Queen of Spain IOW

Today, I finally caught up with the Queen of Spain fritillaries that have been hanging around a 'west Wight' site for a couple of weeks or so (since end of July). We saw at least two together but likely a total of three have been reported. And more have since been found at other Island locations and on the mainland too. A rare migrant to the UK. They were quite active but I managed some phone camera record shots at least. Also, four HB Hawkmoths seen. Otherwise: the bright sunny warm days continue unabated with another 'heatwave' forecast.

Issoria Lathonia

Clouded Yellow - noticeably numerous this year - this one on Nansen Hill on July 30th

Yellow-legged Gull and ringed Meds

Juv YL Gull at Watershoot Bay on July 11th and 16th. And some ringed Med gulls of interest on Shanklin Beach. 

Watershoot Bay - YL Gull

July 6th - German bird ANNS (Shanklin Beach)

July 17th - AL.AH from Saxony

Sea watches (Poms)

Some recent sea watches (bright easterlies) at St Cath's were punctuated with moments of interest.

April 24th (evening 16:50-19:50): included 4x Pomarine Skua (together) east at 17:20. And 69 Manxies and smallish flock of barwits (x22) was all I could muster...

May 1st (Morning 06:00-11:00 with nine! observers, GAH, MB, IMR, OD, SS, IO, DS, DJH, NW): a steady mix included four Poms and eight Arctic skuas, and a single Bonxie; the latter skua type being the only one I've seen this year...Routine fare but with good company..

Silver Y at Haddon's Pits recently

CIRL BUNTING

Not something you hear everyday, emberiza cirlus, especially on the Island. While sea watching (alone) I suddenly heard one singing behind me (unseen) for a few minutes in the lighthouse grounds (SCP) - I just managed to get a (video) sound recording before it fell silent.

jonspar · Cirl Bunting20260420_064458bb

Lesser throat are comparable

Migrants Luccombe area

Nice morning and walk around Luccombe: including (East side) downs, Village, farm, and Haddon's Pits. Aside from an obvious fall of willow warblers (50+): a single Redstart, three Groppers (Luccombe Down and Haddon's Pits), and a Whinchat...Plus, back on territory Lesser and common whitethroats, chiffchaffs, blcakcaps, and a Swallow over the farm. Numerous Firecrest singing too...

Nightingale Luccombe Down

This morning, a common Nightingale briefly singing and calling atop the downs (before melting away). Blackcaps and whitethroats aplenty. And a late-ish Redwing heard. Little moving overhead tho...

SERIN

St Cath's Sea watch (light SE and bright conditions) this morning with George, Steve, Mark, Naomi, and Andrew, produced a few bits moving eastwards: common scoters, sarnies, and an Arctic Skua etc. But yet to get really going in that respect. The highlight was a calling Serin just after 7am: came in from the west and landed next to us in the tamarisk - for a time perched calling away and just visible - before (typical of most our spring serin encounters) departing eastwards....