A Varied Report from Roger Lane 9th April 2010

'Do hope you're not suffering too much while 'confined to barracks' on these much warmer days (still a SE wind-chill at Pontsmill and Par). Seems you havn't missed (m)any birds, and it took a lot of driving and much walking to reach 40 butterflies (all day in fact). But nothing new, just lots of Brimstones(15), Small Tortoiseshells (10 !), Peacocks and Commas. Saw the Orange-Tip again at Pontsmill, just the one, but 3 other species were seen elsewhere in C'wall (GVWhite, Sp.Wood and Lg.White, ELSEWHERE)
To me the most interesting item was one you don't cover: a single BEE-FLY (Bombylius major) at Pontsmill where there is a very local colony (only 10 days late !), google it, there's nothing quite like them, cute !
Otherwise, in the Par wilderness (15+ butterflies), LTTit pair; a Jay, that Raven again (may be interested in the pine trees but a bit late, for Ravens nesting), and of course Chiff-chaffs.
On Par East Cliff, workmen are all over the car-park but you CAN get in ! Saw just 1 x Peacock and A PAIR of Stonechats, back from somewhere !
Large Red Damselfly should be out now, if you have a garden pond ! But it is BLACK in it's 'teneral' form for the first 4 or 5 days ! No other species is out yet.'

Thanks for the report Roger.
Car goes in first thing in the morning so fingers crossed.