More Spring migrant arrivals

On a beautiful Spring morning it looks like most of our returning migrant birds are now back. I added Common and Lesser Whitethroat this morning, the latter is scarce on the eastern side of the Derwent and generally doesn't breed here but is commoner towards Carsington. I also saw my first Swifts, with a dozen over Rowsley although there were reports from Matlock at the start of the week. 
I've yet to see Spotted Flycatcher but they were present at Carsington on Tuesday and I haven't yet been up to Matlock Forest for Nightjar but birds were churring there on Monday (7th May) which is an early date.

Whitethroat - arriving back a little later this year

Unsurprisingly with the recent sunny weather Common Lizards are also enjoying the weather with this small, perhaps 1 year old, individual on Flash Lane. Finally the Large Red Damselfly have at last emerged from my small pond.

Common Lizard

Large Red Damselfly

A recently emerged Large Red Damselfly next to its discarded larval skin on Bog Bean.

Large Red Damselfly

Large Red Damselfly & the art of photography

This is another of James' photos demonstrating that you don't have to travel far to get striking shots, this is taken in our garden. There is another point here that I spend about 90% of my time in the field trying to get the photos and only about 10% processing the pictures whereas James spends perhaps 30-40% of his time on the computer optimising the images. The answer for me might be to spend 100% of the time in the field and get James to process the results!

Ali Hood has left Darley Dale for a new job in Reading so he's no longer partnering James with his camera. James has a new website www.jamesbutlerphotography.com where you can see more of his work.

Large Red Damselfly

Large Red Damselfly emergence

Recorded the first adult Large Red Damselflies in the garden, about three weeks later than usual. I watched one of the nymphs emerge and photographed the process.

Large Red Damselfly emergence