After so many negative reports from their usual haunts in recent weeks it's good to be able to report some positive news on the Large Tortoiseshells front, with two seen today at Church Ope Cove © Colin Burningham:
19th March
Today was one of those days when you really question the wisdom of getting out of bed, not least because you have to field more questions from day-visitors concerning the nature of atmospheric physics: why is that when an anticyclone establishes itself over the UK the easterly wind is umpteen forces stronger at Portland than it is just a few miles inland? Sadly, the spectacle of spring migration in full flow wasn't something that was worth getting up for: a trickle of Meadow Pipits, Linnets and Chiffchaffs, together with a lone Curlew, made it ashore and headed away north overhead but, with the exception of the lingering Black Redstart at Ferrybridge, anything grounded hunkered down and completely escaped attention in the blasting wind.
