4th June

Although hardly a big deal in comparison with spring proper, there was another minor arrival of late migrants today under a heavily overcast sky. As usual, the Great Spotted Cuckoo stole the show from the rarity point of view, but the Bill area returned totals of 7 Reed Warblers, 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 each of Yellow Wagtail, Willow Warbler and Spotted Flycatcher, and singles of Common Cuckoo, Redpoll and Chaffinch; an additional particularly odd sight there were the 23 Wood Pigeons that arrived high from the south and carried on northward. The only other reports concerned 10 Common Scoter through off the Bill and a lone Sanderling at Ferrybridge.

Diamond-back Moths again dominated the overnight moth catch, with between 25 and 60 in each mv trap operated at several sites around the island; the overall total from the 5 traps in the Obs garden was 228; other immigrant interest concerned a handful of Rusty-dot Pearl and Silver Y in the various moth-traps and 3 Painted Lady butterflies by day (2 at Southwell and 1 at West Weare).