30th May

Today's most intriguing report was of 4 Puffins settled off the Bill during the morning - 2 birds have been seen together on several dates in recent weeks but 4 is the highest count of settled birds for some years. The day's migrant (in)action was limited to 2 Spotted Flycatchers at the Bill and 23 Sanderling and 3 Dunlin at Ferrybridge; the only other reports were of a few Manx Shearwaters milling around off the Bill.

After the discovery last year of Small Eggar larval nests at several sites around the north of the island we weren't surprised when many of the regular moth-trappers reported captures of adults during their flight season earlier this year. The species is clearly now well established on the island and Phil Sterling sent us through this interesting photo of a larval nest at High Angle Battery that's been co-occupied by Lackeys - the latter are currently super-abundant throughout the island © Phil Sterling: