Happy holidays

Mediterranean Gull, adult, (probably a female :-)

Sussex, Wiltshire, Dorset, Cornwall, the grand tour. Not that everything went entirely to plan but a good time has been had by all. We have returned minus one long standing member of the family - we are a car less as the cambelt decided that enough was enough somewhere near the Devon / Dorset border. (For the uninitiated when the cambelt breaks it wrecks the engine.) However, the Visa card and Europcar came to the rescue and after a pause holiday mode was reinstalled.

Birding highlights included finding a Ring-billed Gull at Helston (so all those hours at Scaling Dam grilling Common and Herring Gulls proved worthwhile - first know your argenteus from your argentatus. Twelve Mediterranean Gulls on the Helford River in one go were rather good and a Wood Sandpiper at Stithians was an appreciated find.

First Summer Ring-billed Gull, The Loe, Helston

In Wiltshire I tackled moths again with Rosy Footman and Large Wainscot (to be confirmed) highlights. Black Arches and an interesting Emerald were located in Cornwall (in a public toilet).

Herring Gull, The Tate, St Ives

The arts were fully appreciated as was our nation's heritage.

Jackdaws, just after dawn, Stonehenge

Do something new: body boarding is pretty wild if not a little knackering.

Many thanks to all who were wonderfully hospitable.