The #BirdOfTheDay theme is #GroundedGulls Silver Gulls (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae) from my trip to Queensland two years ago.

Today's #BirdOfTheDay is #Thrushes With so many colourful birds to choose from (parrots, hummingbirds, toucans, etc), it's heartening that the National Bird of Costa Rica is the Clay-coloured Thrush (Turdus grayi).

Tromatobia lineatoria, an ichneumonid wasp on Ivy in my S. Cambridgeshire garden yesterday. This species lays her eggs in spider egg sacs, which are then predated by the larvae. A new species for my garden, there's certainly plenty of spiders in the Ivy.

Bay of Firth, Mainland, Orkney. July 2023. #Sunset #BlueSkyArtShow #Evening

Audouin's Gull (Ichthyaetus audouinii) and Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis). La Gola, Port de Pollença, Mallorca. #SuperSeabirdSunday

A Holly Blue Butterfly (Celastrina argiolus) seen briefly in my S. Cambridgeshire garden this afternoon. This is late in the year, it's undoubtedly a 3rd brood individual.

A female Stomorhina lunata, the Locust Blowfly on Aster in my S.Cambridgeshire garden this afternoon. I know that it's suspected that this species may be parasitising native Orthoptera in the UK and is not just migrant. Does anyone know if there's been any further updates on this?

Two male Phasia hemiptera on the Ivy in my S. Cambridgeshire garden today. The first, much larger individual was particularly striking, with the iridescence showing well when the light was at the right angle. The second, smaller one was much dabber.

A very smart, presumably, recently emerged female Painted Lady Butterfly (Vanessa cardui) on the Ivy in my S. Cambridgeshire garden for the past two days. No doubt feeding, ready for the long journey south.

Sericomyia silentis (Yellow-barred Peat Hoverfly) is a fairly common hoverfy in wet peaty habitats, particularly in North & West UK. However, they're less frequently seen in S. Cambridgeshire. This obliging male yesterday was only my third garden record.

European Hornet worker (Vespa crabo) on the right and female Hornet Mimic Hoverfly (Volucella zonaria) on the left. On Ivy in my S. Cambridgeshire garden this afternoon.

The unseasonably warm weather brought a nice selection of butterflies on the Ivy in my S. Cambs garden today. Painted Lady (my 1st garden record of the year). Comma Red Admiral (about 10 individuals). Holly Blue (2nd or 3rd brood? Ovipositing on Ivy flower buds). Also seen a Peacock.

About 8 Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) butterflies on the Ivy in my S. Cambs garden today. Pleased to see V. atalanta ab. millierei, a genetic aberration that lacks red pigmentation.

My 8th record of the Ivy Longhorn Hoverfly in the past seven days. After 7 females, it was good to finally spot a male.

Spotted this Messerschmitt Bf 109 over the garden this morning. I presume it's Nigel Farage flying back to Clacton from the Reform conference?

S. Cambridgeshire 5/9/25. A spider rescued from a Riverfly Monitoring sample at the village brook yesterday. ObsIdentify says it's a Clubiona sp.. Given the habitat, I think most likely C. phragmitis? Confirmation or correction is appreciated, thanks. @britishspiders.bsky.social

Callicera spinolae, the Ivy Hoverfly, is one of the UK's rarest hoverflies, as well as one of the most spectacular. This morning, I recorded a female on the Ivy in my S. Cambridgeshire. This is the 5th consecutive year that I have seen this wonderful fly in my garden, four days earlier than before.

My first sighting of Rhaphigaster nebulosa (Mottled Shieldbug), in my S. Cambridgeshire garden this afternoon. A recent arrival to our shores, with the first mainland record in London in 2010. Following its rapid northwards expansion on the continent, it's doing the same here in the UK.

A female Chrysotoxum festivum on Garlic Chive flowers in my S.Cambridgeshire garden today. One of my favourites, a real beauty.

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A European Hornet (Vespa crabo) worker and a female Hornet Mimic Hoverfly (Volucella zonaria) in my S. Cambridgeshire garden. I'm astonished by how often I see these two species confused on social media.

S. Cambridgeshire 25/8/25. A large female IchneIchneumonid in the village woods this morning. I think Rhyssella approximator, but there seem to be 17 records on the NBH Atlas, so confirmation or correction greatly appreciated. Will iRecord, thanks.

S. Cambridgeshire 23/8/23 Three wasps in my garden this morning. I'm fairly confident of the first. Hopeful of the second. The third, I'm certain that it can not be taken further than genus without a specimen. Mellinus arvensis Ectemnius cephalotes (?) Confirmation appreciated. Ancistrocerus sp.

The Ivy is still a week or two from beginning to flower in my S. Cambridgeshire garden. So, it was a bit of a surprise to spot a male Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae) nectaring on Michaelmas Daisy this afternoon. The earliest I've recorded one here.

Vespa crabo 1 - Vespula vulgaris 0 S. Cambridgeshire 16/8/25.

A 2nd sighting of a male European Paper Wasp (Polistes dominula) on Snowberry in my S. Cambs garden this morning, 6 days after my first on Saturday. Quite distant and mobile, but instantly recognisable in flight with his long, dangling hind legs and yellow, hooked antennae. @tandjwood.bsky.social

Messing around with darkening the background on these butterflies. All photographed nectaring on Devil's Bit Scabious in the village woods. Brimstone, Comma and Green-veined White.

Worker and male Median Wasps (Dolichovespula media) have been abundant on the Snowberry in my S. Cambs garden all Summer. A stunning queen turned up this evening, such smart wasps.

Another four species of hoverfly on Devil's Bit Scabious, Gamlingay Wood LNR, S. Cambridgeshire. Ferdinandea cuprea, Melanostoma scalare, Pipiza austriaca and Syrphus ribesii. #WildFlowerHour #PollinatorPals

Four species of hoverfly on Devil's Bit Scabious, Gamlingay Wood LNR, S. Cambridgeshire. Volucella zonaria, Volucella inanis, Volucella pellucens and Eristalis intricaria. #WildFlowerHour #PollinatorPals

A male European Paper Wasp (Polistes dominula) on Snowberry was an unexpected visitor to my S. Cambridgeshire garden today. There are a couple of records locally, both about 20 miles from my home, one to the East and the other to the West.

I watched this Jersey Tiger Moth fly into a spider's web and the spider was immediately upon it. Does anyone know what it is? @britishspiders.bsky.social S. Cambridgeshire 8/8/25.

A female European Beewolf (Philanthus triangulum) on Snowberry in my S. Cambridgeshire garden today. They nectar on the flowers and hunt Honeybees, which also nectar on Snowberry. They sting to paralyse the bees and then fly off with them to provision their brood cells in their burrows.

Three different species of hoverfly in the genus Volucella enjoying the Snowberry flowers in my S. Cambridgeshire garden this afternoon. Volucella zonaria, the UK's largest hoverfly. Volucella inanis. Volucella pellucens. The larvae of all three are detritivores in the nests of social wasps.

Male European Beewolf (Philanthus triangulum) on Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense). S. Cambridgeshire 2/8/25.

A male Conops quadrifasciatus (Four-banded Beegrabber) on Devil's Bit Scabious in Gamlingay Wood LNR, S. Cambridgeshire this morning. An endoparasite of bumblebees, particularly Bombus lapidarius.

An Ammophila sp. (fam. Sphecidae) in my S. Cambs garden today. Quite a big beast, with a body length of approximately 25mm. Almost certainly Ammophila sabulosa, the Red-banded Sand Wasp. There are several records of this species just a few miles away, around Sandy and Potton in Bedfordshire.

This wasp in my S. Cambs garden this afternoon was huge, of a similar size to the Dolichovespula media that were also feeding on the Snowberry. ObsIdentify is convinced that it's Ancistrocerus antilope (Large Mason-wasp). However, this is a rare species in the UK, last recorded 1989. Thoughts?

A couple of dragonflies photographed at Gamlingay Wood LNR, Cambridgeshire, this morning. A Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta) resting at the woodland edge, there were dozens hunting here. A Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum) inside the woods, they always look like they're smiling at me!

The rapid northwards distribution of the Jersy Tiger Moth (Euplagia quadripunctaria) is no doubt due to the warming climate. I recorded my first in Cambridgeshire in 2021. Today their were at least 5 in my garden. This one came inside, photographed on the kitchen window.

A female Pantaloon Bee (Dasypoda hirtipes) in my S. Cambridgeshire garden this afternoon. It's always nice to see a new species and also add it to the garden list.

White-flowered form of Campanula Trachelium, Nettle-Leaved Bellflower. Gamlingay Wood LNR, S. Cambridgeshire. Occasionally seen alongside the common typical blue-flowered form. #HarebellChallenge #WildFlowerHour

Brown Argus and Common Blue butterflies on Wild Marjoram at an area of my S. Cambs village park, that's managed as a meadow. These two species give quite a few beginners difficulty with ID, particularly if only the underwing is seen. I've marked the underwing photos, highlighting key differences.

Poached Egg Plant (Limnanthes douglasii) has a reputation for being highly attractive to hoverflies and it even says so on the seed packet. I'm growing it for the first time in my S. Cambs garden. The first four flowers opened today, and it was instantly popular.

Brough of Birsay, Mainland, Orkney. 25th June 2025. Northern Gannet Northern Fulmer Common Tern Bonxie (Great Skua) #SuperSeabirdSunday

It's a bit too hot today for spending much time outside looking for insects. Here's four dragonflies photographed inside Gamlingay Wood LNR, S. Cambs on Tuesday 8th July. Black-tailed Skimmer Ruddy Darter Southern Hawker Emperor Dragonfly

The large Cotoneaster shrub by my front door is heavily infested with aphids. As a consequence, the foliage is covered in honeydew. This week, it's been buzzing with hoverflies, all species whose larvae are aphidophagous. Syrphus ribesii Chrysotoxum bicinctum Scaeva silenitica Scaeva pyrastri

Another nice tachinid today. A female Nowickia ferox on Marjoram and Hebe. An endoparasite of noctuid moth caterpillars. My first garden record. S. Cambridgeshire 9/7/25.

Nice to see several individuals of both sexes of one of my favourite flies in an area of my S. Cambridgeshire village, Gamlingay, that's managed as a meadow this morning. Phasia hemiptera on Wild Carrot. This stunning tachinid is an endoparasite of sheildbugs.

There were 4 Scaeva pyrastri in my S. Cambs garden this morning, and more individuals about in the afternoon. This is more than I've seen here one day and suggests a large influx of this migratory hoverfly from continental Europe. Perhaps not surprising, given the high temps and southerly winds.