Volcanic ash cloud over Iberia increases Tophill Low list

A rather unfortunate start to the day didn't mean a loss of enthusiasm... my bag made the plane... and came off again at 5.40am... prior to the 6.10am departure! But I could see the plane that was supposed to go to Faro... trip list potential was good... Audouin's, Black Vulture, Roller n the stuff... but ended with a moth somewhere on the Yorkshire Wolds that I think my driver knocked off it's flightpath, several Magpies, 2 Grey Partidge and the train was travelling way to fast to confirm the appearance on the wing of Variable Damselfly at Broomfleet as it raced from Doncaster to Beverley!

Still even the ash cloud has a silver lining... or am I clutching at straws?

So here we have the habitat... inviting?



Some unscientific one metre square counts, by Doug Fairweather and myself, of the leaf litter under the Horse Chestnut trees along the avenue which heads north to Top Lock turned up 222 Cameraria ohridella, also named as Horse Chestnut leaf miner, which appear to be the first records for Tophill Low. Another 12 were easily found under the Horse Chestnut just south of the visitor centre. The number seen in such small areas suggest the species potentially could be quite numerous. Below are some record shots.






The other highlight of the day was this possible Leucozona lucorum, which is, if identified, another probable addition to the Tophill List.



Slighty easier to notice were 4 Large-Red Damselfly, 2 Azure Damselfly, a Wood Sandpiper at Watton Nature Reserve and a Hobby over D res later afternoon.