Isle of Muck Nature Reserve

A few shots of the seabirds on and around Isle of Muck on a recent seabird survey counting numbers of Kittiwake chicks. Surprisingly there where also 2 Puffins sitting on the water close to the island, they don't breed there, but have been spotted on the last couple of surveys.  All images taken from a safe distance, using a telephoto lens and cropped ~ Ronald

Glenarm Nature Reserve

A small number of silver-washed fritillary are now on the wing in the Glenarm reserve.  The common suspects such as ringlet, speckled wood and green-veined white were also present in good number ~ Adrian Kernohan, Ulster Wildlife Member

Note: Access to Glenarm Nature Reserve for members is with prior permission only, contact us on membership@ulsterwildlife.org for more information

Straidkilly Nature Reserve

I observed an adult female Sparrowhawk flying in (maybe with a kill) resulting in begging calls from at least 2 young ~ Ian Enlander, Ulster Wildlife Member

Umbra Nature Reserve

Conditions were not ideal for Lepidoptera, though there were up to 3 dark green fritillaries, about half a dozen common blues (only 1 female), 15-20 meadow browns, c. 6 ringlets, a small tortoiseshell, 2 green-veined whites, 3 six-spot burnets, a grass rivulet and a yellow shell. I also tried without success with lures for clearwings. We also saw a Cuckoo at a range of probably 50 yards or less, a rather late date (probably a young one).

Marsh Helleborine was reasonably abundant, with 4 separate sub-colonies in the western dune slack; there were a few bushes of Corsican Heath (which seem to have disappeared from the most easterly one where it used to occur.  Pyramidal and Fragrant Orchids were not particularly abundant ~ Ian Rippey, Ulster Wildlife Member

Note: Access to Umbra Nature Reserve for members is with prior permission only, contact us on membership@ulsterwildlife.org for more information