3rd June

A little bit of overnight rain was likely instrumental in dropping a few migrants, including 3 Chiffchaffs and singles of Wheatear, Reed Warbler, Blackcap and Willow Warbler at the Bill, whilst there were also still a handful of Swifts, Swallows and House Martins arriving overhead. The only other reports were of seawatching at the Bill that came up with 88 Common Scoter, 70 Manx Shearwaters, 5 Little Egrets, 2 Great Skuas, a Mallard and an Arctic Skua.

A small arrival of dispersing moths saw singles of Mottled Marble Bactra furfurana, Narrow-winged Pug and Spruce Carpet caught overnight at the Obs; singles of Diamond-back Moth, Rusty-dot Pearl and Dark Sword Grass were the only conventional immigrants caught.

Bee Orchid variation - Perryfields, 3rd June 2014 © Ken Dolbear

 

And it's that time of year when it starts to get difficult knowing which way the migrants are going: the plumage of today's Blackcap was ragged enough to arouse suspicion that she was likely already leaving, and that fact was pretty well confirmed by the presence of such a well-formed brood-patch that she'd obviously made a breeding attempt somewhere (photo © Martin Cade):