5th May

Our migration hiatus initiated by Monday's stormy weather continued, with a light scatter of grounded Wheatears, a modest increase in waders and a trickle of incoming Swifts overhead accounting for the bulk of the day's numbers. Two passing Great Northern Divers - one of which was over Top Fields - were all that could be mustered by way of seabirds in the brisk northwesterly.

Although 'European' Wheatear numbers were exceptional low for us this spring, there's been a strong passage of Greenland/Iceland-bound birds in the last few weeks © Martin Cade:

With such low temperatures the rule in recent weeks butterfly emergence dates might have been expected to be set back (...moth emergence dates certainly have been) but, perhaps tempted out by the frequent sunshine that's at least warmed up sheltered spots, this seems not to have been the case. Adonis Blue was the on the wing for the first time today © Andy Luckhurst...

...whilst first dates for Small Copper and Dingy Skipper were also logged today © Erin Taylor: