David Emley

@ManfromMarton quite a range of wing patterns aren't there.

@DW_Emley My first of the year in the garden last night too

On of my favourite spring moths; the Shoulder Stripe. I don't often see it which is odd considering we are surrounded by its foodplant - rose.

Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla. Seeing a number of these on local fence panels.

Some shots of a Little Egret on the River Trent at Crown Meadow, Stone today.

Didn't expect a Holly Blue just yet - haven't seen Brimstone or Small Tort yet!

Had a second Daffodil Dung Fly Norellia spinipes in the garden. First found in the UK in 1960s having arrived on imported bulbs. Larvae mine the leaves of daffs.

Me and my shadow ...

A nicely scalloped Comma on Prunus incisa 'Kojo-no-mai'

Clear night so only 17 moths of 8 species this morning. This Brindled Beauty was new for the year.

Not surprised to get our first Dark-edged Bee-fly today. Was scouring the flower border only to find it sitting on the lawn 😊

A Comma on the cherry Prunus incisa 'Kojo-no-mai' which is rather apt as the name translates as 'Flight of Butterflies'!

With their streamlined shape, serrated hook-tipped bill and feet at the back of its body (like penguins and auks) Goosanders are ideally adapted for hunting fish under water. @TrenthamEstate

Heron having a paddle at Trentham. @TrenthamEstate

Hornbeam is a tree that goes un-noticed in the summer as it looks very like Beech. However in spring, unlike Beech, it has these lovely catkins.

Pair of Mandarins on Trentham lake today. A gull came and chased the male off for some reason! @TrenthamEstate

What a difference 20C makes! At least 12 Commas and 2 Peacocks on my local patch.

I don't often see the pale forms of Clouded Drab; they are quite pretty - as moths go.

A rather fresh Twin-spotted Quaker in the trap last night. 38 moths of 7 species was not bad after a dull afternoon.

@JohnAcid @wildflower_hour hasn't taken long! The Staffs flora (2011) only mentions 2 localities. One is "woodland near the church at edge of Trentham Gardens 1986". I guess that is the source of these by the lake. Have seen it in a ditch near Amerton Farm, Chartley.

@wildflower_hour Giant Butterbur Petasites japonicus slowly spreading around Trentham lake. #whiteflower

One of our commonest mining bees - Gwynne's Mining Bee Andrena bicolor; male and female in the garden today.