Lollingdon & Thames

Mainly sunny, 25°, light NNW.

Pretty quiet bird wise out at Lollingdon today. The Lapwing appear to have departed other than that all the usual present.

Alan had very much the same along the river.

A day all round for insects. Plenty of Marbled White and Meadow Brown on the wing and a few Common Blue on the hill.

Also Large and Small Skipper, Red Admiral, Ringlet and Comma noted.

Alan found about 4 Emerald Damselfly and a female Ruddy Darter.

And the first Southern Hawker for the year out at Lollingdon.

Spent about an hour on the allotment this afternoon with up to 20 Swift screeching around overhead plus the odd House Martin and Swallow.

There was also a male Black-tailed Skimmer hunting on the allotment plus several Common Blue and Azure Damselfly and a Cinnabar Moth.

Full list from Alan: Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Kingfisher, Skylark and Reed Bunting etc.

Dragons: Beautiful Demoiselle, Banded Demoiselle, Ruddy Darter, Common Darter, Four-spotted Chaser, Black-tailed Skimmer, Emperor, Common Blue Damselfly, Azure Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Large Red Damselfly, Brown Hawker, Red-eyed Damselfly and Emerald Damselfly.

Butterflies: Marbled White, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Brown Argus, Common Blue, Comma and Red Admiral.

Young Blackbird bathing ↕

Emerald Damsel courtesy Alan ↕

Large Skipper

Ruddy Darter (imm m) courtesy Alan

Southern Hawker

Speckled Wood