Friday 29 May 2009

29th May 2009 ( afternoon update)


The Painted Ladies built up during the late morning to an incredible 200 + at a conservative estimate, which is a lot of butterflies on a small island, and the ringers were kept busy emptying them out of the heligoland trapping boxes every half hour. Not to be out done many day flying Silver y moths (right) showed in all the grassy places on the island.

Just after noon the second bird highlight of the day (after the Spotted Flycatcher) was a couple of summer plumaged Golden Plovers flying south west (see poor record shot left), a late spring date for this scarce Hilbre bird. A few more Swifts (right) and Swallows passed and the Ringed Plover (below left) count had increased to 180 with as many as 250 Dunlin on the rocky shore.





Azure Damselflies have hatched out in the new pond and some were mating on the water (right).
(DB,CJ et al) [395] photos CJ

No comments: