Better insect variety

 The second warmish day in a row - what a summer! Light west breeze, overcast till the evening, then sunny spells.

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)
Water Rail 3 squealing - first since early summer

There where hardly any small birds around, until I encountered the mixed feeding flock, which is now larger than ever. Led by at least 30 Long-Tailed Tits and followed by Great, Blue and Coal Tits, plus several Willow Warbler, and probably Chiffchaff- 40 to 50 birds in total.

It would be nice to think that this Pheasant with a pink leg ring, obviously reared as a game bird, had decided the safest place to play the "game" is inside a Nature Reserve!

Butterflies included:
Small and Large White, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood, Small Skipper, Peacock and the first of the second generation Common Blue

Common Blue

Dragonflies:
Common Darter, Brown Hawker, Emperor.

Emperor 

And the first two Migrant Hawker of the year.

Another nice moth from Kevin's trap - Four-spotted Footman

They are quite scarce in Lancashire.
This one was probably a migrant. 

Finally, Janet spotted this Lime Hawk Moth caterpillar on Heysham Nature Reserve this morning. Presumably, the blue appendage evolved to make it look intimidating.

It works!