFISHER again was seen on one of the small garden ponds, and I noted another CORMORANT fly over followed a few minutes later by a GREY HERON. A young fox showed itself well, giving me a quick burst of photo's of it.

Young Fox

Young Fox

I had 39 species on the list When I re-traced my steps and headed over to the Small Holding, Wet Woods, Scrubby Woods and Lake area, so there wasn't an awful lot more to be found, especially as I added LINNET to the list on the way there. I had a good look around anyway, and added JAY from the Small holding, STOCK DOVE from the Wet Woods, as well as BULLFINCH, NUTHATCH, LONG TAILED TIT, and COAL TIT from the Scrubby Woods, which were part of a mixed feeding flock. The lakes, as is nearly always the case at this time of year especially, was mostly devoid of birds, I added just MALLARD to the days list.

I finished up at the Tree Nursery, where the last bird species for the morning, the 48th, was added - a SPARROWHAWK. An average tally then, on an average type visit!

This Goldfinch was on a thistle at the Tree Nursery, an immature one, but already learning whats good to eat  ;-)

Immature Goldfinch, learning how to survive

The weather was pretty dismal this morning, being cool and damp with dark low cloud giving rain at times, however, that cleared by 11:30hrs and it turned out warm and sunny for the afternoon.

The four hour full patch walk, produced 46 species, a good half dozen less than recent visits, the bird activity was much less as well, especially at the College Grounds, where most of yesterdays families had moved on or hidden up, apart from the SPOTTED FLYCATCHERS, two young were seen being fed by both parents. There were no Greylag Geese on the paddocks at Migrant Alley, but as I passed, a MALLARD came in from the north, calling as it came, eventually alighting on a paddock, must be the one that hangs around with the Geese, but she's lost them all today! She wasn't totally alone though, as I counted 66 SWALLOWS on the fence line, mostly young ones, and two SKYLARKS dropped in to the sheep pasture in the next field.

Two KESTRELS were hunting around the Greenhouse Grounds, and a SPARROWHAWK over the Tree Nursery, they were the only Raptors seen today, a GREY HERON, a few HERRING GULLS and a LESSER BLACK BACK GULL were the only flyovers seen this morning.

The Scrubby Woods and Lake area gave me some shelter from the rain, and as I stood under the Oak canopy a mixed feeding flock moved through above me, this included BLUE and GREAT TIT, CHAFFINCH, NUTHATCH, TREECREEPER, CHIFFCHAFF, BLACKCAP and GOLDCREST, a few WRENS and ROBINS were tagging along with them as well, seeing that lot was probably the highlight of the morning  :-)  The adjacent main lake had a CORMORANT fishing on it, and a KINGFISHER flew across too, but that was it, apart from a lone Mallard and a MOORHEN family.

I finished up at the Tree Nursery, where a lone TURTLE DOVE and two STOCK DOVES flew from the vegetation, also here of note were a family of WHITETHROATS and a LESSER WHITETHROAT, this LINNET, one of a pair that were attending a nest site there, was the only photo taken this morning.

Linnet

This afternoon things had both brightened and warmed up considerably, so i found some time to walk around the wilderness that is the Tree Nursery to find some Butterflies. There were plenty to be seen, mostly MEADOW BROWN, GATEKEEPER, and SKIPPERS, they were seen in there scores, also a HOLLY BLUE, a RED ADMIRAL, LARGE and SMALL WHITE and my first PEACOCK since May were all seen. I got a real bonus bird for July fly over whilst I was chasing the Butterflies, a SISKIN (63) came bounding over, calling as it went, the first ever Siskin to be recorded in any July, I wonder if this was a local breeder or a migrant bird from up north. The previous earliest Siskin was one recorded on August the 10th, back in 2004.

Peacock

Peacock, isn't Ragwort a briliant plant for the insects!

Small White

This moth species was also enjoy some sun, I think it's a Six Spot Burnett Moth

Lastly, this Hawker Dragonfly was seen on the Hedge boundary, I think this is a Southern Hawker, or maybe a Migrant Hawker - i'll stick with the first option i think  :-)

The fine weather finally came to an end this morning, low cloud, a bit of rain, greeted me as I left at 05:45hrs.

All change with the weather this morning

The rain eased away during the 5 hour visit, and it became warm and humid under the cloud cover, but once again it was a good day for finding the birds, another very good tally of 51 species was seen today, nothing new for the month, but the sighting of a lone MISTLE THRUSH, then two, as they flew over was a sign that things are moving around, as was the sighting of a group of 6 CORMORANT, they flew north, followed later by a single one, all passed over Migrant Alley, where a dozen GREYLAG GEESE were again on a paddock, and today they had the female MALLARD tagging along again.

It was a good day again for seeing the Raptor species as well, four species turned up, only the Buzzard avoided detection, although there probably was one up high that I missed! I didn't miss the HOBBY though, it whizzed through stopping only to chase a few of the 40 SWALLOWS that were over Migrant Alley, where I also saw the PEREGRINE pair in synchronized flight, then there was the SPARROWHAWK that put in an appearance at the College Grounds, but only one KESTREL was seen, perched on the Greenhouses, the family looks to have dispersed now, nice to have a good outcome for them :-)

Kestrel on the Greenhouses

At the College Grounds there was much activity, family parties of CHIFFCHAFF, BLACKCAP, WHITETHROAT, COAL TIT, and the SPOTTED FLYCATCHERS were all found, as well as young BLACKBIRDS, SONG THRUSHES, ROBINS, WRENS and DUNNOCKS.

Chiffchaff

This Chiffchaff was feeding the two below  :-)

Hungry Fledgling Chiffy

Another hungry Chiffy  :-)

Flyovers were much the same as yesterday, as well as the mentioned Cormorants, GREY HERON, HERRING GULL, BLACK HEADED GULL, and LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL all went over in ones and two's, plus a few SWIFTS were about.

One of the two recently fledged Spotted Flycatchers

The lakes and Scrubby Woods area provided all that I would expect, with TREECREEPER, NUTHATCH, LONG TAILED TIT, GOLDCREST, more Coal Tits and a pair of BULLFINCH all being found.

The spell of sunny warm weather continued today for my second holiday full patch visit, where a really good total of 53 species were recorded, that's quite some going for my patch in July, in fact the combined visits of yesterday and today have produced 57 of the 60 species seen so far in July, the ones that got away were Yellowhammer, Grey Wagtail and Coot.

You will be relieved to hear I finally added MISTLE THRUSH (61) to the months list, two flew over Migrant Alley, plus I found two almost fully fledged MANDARIN DUCK (62) in the Wet Woods, the first time I have found them in there this month, there are so many places for them to hide in there though  :-)

More good news was the sighting of two newly fledged SPOTTED FLYCATCHERS at the College Grounds, I don't think these are from the pair that lost there original brood, it's a bit too soon for them to have raised another brood yet, this is the other pair,  lets hope for better luck for this attempt :-)

Raptors today included a lone BUZZARD that flew from concealment at the Scrubby Woods, the KESTREL family, and a SPARROWHAWK. Other notables were a singing TURTLE DOVE in the Wooded Headland at Migrant Alley, a KINGFISHER was again on one of the ponds at the College Grounds, and those sometimes hard to find species like, BULLFINCH, COAL TIT, TREECREEPER, LONG TAILED TIT, and GOLDCREST all showed up today.

Flyovers from CORMORANT, GREY HERON, LESSER BLACK BACKED and HERRING GULL, plus a few small skeins of GREYLAG GEESE helped push the daylist along, just one HOUSE MARTIN and one SWIFT were seen, along with a possible Sand Martin, but that flew into the sun and disappeared, that would have been a new one for the months list, which with today's two additions stands at 62, the joint 7th best July total, joint with 2002.

Only a few photographs were taken today.

Greylag Geese on the paddocks at Migrant Alley

Immature GREENFINCH

Heavily moulting BLACKBIRD

This is the Buzzard that flew from the Scrubby Woods

Finally, another Common Darter

 A quick walk around the Greenhouse Grounds yesterday evening didn't produce much, but I did encounter a family of 3 LITTLE OWLS sitting on fence posts, another species confirmed successfully breeding on my patch, the 41st to do so this year.

For the first of my holiday walks this morning it was already tee-shirt weather at 6am! Four hours later, after recording 51 species, the heat was far too much for me, and I retired for a cool drink in the shady shelter of my garden.

Early in the walk, as I passed through Migrant Alley, I noticed a dove winging its way straight at me, it came from out of the low sun, so I had to wait for it to fly over before I could id it as a TURTLE DOVE, but just a split second after identifying it, the dove exploded in a plume of feathers Wham! A male PEREGRINE had snatched it from the sky, just 30 foot above me   :-(  The falcon then circled tightly, and was joined by its partner, and the unfortunate dove was passed to the female in mid air, the falcons both then flew off to the south - a wildlife spectacle to behold, but it would have been enjoyed more if the prey was a common old Collared Dove!

The Peregrine was the first of a fabulous five Raptors seen today, a HOBBY was observed chasing the SWALLOWS over the College Stables, a SPARROWHAWK flew from the Greenhouse Copse, three BUZZARDS ''mewed'' as they circled over the Tree Nursery and Wet Woods, and lastly the KESTREL family were up hunting, quite something to find five raptors on my small patch.

Other notable events this morning were the passage of 57 JACKDAWS, they flew high over the lake and Scrubby Woods in a strung out flock, also a few skeins of GREYLAG GEESE were seen flying over, the largest one containing 43 birds, there was also a small gathering of 8 Greylags on the sheep pasture at Migrant Alley, not unusual, but they had a single MALLARD in tow! Was this the same Mallard I watched flyover my house early one morning last week with a Greylag ? Probably! Just one small skein of 5 CANADA GEESE went over, plus various size groups of BLACK HEADED and HERRING GULL, 2 LESSER BLACK BACKED GULLS were hawking for insects over the recently cut pasture around the Greenhouse Complex, also two more CORMORANTS flew over the Greenhouses late on in the walk, only the second sighting of this species for July.

A KINGFISHER was on the largest lake, but little else, just a scattering of MOORHEN and four Mallards. NUTHATCH, TREECREEPER, GOLDCREST and COAL TIT were all found amongst a feeding flock in the Scrubby Woods, strangely no Long Tailed Tit was seen with them, I didn't see one for the whole visit, another bird that eluded me this morning was the Spotted Flycatcher, might be a good sign, as they are a bit more secretive when Young are in the nest. The much looked for Mistle Thrush has still to be added to the months list, which languishes in 9th place out of the eleven July lists.

Female BLACKCAP

This fledgling Blackcap can only just of left the nest this morning :-)

Yet another Moorhen brood, these were at the College Grounds

Grey Squirrel - I don't normally take squirrel photo's, but this one looked in spanking condition in the Early morning sun :-)

The fine spell of weather continued today, if anything it was hotter than yesterday, making for a very tiring afternoon patch visit. With temperatures in the 80's and sunshine pouring down, I decided to visit the Tree Nursery again, mainly to see what butterflies and Damselflies were about. Birds were at a premium at this time of day, in this heat, but there were a few LINNETS about, mainly to-ing and fro-ing from nest sites, BLACKBIRDS and SONGTHRUSH were heard scurrying beneath the shrubs, hiding away while they go through their moult, and three of the KESTREL family were seen up hunting, it was interesting to see all the SWALLOWS having a break from whizzing around the sky, around 30-40 birds were seen lined up on the Greenhouse roofs.

The Butterflies that were present were few in species, but many in number, scores of Skippers were flitting busily from thistle to ragwort, as were hundreds of Meadow Browns, just two Green veined Whites were found, with one Large white, one Small White, one Small Copper, one Holly Blue, and a Red Admiral.

A visit to the run off pool was made, where again an Emperor Dragonfly was seen, as well as the Common darters, Common and Azure Blues, and Blue Tailed Damselflies. Walking back home totally drained from the heat of the day ( I didn't think I would be saying that a week ago!) I noticed two LESSER BLACK BACKED GULLS foraging over a field of fresh cut hay, whilst higher up a dozen BLACK HEADED GULLS fed on the thousands of flying insects brought out by the hot weather, the same insects that should of been around for the SPOTTED FLYCATCHER brood that seems to have perished in the run of poor weather earlier in the month, but, and its only a maybe, I'm sure I saw a Spotted Flycatcher carrying food as I walked home from work through the College Grounds, fingers crossed !

I'm on holiday for the rest of this week, so I'll be able to get out for some early patch walks and find that Mistle Thrush still needed for the July list  :-)

A couple of photo' s from today  :-)

Meadow brown

Essex Skipper (?)

The weather has now made a complete turn around, the cool, wet and windy weather we have suffered endured for the last 3 months has given way to wall to wall blue skies and hot sunshine  :-)

After I had finished work I went over to the Tree Nursery to see what Butterflies and Damselflies were about, not as many as I had expected was the answer, maybe it was too hot for them! There were plenty of Meadow Browns and Small Skippers, with, I suspect, Essex Skippers amongst them, a dozen Gatekeepers, a couple of Red Admirals, and a Small Copper were also seen, plus my first Holly Blue since the spring  :-)

With the sun beating down on me, I had to take a rest in a shaded area, and as I watched the SWALLOWS flitting about the blue, I spotted a larger black bird above them, I had a look through my bins and was pleased to see it was a CORMORANT (60) at last I've found one for the month! That was it for the birding highlights, not many were seen out in the open during the heat of the day, i'll have a walk out this evening once it cools off a bit.

I had a look at the run off pool at the bottom of the Tree Nursery while out, and saw a few Damsels, including Azure Blue, Common Blue and Blue Tailed, as well as the White Legged, there was also a Common Darter and an Emperor Dragonfly. A CHIFFCHAFF dropped in for a drink whilst I was there  :-)

Just one of the KESTREL family was up hunting today, and the first SPAROWHAWK since the 15th was also seen.
 I took 135 photo's today - here's the ones I kept  :-)

This immature WOODPIGEON is only the second one ive seen this year

Immature SONGTHRUSH

The Chiffchaff that came down for a drink

My first Holly Blue Butterfly since the spring, egg laying on ivy, as the second brood does

Having brown tips to its antenna, I say this is a small skipper, not Essex  :-)

White-legged Damselfly

Blue tailed damselfly

Common Darter

What a contrast in the day! This morning at 05:45hrs I set out on my full patch walk, the first two hours were cool, damp and frustratingly foggy, finding any birds was a real struggle, but by 09:30 hrs the sun had broke through producing some lovely warm sunny conditions.

A total of 47 species were found at the end of the five hour visit, things picking up after a slow start, but the Mistle Thrush, and Cormorant still manged to go unfound this month, no July has passed without these two species being found, could this year be the first ? Also not seen today were Spotted Flycatcher, Mallard, Pheasant and Sparrowhawk, all regulars recently, no Geese were about today either, so the days tally could have easily been in the low fifties with a bit more luck! BLACKCAPS and CHIFFCHAFFS continue to sing though, and both the COMMON and LESSER WHITETHROAT were recorded, two TURTLE DOVES were seen, one at the Scrubby Woods, the other at the wooded Headland at Migrant Alley, where a few SWIFTS were high up feeding as well as 40+ SWALLOWS.

Most of the bird activity was seen over at the Scrubby Woods, as the fog had lifted by then, I found the mixed feeding flock again, which appears to be getting bigger,  family parties of NUTHATCH, GOLDREST, TREECREEPER, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, CHAFFINCH, BLUE TIT and GREAT TIT were seen, and with them, at last, I found a party of recently fledged LONG TAILED TITS, the 40th species to have successfully fledged young on my patch this year. As I was photographing the Long Tailed Tits, a HOBBY drifted past overhead, and a little later a BUZZARD was seen perched up in an Oak.

On the adjacent lakes, not a thing was on the water, but a KINGFISHER was heard then seen zipping across the water. Hopefully, I can get out this evening for a sky watch at Migrant Alley, i'll be looking out for a Cormorant or Mistle Thrush  ;-)

Photo's today...........

Yep, Another WREN photo, at least this ones a bit different  :-)

Long Tailed Tit

Small Copper - The first seen for weeks!

Large White

Common Darter

Thanks to all you fellow bloggers out there who helped ID yesterdays Hoverflies and Water Beetle, plus those who put me right on the Small/Essex Skipper, all have been edited now  :-)

Back to this mornings full patch walk, and it was undertaken in weather more fitting for July (at last!) some long sunny spells were had, with occasional cloud, and it still stayed warm even when the sun wasn't out !

I set off at 06:00hrs for a five hour visit, which although produced fifty bird species, none were new for the Month or year list, I was hoping for the two most likely candidates to turn up for July, those being a flyover Cormorant, and a Mistle Thrush, but neither appeared, maybe tomorrow :-)

The first birds on the list today were a bit different from the usual species, when a GREYLAG GOOSE flew over with a MALLARD just as I walked from the back door!  Things resumed to the normal order, and BLACKBIRD, BLUE TIT, MAGPIE, JACKDAW, WREN, WOODPIGEON, GREEN WOODPECKER, GOLDFINCH, LINNET, GREENFINCH, COLLARD DOVE, and CHAFFINCH were the next dozen specie recorded.

It was good to see a KINGFISHER on the College Stream again, and another, possibly the same one, was on one of the small ponds in the College Grounds, easily beating off my attempts to photograph it! Most of the 'summer' species were seen on the visit today, a LESSER WHITETHROAT was in the Tree Nursery, COMMON WHITETHROATS were also here, and also in the Greenhouse Complex grounds, BLACKCAPS were heard from all parts of my patch, as were CHIFFCHAFFS, but the only TURTLE DOVE was at MIGRANT ALLEY sitting on power cables that cross the area, SWIFTS and SWALLOWS were hawking for insects over Migrant Alley too, lastly, sadly only one SPOTTED FLYCATCHER was seen at the College grounds, maybe they will lay a replacement clutch of eggs to replace the lost brood, but time is not on their side  :-( The only other Summer Migrant I could have expected to see this morning would have been a House Martin, or maybe less likely a Hobby or Garden Warbler.

Over at the Scrubby Woods I found the first mixed feeding flock of the Autumn, when 30 or so birds were seen in the Oak canopy, BLUE TITS, GREAT TITS, LONG TAILED TITS, GOLDCRESTS, Chiffchaff, TREECREEPER, NUTHATCH and Chaffinch were all recorded. The nearby lake had only 8 CANADA GEESE to trouble the note book, no sign of any Coot today, young or old.

The final 40 minutes of the visit was spent Skywatching from my perch at Migrant Alley, where I watched the KESTREL family again, plus two COMMON BUZZARDS, and a PEREGRINE, strangely though, no Sprawk today. LESSER BLACK BACKED, BLACK HEADED and HERRING GULLS all went over, the latter was having a bit of a battle with a GREY HERON!

Photo's opportunities were few and far between today, despite some good light :-

Spotted Flycatcher - A scarce sight nowadays. Not as scarce as that big blue background has been this summer though!  :-)

Common Whitethroat

Rook

The heavy showers predicted for this afternoon didn't materialise thankfully, but it did come over a bit dark at times, however it remained warm, and some short sunny spells were also had  :-) These enticed me to take a trip around the Tree Nursery looking for Butterflies and other insects, with the birds taking a back seat mostly. There were plenty of Butterflies about, hundreds of Meadow Browns, and scores of Skippers, mostly Small and Large Skippers, but i'm sure I found my first Essex Skipper amongst them, this is the 22nd and probably the final Butterfly species i'll find on my patch this year now. Green Veined White, Red Admiral, Small White and Speckled Wood made up a nice variety for the hour I spent in the Tree nursery. Whilst looking for Flutters I found a couple of Hoverfly species, which some kind soul might identify for me from the photo's below, I also encountered a large diving beetle in a shallow puddle that also needs Identifying, the puddles have been around so long now that they have developed there own pond life!

I eventually moved over to the Greenhouse Grounds, where I watched a mixed family of BLACKCAPS and WHITETHROATS, I also watched 3 of the KESTREL family flying together and calling to each other  :-)  SWALLOW, SWIFT, HOUSE MARTIN and CHIFFCHAFF were the other summer birds noted, I didn't spend much time birding though, i'll leave that to tomorrow mornings full patch walk  :-)

Immature Whitethroat at the Greenhouse Grounds

Gatekeeper

Green Veined White

Meadow Brown

Meadow Brown and Small Skippers, most of the Ragweed had multiple butterflies on it this afternoon , magic sight!

I thought this was a Small Skipper, but it turned out to be my first Essex Skipper of the year....

I also thought these were Essex Skippers, but they are in fact Small Skippers

Small Skipper

Here's one of the unidentified Hoverflies  -  species 'A' ( thanks to Davo, for suggesting ''Eristalis pertinax''

And here's unidentified species  'B' any help appreciated :-) ( Thanks to Songbird for Identifying it as a Drone Fly)

Here's the Diving beetle that also needs a name, or is it a water boatman ? ( Thanks to Songbird again, for suggesting this is in fact a water Beetle, going by the name Acilius Sulcatus

Lastly, the only Dragonfly seen today,  a  Common Darter