I have to pinch myself as its a whole week since the long eared owl/nightjar fest with CH et al and bingo I managed to photograph another 'nightjar' (see above) but this time of the subspecies cideri. This confiding individual was sitting motionless in grassland at The British.
I wanted to take some photos this evening of whinchat so the extensive stands of bracken around the slopes of The British seemed the most natural place to visit, but there were no birds to be seen suggesting numbers are depressed. However, a male stonechat was reasonably obliging. Yellowhammer was in song along with linnet and cuckoo. A beautiful demoiselle was an interesting addition given I've always considered this to be a lowland species. Stridulating meadow grasshopper are now widespread.
Have stonechat numbers plummeted in Gwent, after the long hard winter? They are certainly much rarer here in Orkney this spring.
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