25th May 2009 (Updated)

Another calm and warm day and summers past were brought to mind as a Skylark was on the ground in the area where they used to breed on Middle, and a pair of Swallows seemed to be prospecting a former breeding site on the main island. Only a few other Swallows passing today with a single Swift.

A Peregrine sat in the favoured position for these birds on the line of rocks south of Middle (right).

A warbler heard singing early morning in the Obs garden was thought to be a Sedge Warbler doing a sub-song. Later however it was heard again in the blackthorn between SK and Newton traps and suspicions were raised enough for a net to be erected. Subsequently a Reed Warbler was trapped in the Newton at about 2pm ... only the ninth record for the islands but the seventh since 2000 (photo below).

The main interest of the day were the Painted Lady butterflies (left) that have increased to dozens since yesterday (at least 40 counted) and were part of a massive migration arrival from southern europe witnessed on the south and east coasts yesterday.





Blue-tailed Damselflies have emerged in the main pond and are sitting hidden in the vegetation around the edge (above left), meanwhile the first real success for the new 'degsys' pond came with the first damselfly lava noted this morning (above right).
(DB,CJ,THM et al,NDW,SRW) [394] photos CJ & SRW