September Sun

As the sun began to break through this morning, so the butterflies started to return to the Buddleia. The first on the scene was a Red Admiral, followed by 2 more, then 2 Commas and 2 Small Tortoiseshells. A Large White was next, with a fly-by Speckled Wood, which stopped briefly before flying off into the neighbours garden.

Red Admiral

A Red Admiral prepares to take off as a bee approaches.

One of the two Small Tortoiseshells

And the second

A Comma

In pristine condition

The comma on the underwing, hence its name

Though the "comma" is quite noticeable on the very dense brown underwings.

But with a little bit of flash the underwings are quite colourful

And then the biggest surprise of the morning, a Hummingbird Hawk-moth, which flitted back and forth from the Buddleia to the Honeysuckle and then over the garden fence. It did this several times before disappearing altogether. Also on the Buddleia a few Drone Flies.

A nice surprise to see this Hummingbird Hawk-moth on the Buddleia this morning

Hummingbird Hawk-moth

Macroglossum stellatarum

Its hovering behaviour and audible humming noise gives its name

The long proboscis is quite noticeable here

Even the goldfish were enjoying the sunny conditions, as was a croaking Frog. Not that I could locate it, unlike last night, when there were at least 5 hopping about on the lawn.

Even the Goldfish are enjoying the Autumn sun

Other highlights my first Autumn Meadow Pipits, with several passing overhead with two Swallows also heading south and late afternoon a male Southern Hawker appeared briefly over the back garden.