MSQ Again.....

A visit again to this cracking reserve today,saw several good insects being found and also some waders being seen at last!.On the bird front,the best highlights were the afore-mentioned waders,with 3 Common Sandpipers,and singles of Green Sandpiper and Greenshank,the water level is the lowest i have ever seen it and looks perfect for a White-tailed Lapwing,i wish!.Other waders present included 4 Curlew and the Avocet family.Other birds seen included Green and Great-spotted Woodpeckers,3 Willow Tit,10 Common Tern(Which included 4 juv's),male and juv. Marsh Harrier and at least 2 Kingfisher,so plenty to keep us occupied.Insects put on a great showing,with the best find being a single Physocephala rufipes,this is a species i have only ever seen once before at Crowle and is by no means common,it belongs to the conopid fly family which are all parasitic species,this one being a parasite of Bees and Wasps which it captures in flight and lays an egg on its host,the larvae then hatches out and devours its host while it is alive!.Interestingly 2 other species from this family where also seen today,Conops quadrifasciata and Myopa buccata.At least 8 species of Syrphidae were seen today,with the best being the very impressive Scaeva pyrastri,a migrant species and several Volucella pelluscens.Butterflies were well represented with a good total of 16 species and dragonflies with 10 species.I also managed to find another new micro moth for myself today,Anacampsis blattariella,another species which rely's on Silver Birch as it's larval food plant and also a stunning,fresh Agapeta zoegana.Another great visit and only 15 mins from home!.