Four Damselfies now have new earliest records in VC61

After cutting a day off the earliest VC61 Large Red Damselfly record last weekend, some 54 were found on Saturday. However, Large Reds were last week’s news... a good search found 4 Azures*, 18 Common Blue* and a single Blue-tailed Damselfly*. These sightings are all 5 days earlier than the previous earliest dates set on 28th April 2007... by Doug Fairweather and me.

Dreadful record shot of Blue-tailed Damselfly

Some hard to focus on Common Blue Damselfly

Difficult day in the sun trying to get good damselfly pictures, this Large Red the best poser.

*note these are all earliest dates for VC61 as far as I know prior to hitting publish*

Highlight of the moths was yet another addition to the site list. Albeit found Friday, when up to 14 were found, but not confirmed until today.

Grapholita jungiella

One of the traps failed to attact any moths overnight. However, as Yorkhire Water and a Tophill home owner allow us to use 3 traps, it wasn't such a disaster with Swallow Prominent, Rivulet, White Ermine, Muslin Moth and Riband Wave added to the year list.

Muslin Moth

Swallow Prominent

Avoiding the traps, but on the wing, Common and Red Twin Spot Carpet were noted in the field.

The butterfly count easily passed 100 individuals with 10 species noted on the wing... Holly Blue proves elusive though! We can't find any at Tophill!

Nothing outstanding birdwise... Peregrine, Whooper Swan, Green Sandpiper... few flava Wagtails flew north during the afternoon... a quiet trickle of migrants.