Some impressive inverts

A band of cloud early morning soon burnt off to reveal another hot and sunny day.

After the usual morning on the beach I took off to the Boquer Valley which, barring a distant Black Vulture, a brief Booted Eagle, 6 Eleonora's Falcon, a couple of Crag Martin and 4 Stone Curlew, was fairly quiet.... just reading that list back, that's not bad for a quiet afternoon!

Two invertebrates stole today's plaudits however. At breakfast, a couple of flowering potted shrubs were being visited by an enormous Violet Carpenter Bee (it must have been the size of a Goldcrest!). It was performing so well that I rushed off to get the camera - of course it had gone when I returned. Then, a very large moth was disturbed along the valley - it made a rustling sound in flight, must be large hawk-moth sized, pointed grey- brown wings, thick body, stripy abdomen, orange-red, white and black striped underwing...absolutely no idea what it is, but I have got good photographs. Another two were seen afterwards, all sunning themselves on bare ground! Anyone got any suggestions?

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