Photo 1 is a Heath Potter Wasp Eumenes coarctatus regurgitating a gobbet of water brought back from a fresh water source. Its purpose is to moisten some of the clay in its quarry so that it can mix it into a soft clay ball to be carried back to be plastered into its clay pot nest. See pic 2

Emperor Dragonflies Anax imperator (m) flying non-stop over the pond at Bovey Heath.

Bee-wolf Philanthus triangulum provisioning the chambers in her deep nest burrow with paralysed Honey Bees Apis mellifera. There seem to be many more than last year at Mansands beach.

Clouded Yellows blown into Berry Head this morning. They headed straight for Red Valerian ignoring Knapweed and all else.

Comically named, Astata boops the Shieldbug Digger Wasp. From the greek Astata = restless and boops=large eyes. It provisions its nest burrow with shieldbug nymphs. Seen here on the South Devon coast at Berry Head and the other at Mansands.

Silver-washed Fritillaries flying around the buddleia at Berry Head yesterday evening. Six-belted Clearwing Bembecia ichneumoniformisare, a moth, starting to appear at Berry Head. Their larvae feed on Bird's -foot Trefoil which is quite plentiful.

Rock Pipits finding grasshoppers in plentiful supply at Berry Head.

Common Dolphin, mother and small calf off Berry Head this morning. C. Dolphins back in numbers today and not a Risso's to be seen.

50+ Risso's Dolphins widely dispersed off Berry Head this morning. Great to watch , occasionally they came in quite close. I wonder if they are feeding on octopus during daylight hours. There are lots of octopus and they are not very deep. There were Risso's well within Torbay this morning.

Western Bee-flies Bombylius canescens, many of them patrolling the footpaths on Aish Tor today, especially near bee nest burrows in the path. This one in pic 1 descended on a Tormentil flower for some nectar. Given as Nationally Scarce in Brocks Britain's Insects.

Risso's Dolphins passing Berry Head this morning. The highlight was this mother and calf in shot 1. The pod was widely dispersed and moving quite slowly, in fact just ambling along.

If I hadn't seen it I wouldn't have believed it! - A Slowworm swimming across the pond at Bovey Heath. Also an Emperor Dragonfly and a Silver-studded Blue.

Tiny, very fast moving and very beautiful this is the Green-eyed Flower Bee Anthophora bimaculata. These can now be seen flying flying on Bovey Heath foraging mainly on Heather and Bramble. Their nest burrows are dug into well trodden footpaths.

Red-veined Darter (m) needing to rest from time to time, it was hot at Clennon Lakes this morning. A female Black-tailed Skimmer ovipositing and being investigated by a Common Blue Damselfly.

Fabulous butterflies in Long Wood, Noss on Dart, this morning: Silver-washed Fritillaries, 3 of them in a glade. First we've seen this year. Purple Hairstreaks up in the oaks, occasionally breaking into flight. White Admirals, we had to wait until past noon before they came down to nectar.

Slapton Ley NNR this morning: A Reed Warbler coming up out of the reeds just long enough to get a shot. Pair of Great Crested Grebes courting with pond weed! Getting worked up for a second brood perhaps.

A little Colletes Bee - Plasterer Bees on Berry Head. I haven't found any nest sites yet for this bee, except for Colletes hederae which doesn't start flying until late summer.

Marbled Whites flying this week on Berry Head, South Devon. Always great to see them again.

One of UK's rarest plant species - Small Hare's-ear known in only two areas on the British Mainland, here at Berry Head and at Portland Bill. Portland Spurge Euphorbia portlandica, recognisable with its red stalk. Growing out of a sandstone rockface, Coast Sand-spurrey Spergularia media. Berry Head.

Emerging Scarlet Tiger Calimorpha dominula on Berry Head this afternoon. What a splash of colour on a grey afternoon!

Risso's Dolphins off Berry Head this morning, they are here to feed on the great numbers of Octopus available off the south coast. Encouraging to see calves amongst them in 2, 3 and 4.

On the woodpile in the Coronation Meadow which is part of the Greenway Estate NT. South Devon. A stunning little cuckoo wasp in the Chrysis ignita group. This can only be pinned down further by microscopic examination. Parasitoid of Ancistrocerus wasps.

Long-horned Bees Eucera longicornis seen on the South Devon coast at Froward Point. We saw all males and most of them looking a little pale and worn. Brilliant work by Jake Wood who found them.

Bee-flies (2) Old Mill Bay nr Froward Point today. With clear wings and the area behind the eyes having a short pile of pale brown hairs this should be Bombylius minor the Heath Bee-fly. Rare in UK. But it could also be similar Western Bee-fly. @johnwalterswildife.bsky.social What do you think?

Patchwork Leafcutter Bee Megachile centuncularis, the first leafcutter in the garden this year. It headed straight for Linda's large Vipers Bugloss plants. Hope to see them cutting leaves and nest making soon.

Common Dolphins off Berry Head yesterday, they didn't stay long. We had watched them previously bow riding a sailing yacht. Squinancywort in flower. An unusual plant in Devon - only at Berry Head and a few spots in E. Devon. Can not survive in long grass. Once used for throat infections - a quinsy.

Wheatear, a juvenile, (see pale edges on wing feathers), Berry Head yesterday. Wheatears have been coming into UK since mid March, it takes 42-47 days from egg to independence so this juvenile is ready to fly south, its parents maybe raising a second brood. Study in grey - a Rock Pipit.

Two Tawny Owl fledglings in the trees at Berry Head today. Every time a parent bird tried to get close it was mobbed by Magpies.

All at stupid distances off Berry Head for good photography, anyway, hundreds of Manx Shearwaters finding food off the surface of the sea. Numbers have been recorded from over 2000 up to 5000 in the past few days. Photo 4 is a Balearic Shearwater going south on its own.

Razorbill below Berry Head in a sunny period and shortly afterwards a juvenile Kittiwake in a rain shower. On a Small Scabious flower a bumblebee mimic Volucella bombylans looking deceptively like a bumblebee.

Weekend cruise with the excellent "Birds of Poole Harbour." We watched an Osprey dive five times unsuccessfully for fish. White-tailed Eagle waiting for the tide to ebb a bit more and it refused to fly! Common Terns + a Black-headed Gull in the nesting refuge. Harbour Seals relaxing.

Delighted to find six Mother Shipton moths Euclidia mi at Badbury Rings in Dorset this weekend. Possibly named fancifully as the wing pattern might resemble the nose and chin of the eponymous Yorkshire witch. Just the one Dingy Skipper Erynnis tages but lots of Grizzled Skippers Purgus malvae.

Silver Y Moth, an immigrant moth with a very active flappy feeding style. It has a curled up tongue being used this today to sup on Cat Mint in our garden. They may arrive some years in very large numbers.

First Large Skipper I've seen this year - this one on Berry Head. It was very close to some Lesser Meadow Rue, a relatively uncommon plant found on the headland. Back home I found a few Blue Mason Bees busy on the Catmint.

First Bee Orchid in the quarry at Berry Head. Just behind it appears to be a Common Quaking Grass. Our gardening experience with this says its invasive and can be difficult to get rid of, if you want to.

Immigrant Moths in the trap last night: 1-2 Striped Hawk-moth Hyles livornica seen along the southern coasts of England and Ireland in varying numbers. Is this year going to be a good one? 3 is a Small Mottled Willow Spodoptera exigua, 7 in the trap. Also known as Beet Armyworm!

Hummingbird Hawk-moth Macroglossum stellatarum on Crabrock Point, South Devon, nectaring on Red Valerian this morning. Macroglossum (Greek root, Macro = large/long and glossum =tongue). Video shows why it got this name and how it puts this tongue to good use.

Long-horned Bees Eucera longicornis, all males, coming out to nectar on Kidney Vetch as the sun broke through the mist at mid-day this morning. Prawle Point, South Devon.

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries Boloria selene now looking fresh on Dartmoor. Pics 1+2 Pearl-bordered Fritillaries Boloria euphrosyne are now often looking faded and worn. Pics 3+4

Caught in flagrante delicto this pair of Pale Soldier Beetles Cantharis livida were discovered by a Long-tailed Tit, one of a small flock passing down into the quarry at Berry Head.

Dartmoor wooded valleys, much going on in them at the moment. This male Pied Flycatcher catching inverts for a brood of chicks. Blue Ground Beetles Carabus intricatus found at night climbing trees looking for mating opportunities and for slugs to eat. Thanks John Walters for the introduction.

Spotted Flycatcher down in the bottom of the quarry at Berry Head this morning. It was a little warmer and sheltered down there and no doubt there were plenty of flies and midges. I've not noticed before how black its legs are.

Brown Argus Aricia agestis, two of them at Miltor Mator, Ipplepen today, also seen: Swollen-thighed Beetle Oedemera nobilis on buttercup and Dropwort Filipendula vulgaris one of the prettiest of spring flowers and a favourite of mine.

Black Kite circling over the town centre of Biarritz a few days ago. No doubt looking to scavenge anything it can spot. We saw two in the week we were there.

We've been holidaying for a week in Biarritz with daughter Laura and were surprised to see quite a few Yellow-legged Gulls. They have been breeding here on offshore rocks since 2001, and are doing well, supplementing their diet in the season with baguettes, paninis and ice creams etc.

Black Mining Bees Andrena pilipes building nest burrows in a very soft and crumbly cliff at Mansands. Much of the cliff has already slumped onto the beach. Pic 4 is a dead Black Mining Bee on the beach.

I am leading a night walk looking for the rare Blue Ground Beetle Carabus intricatus on Dartmoor at the Bovey Valley Woodlands on Thursday 14 May 2026 www.trybooking.com/uk/events/la...

Small Blue Butterflies Cupido minimus, half a dozen or so flying by the quarry hill as were lots of Green Long-horns Adela reaumurella. These were "dancing" fairy-like over the shrubbery.

Berry Head quarry yesterday: Singing Whitethroat at the top of the hill. One of the Goldfinches from a large flock. Fulmar zooming around the headland.

Small Blue Cupido minimus, very fresh, in the quarry at Berry Head. First I've seen this spring, this one was down in the bottom of the quarry by the metal gate.