The small stream reveals several male Scarlet Darter Dragonflies, their colour more vivid than anything on a printed page. There’s a blue Keeled Skimmer and several Yellow-veined Darters as well; the latter are also found well away from water.

There’s so much variety here, and when we are out raptor watching it’s easy to be sidetracked by a Praying Mantis, the scent of Wild Thyme, the constant ‘song’ of a Cicada, bats emerging at sunset and their final sortie at sunrise, or a Painted Lady flying round your head. With so much richness why are the birds under so much pressure from illegal hunting? Why is it legal to shoot Turtle Doves that are declining across Europe and why does hunting take place in Spring? Surely the birds should be allowed to take their place in the environment alongside the rest of Malta’s splendid flora and fauna. They are only here for a day or less and would never be able to have a negative impact on the environment.

Back to the ‘day job’ now and out for an evening shift. Let’s hope a few raptors make their southward flight over the island without facing a cloud of lead shot.