Oliver Cromwell and the Black Terns

Pottering around the moth trap when the shed came over early this morning but had my hands full with the many species these warm nights are bringing in. Tawny Owl and Cuckoo heard in the distance.

Osprey, 2 Black Tern, 9 Common Tern, Red Kite and 6 Shelduck including a pair with 9 recently fledged young were at Eyebrook Reservoir, Leicestershire on our way to Ketton this morning. Having found our spot to observe “Oliver Cromwell” we moved on to the nearby Ketton Quarry NR where we had 30 Dingy Skipper, 10 Grizzled Skipper, 30 Small Heath, 20 Common Blue, Common Twayblade, Muntjac Deer and Fox plus a probable Lattice Heath.
Having arrived at Ketton footbridge just east of the signal box our long wait was cut short with a tip off that she (Oliver Cromwell) was running 2 hours late so moved on to Stamford for refreshments. A rather entertaining game of cricket kept us occupied till we left for the station and watched BR Britannia Class 7MT 4-6-2 no 70013 Oliver Cromwell charge past with the Kings Cross-Rowsley special over 130 minutes down on her scheduled time.

Back home and 3 Holly Blue were in the garden with Hobby overhead and though I had another good moth catch I could not beat Colins 10th record of Cloaked Pug for Warwickshire so well done you bugger.