I spent the morning birding on St Mary’s, though thick sea mist made for challenging conditions. My first stop was with Martin Goodey, who had successfully hatched a Death’s-head Hawk-moth from a caterpillar found by Spider outside Star Castle on the Garrison. It had taken six weeks to emerge, and seeing this magnificent moth up close was a real treat—the first time I had ever seen the species.
Moving north across the island, birding was quiet, but I did manage to find a Redstart and a Pied Flycatcher. On the walk back towards the airfield, a Clouded Yellow butterfly brightened the path.
Clouded Yellow
During my lunch break, a call from Spider brought news of a Dotterel on the airfield. I hurried over and enjoyed excellent views before it was flushed by a plane—a perfect example of timing paying off.
Dotterel
Despite the quiet day and challenging weather, it was full of unique sightings, and I hoped for better conditions tomorrow.