Willow Emerald and Hornet Clearwing: two excellent encounters on the patch.

I took a quick early-morning dash up to the Poplar belt to see if I could take some better pictures of the stunning Hornet Clearwings: I searched carefully for half an hour but saw none... Carrying on to the Fen, I was surprised to bump into the two Brians: after a short chat (and a Little Egret in front of Fen Hide) I continued around to Tower Hide: just a couple of Teal - no sign of any Garganey.

Walking back along the riverbank, I found an emerald damselfly in a bush: if this isn't a very early Willow Emerald, I'd be amazed! I met Brian S again: he had seen plenty of White Admirals and two Silver Washed Frits in the woods, but I failed to find either.

On a whim I stopped at the Poplars again on the way home: local patcher Murray was there with a pheromone lure which - despite the late hour - attracted numbers of Hornet Clearwings in: I'm sure we saw both male and female, but never observed any mating. As I left, a Little Owl popped up on a telegraph pole near the church: through the window fuzzy shot below!

Despite a stop at the Blofield garden centre and a forty minute wander around the soft fruit, I didn't come across any Currant Clearwings: I did pick three pounds-worth of raspberries and strawberries, though! Back home, watching the lightning from my office window, I was astonished to see the Hummer feeding in the rain!