Local Patch - 4th August. Pictures include Hornet, Roesel's Cricket, Toadflax

Best bit this week has been finding a Hornet in the Moth Trap at home! Dave is a Moth Recorder for this part of Surrey and regularly puts the trap out in out garden. It is surprising just how many moths we get, some of which are quite rare. The Hornet was not happy at being shut up in a Trap all night and had taken it out on the moths eating a few for an early breakfast and then was less happy at being “potted” for us to look at! She did quieten down enabling me to get the photos and then flew away when the sun had warmed her up. Same day saw us watching a Golden ringed Dragonfly outside our house patrolling the road like it belonged here! It’s massive. Sadly it did not land for a photo. About an hour after this we had a huge Roesel’s Bush Cricket in the garden, another species on the very edge of its range here in this part of Surrey. The information states that during a dry summer these creatures grow longer wings so they can get around easier, but you can see from the picture that this one actually still had quite short wings. Out on the Patch this week a Kingfisher has been seen again on the canal patrolling its normal flyway and great news, Kingfishers are also back on the River. So although the harsh winter weather seemed to obliterate them from this area, somewhere some have been breeding to be able to bring them back. Over the years of walking this area I have regularly seen these enigmatic birds and it was a great disappointment when they disappeared this spring, so I am well pleased. Another bird seen this week which is not a regular is Kestrel. It flew along a row of trees putting up a huge group of small birds before coming out into the open where it came under attack from several Magpies. As for the flowers, well, all looking a bit dowdy with the lack of rain. There is a large clump of Common Toadflax – the most I have ever seen down there. I think some flowers have done remarkably well following the cold weather of the winter – purely my untrained observation me not being a botanist.