I finally managed to get a snap of a large red damselfly! Unfortunately it only had 3 wings which probably aided with my photography as it couldn’t get away. However having such close up views let me appreciate its traffic light colours; it has a metallic green body with go faster yellow stripes and a red body.
It’s definitely May as the first cockchafers, also known as May bugs turned up in the moth trap last night!
Jim and I saw our first swifts flying over the Centre at lunchtime. Over on Ibsley there were 5 whimbrel, a regular migrant visitor. The first black tern was also reported.
After yesterday’s post on bird ringing someone questioned the French ringed bird as I said that although it was a french ring it might not have been ringed in France. So I asked Kevin the bird ringer who gave this response:
“The reason why a French ring appearing on a bird doesn’t necessarily mean it was ringed in France is because French Ringers are like the British – we both like to travel!
There are several countries which have strong ties with France (being a former colonial power) where French Ringers will operate . These countries won’t have their own ringing scheme so the French Ringers have to take their own rings.
We trapped a Sand Martin a few years ago at Blashford which had a French ring and it transpired that the bird was ringed in Senegal, West Africa.
I believe that British (BTO) rings are used in some overseas territories too.”
Hope that answers the question. Thanks Kevin!