Grey Dagger Moth

This Grey Dagger Moth Acronicta psi was on the windowsill of my glasshouse this morning. Every Spring various moth species occur in my glasshouse and this is not the first time Grey Daggers have turned up.

 Grey Dagger Moth © John N Murphy

 House Fly © John N Murphy

Greenfinch

There are many young birds out and about in the garden all this week, these include Greenfinch, Linnet, Blue Tit, many House Sparrows all dodging the rain showers to feed during the dryer periods.

 Greenfinches in my back garden © John N Murphy

The House Sparrow population in my garden is thriving this summer © John N Murphy

Swallows

The Swallow chicks left the nest last Thursday 28th June and have been returning to roost every evening since, all on the one beam in the dog house.

Four of the five Swallow chicks preparing to go to roost © John N Murphy

Cowslips

I have not cut the grass out in the front field this year as I want it to grow tall and cut it later in the month for hay. It is amazing the amount of Cowslips that have grown since I stopped cutting it. They really are amazing plants and look wonderful within the tall grasses.

Song Thrush

The Song Thrushes in my garden are actively collecting food for hungry chicks that are due out of the nest any day now.  I'm sure they will follow the trend of my Blackbirds and go for a second brood of chicks this year due to the early Spring.

Tufted Duck

Water levels have risen dramatically on all the lakes near my home after the heavy rainfalls of the last few weeks.  Ballycar Lough in front of my house has now flooded the field adjacent to the road and the Tufted ducks have returned to dive down to the bottom to feed on fresh grass and vegetation growing below.

Fallow Deer

I have always had Fallow deer coming to my garden.  When I first built my house in 2000 they came close to the backdoor and sunroom.  But in recent years they have become a little more scarce and I have not seen one up my wood in ages.  These two young bucks were in a field near my house, one sitting in the sunshine warming himself up while the other grazed the edge of the field.

Fox

Last week while heading off early one morning to do a bit of survey, I came across this fox hunting in a nearby field that had just been freshly cut for hay.  He was very aware of my in my jeep on the roadside as I snapped off a few shots, but hunger and the chase of this mouse in the field were priority on his mind and he did not depart until he caught his breakfast.

Field Grasshopper

I came across this Field Grasshopper Chorthippus brunneus on a mint plant in my courtyard during the week.  Field Grasshoppers are widespread and common in the Irish countryside.  Over the past two summers, even though we have had wet July's these grasshoppers seem to be making a comeback.

Wood Mouse

This morning when out in the garden I found a family party of five baby Wood Mice stumbling around the courtyard and a small rockery next to the sunroom within the stones and rocks.  I'm not sure where they originated and there was no sign of any adult Wood Mice coming to feed them throughout the day.

White-tailed Bumble Bee

White-tailed Bumble Bees have been out and about for over a month now.  I noticed more actively searching for nectar during one warm day this week.

Large Red Damselfly

This Large Red Damselfly was one in my garden over the last few days and one of the first I have seen out and about this year.

Clouded Brindle Moth

This Clouded Brindle Moth Apamea epomidion was in my Greenhouse for the past few days.  They normally do not come out till later in the year, June/July.  The heat in the Greenhouse probably helped this fellow emerge that bit early than normal.  It is also a species that is found further south and quiet scarce in this area.

 

Cockchafer Beetle

I was in the office one evening last week when two insects hit the side window.  I open it to find two large Cockchafer Beetles Melolontha melolontha on the sill.  The Cockchafer beetle is also known as the May Bug.  They are a very large beetle and are often mistaken for Cockroaches.  Cockchafer's chew and eat fresh leaves of a variety of trees and shrubs. They do not bit or sting so there is no need to fear them.