Monday 28th May

Today looks like the end of prolonged spell of sunshine so off to Mabie Forest on bike to check out butterflies in nature reserve.  Kept casual eye out for wood warbler and green woodpecker on the way but suspected sighting of tree pipits on edge of butterfly area.  Couldn't get them in binoculars to confirm but tree pipit is becoming a target.  It seems they are around but I just don't notice them.

Quite instuctive as lots of small pearl bordered fritillaries and small heaths but also a very small, lighter coloured butterfly that seemed almost predominantly yellow with dark spots/cheques. There is a thing called the chquered skipper. I have contacted Butterfly Conservation  Scotland to see if this is at all likely.  Supposedly they only occur in the Fort William area but it is their peak flying time.  I don't find the pictures I've seen of them much help as the specimen I observed appeared much lighter in colour.

Later research suggests it may in fact have been a speckled yellow moth.

Tuesday 22nd May

First trip out with Malcolm yesterday. It has finally warmed over the weekend but fish are taking a time to respond.  Followed dubious tip to fish square but all we could get was small perch and one resonable roach bream hybrid.  Apparently things picked up on Queensberry Salix after teatime.  Saw another fox when we came to suss things out on Sunday.

Malcolm's First Carp

Today out with Alex and eventually Vicki as well as Malcolm.  Fish spawning and Alex keen to fish West end although my judgement is that North and South East banks tend to be better.  I was on the pole in the NW corner.  Alex got a couple of carp ledgering near weed and Malcolm missed bites before eventually getting a chub.  Corner was tricky because of lack of space to strike but fish came on nicely.  Eventually Malcolm got a reasonable common on my pole and Vicki got a couple of carp on float fished maggot.  Encouraged Malcolm to try this but all he got was a chub, a small skimmer and a gudgeon.

Meanwhile I was alternating between chub and carp mostly to sweetcorn and missed bites and eventually got a nice 5lb common around 9.00 pm that went round and round as if on a grand prix circuit before swimming straight into the net.  My total was seven carp and five chub but I wasn't getting unduly excited until that last fish as overall carp size was just 2 - 3 lb.  One chub about 13/4lb as against overall 1lb stamp.

Plenty of fish were coming out of SE corner which is main spawning area but unfortunately occupied by noisy locals when we got there. We're pretty convinced that the fish in Brooms get moved around and sold on, which might account for overall low size.  Perhaps time for a new fishing challenge?

Wednesday 16th May

Fishing trip to Brooms FI to test before Malcolm comes up next week as weather has been so chilly this month.

Margin fishing was disrupted by swan eating bait off the bottom and sport slow.  Did manage a koi and a common (latter on very short rigged half hooker) and turned the whole thing round a bit by getting a nice barbel of about 4lb from the swim the swan had disturbed on a worm, which was a good piece of thinking.  Saw splendid fox with huge brush tail on other side of F1.

Tuesday 8th May

Conntinued easterly winds and very cool weather have meant all thoughts of fishing have been postponed.  Managed morning trip to Ken Dee Marshes as a first attempt at spotting wood warbler, green woodpecker and willow tit.  Never sure about this place.  The area noted for wood warblers seemed decidedly quiet again although I did hear some trilling from a distance and saw the bird but too far away to identify.  No sign either of pied flycatcher.  Did however see treecreeper and female wheatear (never seen either here before) as well as pink footed geese.  There was a moment of excitement when I caught sight of a bird with dark head markings at the edge of the main woodland - but it turned out to be a fluffy looking male blackcap.

Also three red squirrels on brief walk to Lockerbie Wildlife Reserve some time before this.

Tuesday 1st May

Not getting out much for various reasons but managed lightning trip to Kirkconnel Flow hoping to see some butterflies but weather clouded over badly.  But there were some crossbills, male and female, in the scots pines that line the main track.

The Friday after, I happened to see the first orange tip of the season while walking from Penrith to Newton Rigg for work.