A Brief Late Morning Meander on the Moss

On my way back from a site visit this morning I called at my feeding station to drop some seed off in the feed bin. I haven't started feeding yet, but I am just starting to build up the seed supply in preparation. I had about three quarters of an hour to spare so decided to have a walk round the southern end of the moss.

First up was a juvenile Peregrine chasing a Woodpigeon and there was no chance that the Peregrine was going to catch the Woodpigeon as there was no element of surprise, but I suppose it is all good practise for a juv. bird.

A number of Hirundines were feeding over the Wheat crop and I had 78 Swallows and 17 House Martins. There was very little in the hedge other than a family party of four Reed Buntings and a group of ten Goldfinch flying up from the thistles.

As I walked across a muddy open area I put up 16 Snipe and a single southward bound Meadow Pipit went over. As I walked along the far margin I had a number of Small Tortoiseshell butterflies and a single Silver Y moth. A number of Hoverflies (I think they were hoverflies) were virtually on every Dandelion flower. I have included a picture below in case anybody knows what they are.

 Small Tortoiseshell

Hoverflies

As I headed back to my car I picked up two Corn Buntings and two Stock Doves. Not a great deal, but a pleasant interlude nevertheless.

Below are some recent pictures from my garden including the Garden Spider that caught the Migrant Hawker recently, an Eyed Hawkmoth caterpillar and some other caterpillars that look a bit like Small Tortoiseshell to me, but I'm not sure. They were feeding on Willow sp. and I though Small Tort fed on Nettle. Does anybody know what they are please?

Garden Spider

Eyed Hawkmoth caterpillar

Small Tortoiseshell caterpillars?