May 2022 pt ii

The final three weeks of May did not produce the goods bird-wise. No late rarity was reported at all - not even one I could have dipped on. I saw a few bits and bats on the 15th on my island-round tours. A very late Skylark was at Mont Herault with a Yellow Wagtail, and a few Manx Shearwaters were lingering out at sea off Rousse. On 20th a group of 4 Bar-tailed Godwits was at Vazon and the next day a Garden Warbler was invisibly singing at Grand Pre. The Merlin bird song identification app was very useful here. Garden Warbler song is usually one which I suspect and then shrug and then walk away, due to my poor song recognition skills. But pointing the phone at the singing bird can now confirm if I have a likely candidate.

As the weather was sunny and bright for most of this time, the insects were out and most of this post consists of minibeast photos. On about 16th May it looked like we might have a big influx of Painted Ladies and I have about 20 feeding on the Sea Radish at Fort Hommet in the early morning. It didn’t last though and numbers fell away again.

Painted Lady - Fort Hommet, 16 May 22

Little Egret - Pulias, 21 May 22

Volucella bombylans - Pleinmont, 22 May 22

tower of aphids - garden, 22 May 22

Viridicerus ustulatus - Ivy Castle, 28 May 22 - a new Leafhopper species for Guernsey

Wasp Beetle - Jerbourg, 30 May 22

ADELA CROESELLA - Jerbourg, 30 May 22

Volucella bombylans - Jerbourg, 30 May 22

greenbottle sp. - Jerbourg, 30 May 22

Chrysotoxum festivum - Jerbourg, 30 May 22

Greylag - Rue des Bergers, 9 May 22

Mallard chicks - Rue des Bergers, 9 May 22

Loose-flowered Orchid - LBHS, 16 May 22

Masses of Celery-leaved Buttercup - Grand Pre, 21 May 22

I reckon I could undercut this guy