Spent the morning on St Mary's birding today, but the weather was terrible with thick sea mist. I called in to see Martin Goodey first, who had hatched a Death's head hawk moth from a caterpillar that Spider had found outside Star Castle on the Garrison. It had taken six weeks to hatch, and what a magnificent moth! This was the first time I had seen this species.
Moving on from Martin's, I headed up to the north of the Island, which was very quiet, but I did find a Redstart and a Pied flycatcher. Walking back towards the airfield, I spotted a Clouded Yellow on the footpath.
Clouded Yellow
A call from Spider, as I was having my sandwiches, that a Dotterel had been found on the airfield, got me moving. The bird showed really well before it was flushed by a plane. Good timing.
Dotterel
Very quiet day, but hopefully the weather will improve tomorrow.
