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.
Large Red Damselfly
Large Red Damselfly
It’s definitely May as the first cockchafers, also known as May bugs turned up in the moth trap last night!
Cockchafer
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!
Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve 