Welcome Back.

Yet another half day off (thanks work) and not for the first time I headed along to Weldon. My continuing search for damsels finally paid off as I managed to find a single example at the Weldon Woodland Park pond after a great deal of looking.

Small White and Brimstone.

My nature spotting began with a selection of butterflies near the steelworks. Commonest were four Orange-tips which for the first time this year included a female. Other species included a Brimstone, a Small Tort and two Small Whites. From here I made my way to the A43 pond where there was the usual selection of birds including Dabchick and Tufted Ducks.

Orange-tips and Holly Blue.

At least four Holly Blues were showing well near the pond and these were joined by further Orange-tips and examples of both Brimstone and Speckled Wood. Walking around the edge of the pond did not produce any sightings of damsels but this pond is probably a little too polluted. Making my way to the other pond at the Woodland Park produced some of the day's best sightings.

Green Hairstreak and Speckled Wood.

A Reed Warbler was the best bird find, one was singing rather half heartedly from the rushes while several Swallows were hawking insects overhead. What was presumably the same Willow Warbler from my last visit was still singing away while a pair of Gadwalls and Canada Geese were present on the water. Further Holly Blues were joined by a Green-veined White and a Peacock though all thoughts of butterflies were forgotten when I finally saw my first damsel of the year.

Peacock and Comma.

I'd been approaching some brambles close to the entrance when a Large Red Damsel took off and headed towards a tall Hawthorn. Briefly I hoped that it might settle where I could get a picture but unfortunately it didn't oblige. Shaking some branches to try and roust it from its perch did not produce any results though it did scare up my first Green Hairstreak of the year. Although I continued looking for more damsels I sadly could not find anymore, perhaps tomorrow I'll be luckier.

Small Tortoiseshell.

On my way home I popped into my old patch near the STW where the Willow Warblers have arrived. No other birds of note but there were a few more butterflies to enjoy. Three Commas were my ninth species of the day while at least five Peacocks were also present. Other species included more Orange-tips, Brimstone, Small Tortie, Speckled Woods and another Green Hairstreak. There was not a great deal of other wildlife on view though I did see a vole of some sort or another.

Magpie and Willow Warbler.

Returning to the village I saw three more Orange-tips and also noted that the first House Martins had returned.