11th June

Very little to report on the bird front with no new migrants on the land and just 17 Manx Shearwaters and 10 Common Scoter through on the sea at the Bill. 

Overnight conditions were again very good for moth-trapping but seemingly less than helpful for immigration and dispersal; immigrant totals at the Obs were 17 Silver Y, 6 Diamond-back Moth, 4 Rusty-dot Pearl and the first Delicate of the year.

Although the lesson of history is that there's still a long way to go before we can rest easy that there isn't a late spring rarity lurking somewhere, the feel over the last couple of days is that the forecast upcoming break down in the current long settled spell of weather won't do any harm; in the meanwhile the conditions have been lovely - if pretty unrewarding - for at least being out looking; Kestrel © Dan Law: 


Although a lot of our moth-trapping just recently has involved making the most of the nice conditions by getting out and about inland the static moth traps around the island have been pretty busy; with one or two exceptions immigration has been a bit of a non-event but there are plenty of nice local specials on the wing now, including Portland Ribbon Wave © Debby Saunders...


...and Samphire Knot-horn Epischnia asteris © Martin Cade: