Chat

Skipping football for once, I spent a long afternoon on the moor in the sunshine. 

There were plenty of Green Hairstreak butterflies about, and occasional Peacock, Orange-tip, Speckled Wood, Holly Blue and Small Tortoiseshell. No sign of Small Heath or Wall yet, which are the next ones due to emerge.

I wandered through the territories of a couple of pairs of Stonechat, of which this male was confiding enough for pictures. I was hoping to hear the Cuckoo, which has been reported, but no sound today. Over at the far corner it seemed Lapwing and Curlew numbers were down on previous years. I had a very fleeting glimpse of one of the Barn Owls at Sconce.

I also checked out some of the small ponds for dragonflies, but it was all quiet. Still just the one damselfly last Saturday so fat this year.