Red-foot maybe

Just as our guests were disappearing on the Hamnavoe a Red-footed Falcon paid a swift visit to the garden. I looked up and there was a falcon 20ft above my head. No bins and in a moment it was a away, managed to grab the bins and see it as it disappeared over the next door house. It all lasted about 15 seconds. Fortunately Louise saw it too and between us we managed to piece together some sort of description that led to the conclusion that it was a 2cy male. It was subsequently seen, equally briefly, over the Heddle Rd. Unclaimable of course but a cracking bird all the same.

Have been out to look at the Arctic Terns again, and a new total of about 20 chicks, many now fledged. Looking in the sea at Evie many small shoals of sand eels could be seen. Evie was alive with Arctic Terns and Arctic Skuas. Also there was a flock of 65 Sanderling one of which was colour marked. Apparently the colour and ring sequence is not UK so that will be exciting when the info comes back to me.

 Sanderlings

 Cyanea lamarckii

The moth trap is out tonight and I've been mothing a bit. Double Dart, a new macro, but having a go at some micros. Do let me know if I've got any of these wrong please....

Double Dart

I think this is Agriphila straminella

Scoparia subfusca

Notocelia cynobatella

 Udea lutealis

 Lots of these flying around the garden and track just now, they look dark grey from below so they are quite a surprise when the settle. Also on the wing this evening Twin-spot Carpet.

Sat in the Woundwort patch early this evening before the cloud rolled in, it had been sunny in Harray all day and took these:

Eristalis pertinax (yellow feet)

Episyrphus balteatus

Garden Bumblebee Bombus hortorum

Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum

Better finish up with a bird,  juvenile Twite 

 Here's the fog rolling in from Loch of Bosquoy the other evening. The wind got up and the moth catch was disappointing, still this evening so I'm hopeful.