24th July

Just a quick update to give some blog credit where it's due: we're very pleased to have fobbed off (...it's not quite like that but we're going to be away on family holiday before long so somebody's got to do it!) some of the blog updates on our assistant warden, Anthony Bentley; Anthony has taken over most of the bird updates for the time being which won't go amiss as hopefully it'll give another perspective on happenings around the island. Whilst on the subject of news from the Obs we also keep getting suggestions that we ought to have a PBO Facebook page; we're not too bothered either way but we'd welcome further comments - for or against - from Obs members and others.

Whilst the consistent sunny weather was nice today normal British weather resumed with fog, drizzle, sun, wind and rain. At the Bill were 2 Sedge Warbler and singles of  Reed Warbler and Rook. The sea continued to engage much attention with Seawatcher's from the Bill seeing the more interesting seabirds including 3 Balearic Shearwaters, a Sooty Shearwater. c100 Manx Shearwater, 4 Yellow-legged Gulls, 60 Lesser Black-backed Gull, a Mediterranean Gull, 13 Common Scoter and singles of Great and Arctic Skua. At Ferrybridge there were 46 Dunlin, 100+  Mediterranean Gulls and a Yellow-legged Gull.

On a muggier night immigrant moth numbers increased a little, with 28 Diamond-back Moth, 15 Silver Y, 7 Rusty-dot Pearl, 4 Four-spotted Footman, 3 European Corn-borer and singles of Maiden's Blush, Vestal and Red Admiral butterfly caught in the Obs moth-traps.

Yellow-legged Gull and Herring Gull - Ferrybridge, 24th July 2016 © Martin Cade