30 APRIL - RING OUZELS in Inkombe Hole

After getting the Greenshank, Common Sand and 2 LRPs at College Lake early morning I then headed up the hills hoping for some migrants.

Walking all the way round the Beacon the best I could find was 2 male Northern Wheatears and a flyover Yellow Wag. The wind was too strong for any butterflies to be on the wing so I moved across to Steps Hill where it was a bit more sheltered and soon got 3 Duke of Burgundy, a Grizzled Skipper and 3 Dingy Skippers. Reaching the top end of Incombe Hole a stunning male Greenland Wheatear was halfway up the slope and I was surprised to see a male RING OUZEL out in the open at the bottom of the slope. I quickly got a record shot before two people who were walking along the bottom flushed it into the bushes. It eventually came out in the open again just before Don Otter arrived and we had good views for a while before it was joined by a second browner bird as they worked their way slightly up the righthand slope. Just before we left Don spotted a stunning Green Hairstreak in the grass (Rob Andrews)