Local Wildlife Sightings May 2026

 April's dry, warm and sunny weather continued until the night of the 3/4th, when the first significant rain arrived. There followed a couple of cool days, then pleasant, warm weather from the 7th to the 9th. However, after this the weather turned much cooler and more changeable, with showery outbreaks of rain and temperatures that struggled to reach 10C on some days. A trip to Amwell on the 3rd was rewarded with views of Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warblers. A Cuckoo gave me the run around as it moved round its territory, but I eventually got a distant view (image below). A couple of Swifts, seen over the house on the 4th, signalled their arrival back in Royston and a single House Martin was seen on the 12th over Hatchpen Farm, the only place that I am aware of where this declining species still breeds on my local patch. Juvenile birds were represented by the local Rooks and families of Long-tailed Tits (both species nest early in the year).

'Record Shot' of a Cuckoo, Amwell NR, 3 May

The generally colder weather resulted in a decrease in insect sightings, although I did see my first Common Blue of the year near Phillup's Lake on the 10th. Small numbers of Brown Argus, Small Heath and Small Copper butterflies were seen in a variety of places on the warmer days. There was a modest influx of European Painted Lady butterflies into the country in late April, and one or two were seen on my local patch, alongside larger numbers of (the also migratory) Red Admiral. Orange Tips, Holly Blues and various 'Whites' were still on the wing in good numbers. Amongst the other insects seen during the first part of May were a couple of Wasp Beetles.

Wasp Beetle (a Longhorn Beetle), Therfield Heath, 9 May