Damsels

 A local day for me today taking in Priors Hall, Weldon, Corby STW and several industrial areas in the town. Weatherwise it was not too dissimilar to yesterday though there was more in the way of sunshine and slightly less in the way of wind. Nothing new to report other than my first House Martins of the year at Priors Hall but it was an interesting day nonetheless. 

Fallow Deer

Checking some of the industrial areas produced records of Ringed Plover and a singing Lesser Whitethroat as well as a large herd of Fallow Deer at Willowbrook Industrial. At Priors Hall I heard Sedge Warbler again in the North Gullet as well as song flighting Meadow Pipit. Other than those House Martins that I mentioned earlier a Great Crested Grebe on the quarry lake was probably the best of the rest. Around the ponds the first Reed Warblers had arrived and I also heard a Water Rail squealing from one of the larger reedbeds. Many Large Red Damselflies were seen with perhaps as many as seventy noted including many tenerals. I failed to find any of the spring skippers or Green Hairstreaks but there were plenty of butterflies. My highlight was a couple of Holly Blues as this species is rare at Priors, others were found in Weldon and near the STW.

Large Red Damselflies

Along the stream at Weldon a further seven or eight Large Red Damselflies were seen, I'd hoped to add another damsel species or two to my year list but will clearly have to wait a little bit longer. Best birds were a couple of Grey Wagtails, I'm hoping that they breed again this year. Near the STW I enjoyed watching a very territorial Comma defending its patch against all comers but that was the last thing of note. I'm off to Norfolk for the next week and although it's not a wildlife break I'm hoping to see the odd thing of interest.

Some of today's butterflies.