Brown Argus

 This week's highlight was finding another Brown Argus at the Mere. My last confirmed sighting was in 2022. I've probably seen some since locally but getting a good sight of them in order to id them is not always possible. They are so similar to female Common Blue butterflies so you have to be careful. On the forewing underside on the Brown Argus none of the circles are nearer the body than half way down the wing. Also they have no hint of blue on the upper wings.

Brown Argus (Aricia agestis) 

Brown Argus with better view of the underside wings 

Common Blues are still to be found in the best ever numbers I've managed to see around Hornsea. Males are seen more often than females, but if this is because there are more of them or females are less showy I couldn't say.
 

Male Common Blue butterflies

Painted Lady and Gatekeepers are still numerous.

 

I didn't think it was possible but the birds have been even quieter than the previous week! If not for Wood Pigeons the fields and woods would be totally silent 😂

 

One or two photos are worthy of note:

I've never seen a Whitethroat perched on anything but a branch or twig, so when I saw this leggy Whitethroat on a roof I was immediately drawn into taking some pics. Looks like a young one and it was feeding on insects of some sort.

Whitethroat on a hot tile roof

 Reed Buntings are quiet along with the other birds but are still flitting around, and when this one landed right next to me and stayed for a short while, more photos were taken.

Reed Bunting up close

Reed Bunting

 I did have a brilliant close encounter with a Barn Owl but by the time I got the camera on it the bird was off and away.

Barn Owl

Dragonflies? Common Darter and Black-tailed Skimmer as usual with the odd Migrant Hawker. Ruddy Darters now being seen more often.

Ruddy Darter

Ruddy Darter

Ruddy Darters can be distinguished from Common by their black legs and bulbous abdomen.

 

 A Common Blue Damselfly took my attention for a while as it had a strange kink in its lower abdomen. 

Common Blue kinky damselfly

A new hoverfly was also added to my growing sightings, this time a Golden-tailed Leafwalker.

Golden-tailed Leafwalker hoverfly (Xylota sylvarum) 

Every now and then a moth appears and they usually disappear just as quickly during the day. This one didn't though and I was able to see it clearly to later id it as a Dingy Footman.

 

Dingy Footman moth

I've had a poor year for mammal sightings with just the same old same old species, not even a stoat or weasel yet. A sleepy squirrel and a roe deer in the set aside field were worthy of some images.