Swift half news - 21st June 2010

• Midsummer's day and yet another dry day - and warm to boot today also.
• Plenty of tree bumblebees in the garden today - though I can't find any nest... I know this (relatively) new species to the UK liked Buckinghamshire last year - this year it seems to be Reading and Berkshire (so I'm reliably told by a chap at BWARS (see link)).
• The moth trap last night went BANANAS! The first yellow underwing moths, the first small magpies, loads of heart and darts and silver Ys (as normal), some sort of coronet (couldn't identify it properly before it flew away) and two "Dark Arches" - a first this year for the moff trap. The swing in the wind direction brought our garden moffs to life - I wonder what the rest of the week will bring!
• Plenty of activity chez Swift also with the chicks getting bigger and bigger and the nest site being raided at dawn this morning (for the first time proper) by an aerial bombardment of yearling (non breeding) males. Spectacular!
• Both woodpecker families feeding well on the post all day again - what a success that's been this year!
• Lots of ladybird larvae in the garden - mainly harlequin and 7-spot, but also 14 spot too.
• Wimbledon starts along with summer proper?