A few things of note in my little reserve, a muntjac fawn was nice and another new bird for the reserve was Lesser Whitethroat. Sallow kitten was the 500th moth recorded in my little reserve so very pleased with that.

A bit of trapping in my garden was a bit slow due to the weather, as was my little reserve. Just two remote trapping sessions, the Brecks and the Chilterns, Scarce Tissue which was new for me. But my week in France was very productive depite only having travel traps the highlight was a couple of Tau Emperors.

Plenty of excellent views of Chinese water Deer probably the monthly highlight, but muntjac and roe deer seen locally as well. Also some interesting Mammals in France during my touristy trip, European Pine vole, Coypu and Siberian Chipmunk.

After work I headed to Aston Rowant for some moth trapping. It was still a bit breezy but predicted to be warmer than the previous evening. It was not a bad haul 39 species but notihing of real note, I was hoping for a white marked but no luck, another time.

After work I popped to the Brecks, a little too late for the speedwells flowering most were in seed, but I managed to locate one Fingered Speedwell still in flower. Other plants seen field mouse ear, garden star of Bethlehem, spring beauty. I headed to Weeting where two stone curlews were showing reasonably well as well as a Eurasian curlew. I headed to my moth trapping site for the evening and tried to find sheltered spots for the traps as it was quite windy. 21 species including a scarce tissue which was pleasing considering the conditions.

I popped to Bedfordshire to look for Studham Goldilocks Buttercup, I found a nice patch down a shady footpath. The footpath banks were full of holes and waiting patiently I spotted the inhabitants. Bank voles were dashing between the holes, but eventually one stopped for a photo. Back at the car some rustling got my attention and eventually I managed to see the culprits, a couple of brown rats were feeding under the leaflitter making the noise. On the way home I stopped in Letchworth where I quickly found a melanistic grey squirrel, but it was high in a tree making photos a bit tricky.

I was at Woodwalton Fen for dawn, but I should have had a lie in as everywhere was covered in thick mist. I spotted a few Chinese water deer in the mist. I came across a barking male pretty close to me but the mist made for poor photos. I wandered round the reserve spotting plenty of migrants, including cuckoo, grasshopper warbler, garden warbler. The mist eventually cleared and I spotted an old friend a male Chinese water deer with one eye, he seems to be in the same part of the reserve. I have seen him for many years in that same area, he is looking very old but still going. I did eventually get a nice photo of one of the deer then headed off. I stopped at Upwood Meadows the green winged orchids seemed to be less plentiful than in previous years, but the mousetail was doing very well. Next stop was Barnack Hills and Holes it was a little disappointing as the area I know for Rare spring sedge was closed so I focussed on the Pasque flowers. I stopped at Eye Brook reservoir, a small flock of little gulls was present but also a few terns, little black and common a fly over osprey was a taster for my next stop. This was the Osprey photography hide a few miles from Rutland Water. grey heron and little egret were present at the lake and red kites came to steal fish from them and take dead fish from the lake itself. An osprey did visit and made an aborted dive and flying off. It did return making a successful dive for fish and a short visit from a kingfisher finished the day off.

Chips - The Chip Shop – Cottesmore – Burger and Chips 7/10

I headed to Hatley St George to look for Armingford goldilocks buttercup and managed to locate a few plants just past their best in St George’s churchyard. Just up the road at Gamlingay the 6 dotterel were still present but a little distant.

James Hunter and I headed to Scotland, after a breakfast stop we headed to the Loch of Strathbeg. A brief stop along the way a Macduff for a pair of long tailed ducks showing very well in the harbour. At Loch of Strathbeg it was not too long before the striking drake Cinnamon teal was located at the back of the closest pool. We spent a little time here watching some tree sparrows on the feeders before continuing south. At Aberdeen harbour we quickly located some Bottle nosed dolphins in rather cold and breezy conditions. Next stop was at Loirston loch for the Ring necked duck, no sign of the Long billed dowitcher at the Montrose basin so we headed on to Methil. Here we scanned the scoter flock and managed to find the white winged scoter and the hybrid. On to Buckhaven, but we could not locate the Stejneger's Scoter so we tried at East Wemyss but could not find it there either but some of the scoters were asleep and would not wake up. We did have a nice summer plumaged red throated diver and a black throated diver amongst the eider and scoters. James located the partial leucistic ?? scoter but the light was fading so we gave up on the Stejneger's, got some chips and headed home.

Chips – Toby's Fish & Chip Shop , Thornton - Haggis and Chips 6/10