SPOT THE BEE FLY UPDATE 22 July 2022
Hello again, we hope you have all come through the heat unscathed! We have received quite a few contributions from across the counties since our last update, so thank you to you all!
First up, a note and a lovely photo of the beach at Portland from early riser Jackie Down. Thanks Jackie.
7th July:
“Hi Mike and Jenny,
This is our local beach at 7am this morning with Portland in the distance. I don’t mind walking the dog when the weather is this good. Best wishes to the Society. Jackie”
Next is ‘Old Faithfull’ Rob Agar with a couple of submissions, is it a Grasshopper or a Cricket, answers please! Thanks once again Rob.
“Spotted this on gates of a Cemetery in Aldershot on 7/7/22”
“Spotted this, excuse the pun, in Lakeside Nature Reserve yesterday, a Burnet moth...Rob”
Next, a further progress report from Ian and Viv in Dorset on their ‘nearly new’ garden pond, accompanied by a couple of lovely photos. Any comments on Ian’s thoughts regarding the Emperor on the Lily Pad?
13th July:
“Hi Mike and Jenny
I thought you would like to see how our two-year-old garden pond is maturing.
The Tetrapanax has survived it’s second winter and has branched out into two stems, so it is over 2 metres across.
It is difficult to see the Judas tree behind it now from this angle.
The second picture of a female Emperor dragonfly, I have included because she is laying in the shallow water on top of the Lily pad; I thought this odd.”
There are not many butterflies in the garden. We have Large Whites. Holly blue and yesterday I saw a Comma. No Red Admirals, no Painted ladies. It’s sad.
There is nothing else of note to report.
Best wishes. Ian & Viv
We then have a superb collection of photographs sent in by Jean Hoyle, taken on their recent trip to Iceland, Thanks Jean!
15th July:
Dear Mike.
I wondered if you would like to see some of the birds we saw in Iceland for the Bee Fly.
The Arctic terns were nesting near the roadside in many places so we stopped to photograph them but didn't get out because even opening the window they were trying to 'attack' us!!
We saw the snow bunting and the eider ducks on the same rocks in the south of Iceland near Jokulsarlon.
The Redshank was sitting on this rock on the drive from our hotel every day. We could sit by it without it flying away.
The Common Snipe was in the plants by a path to a waterfall that was very busy and it was very cautious.
The Black Tailed Godwit was also angry that we had stopped to take pictures - although initially not of the bird. The lupins were all over Iceland. Apparently they were introduced some years ago to bind the fragile soil in some areas but now they have taken over. They looked beautiful but locals don't always like them as they look so awful after they have flowered.
