Sunday 16th July

There is no access to the hide or Warren Point for the next couple of weeks. The Slavonian Grebe was off Cockwood with high tide counts including 341 Curlew, 285 Oystercatcher, 143 Redshank,  40 Sandwich Tern - a welcome increase, 21 Bar-tailed Godwit, 18 Whimbrel, 15 Dunlin, six Greenshank, five Mediterranean Gull and a Little Ringed Plover. Elsewhere the first Kingfisher of the autumn was in the saltmarsh and 73 Swift were overhead.  

Saturday 15th July

There is no access to the hide or Warren Point for the next couple of weeks. A Storm Petrel lingering off the seawall was an unexpected highlight with 60 Common Scoter, a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull and the first returning Great-crested Grebe also offshore. In the estuary the Slavonian Grebe remains off Cockwood with counts including 234 Curlew, 33 Bar-tailed Godwit, eight Whimbrel, six Mediterranean Gull, two Greenshank, two Sanderling and a Dunlin. Elsewhere 30+ Swift were feeding overhead late afternoon and a Willow Warbler was in the Buffer Zone.

Slavonian Grebe - Alan Keatley

Wildlife News: 13 species of butterfly were on the wing today including a Marbled White around the Entrance Bushes and at least half a dozen Red Admiral. Elsewhere a Beewolf colony was found in the Buffer Zone.

Thursday 13th July

There is no access to the hide or Warren Point for the next couple of weeks. At least 22 Mediterranean Gull remain in the estuary, 17 adult, three juvenile and single first and second summers, with 290 Curlew, 54 Turnstone, 25 Dunlin, 24 Bar-tailed Godwit, still just 15 Sandwich Tern, six Sanderling, three Greenshank, two Knot and the Slavonian Grebe.

 Turnstone - Alan Keatley

Wildlife News: Butterflies included many Gatekeeper, several Ringlet, Speckled Wood, Common Blue, Brown Argus, Large and Green-veined White and Meadow Brown, but only a few Small Skipper and Small Copper. Dragonflies remains scarce with only one each of Common Darter, Blue-tailed Damselfly and Emperor. 

 Silvery Leafcutter Megachile leachella - Alan Keatley

Volucella bombylans, a bumblebee mimic - Alan Keatley

 

Wednesday 12th July

There is no access to the hide or Warren Point for the next couple of weeks. The Slavonian Grebe was off Cockwood with 200+ Curlew, 20+ Dunlin, eight Common Sandpiper, five Bar-tailed Godwit and four Greenshank.

Monday 10th July

There is no access to the hide or Warren Point for the next couple of weeks. The first Willow Warbler of the autumn was present along with a single Wheatear with a dozen Swift overhead. Elsewhere the Slavonian Grebe was off Cockwood, nine Mediterranean Gull were in the Railway Saltmarsh with 303 Curlew, 56 Redshank, 18 Bar-tailed Godwit, three Whimbrel and two Greenshank.

 

Sunday 9th July

There is no access to the hide or Warren Point for the next couple of weeks. Mediterranean Gull continued to move through with a minimum of 43 birds today, most however flew south rather than heading into the estuary as on previous days. Also offshore two Balearic Shearwater, 99 Shag, 40 Common Scoter, 20+ Sandwich Tern and a Skua sp. In the estuary there were 76 Redshank, 24 Bar-tailed Godwit, nine Common Sandpiper, three Greenshank, three Dunlin, a Knot and the Little Ringed Plover. Elsewhere the first Wheatear of the autumn was in Greenland Lake and 15 Swift and three Sand Martin were overhead.

Wildlife News: A presumed Dark Green Fritillary was briefly around the Entrance Bushes, only the 2nd record in the last 50 years. Elsewhere good numbers of other species including the a second brood of Brown Argus.   

Saturday 8th July

There is no access to the hide or Warren Point for the next couple of weeks. The day's highlight was again Mediterranean Gull with an incredible 76 birds recorded through the day, eclipsing the previous site record of 27 set only yesterday. There were 67 in the morning, with nine new birds in evening. Birds were coming in off sea all morning, mostly from the east, with the largest flock comprising 10 birds. The breakdown was 31 juveniles, 31 adults, eight second summer and six first summer.

Other records included 357 Manx Shearwater, 117 Common Scoter, three Little Tern, two Yellow-legged Gull and a Common Tern offshore whilst counts from the estuary included 333 Curlew, 63 Redshank, 17 Bar-tailed Godwit, nine Dunlin, three Common Sandpiper, two Greenshank, the Slavonian Grebe and a Little Ringed Plover. Overhead 83 Sand Martin and 61 Swift flew through and good numbers of juvenile birds were present including a family group of Cirl Bunting.

Blackcap (juvenile) - Alan Keatley

Wildlife News: The first Large Skipper and Marbled White of the year were on the wing and three Bottle-nosed Dolphin were offshore. Several species of solitary bees & wasps are on the wing including Little Flower Bee Anthophora bimaculata, Beewolf Philanthus triangulum and Black-thighed Epeolus Epeolus variegatus.

Black-thighed Epeolus - Alan Keatley

Friday 7th July

There is no access to the hide or Warren Point for the next couple of weeks. The highlight was a site record count of 27 Mediterranean Gull, continuing the late summer influxes of recent years; 24 of these came in off the sea in just three flocks. The breakdown was 14 adult, seven second-summer, two first-summer and four juveniles. Other counts included 297 Curlew, 65 Redshank, eight Bar-tailed Godwit, six Whimbrel and singles of Little Ringed and Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Knot and Greenshank.

Wildlife News: Good numbers of Six-spot Burnet moth are now flying around Greenland Lake.

Six-spot Burnet - James Marshall

Thursday 6th July

There is no access to the hide or Warren Point for the next couple of weeks. Wader diversity and numbers increased with single Little Ringed and Ringed Plover, Greenshank and Common Sandpiper; counts included 297 Oystercatcher, 272 Curlew, 51 Redshank, 11 Grey Plover, four Dunlin and two Knot. Other records included three Mediterranean Gull, 67 Kittiwake, 27 Sandwich Tern and the Slavonian Grebe.   

Wildlife News: A Golden-ringed Dragonfly was along the Back Path with good numbers of butterflies on the wing, especially Gatekeeper and Small Skipper, also Comma, Speckled Wood, Small Copper, Meadow Brown, Large, Small and Green-veined White.

 Golden-ringed Dragonfly - Alan Keatley

Gatekeeper - Alan Keatley

Monday 3rd July

The Slavonian Grebe was still off Cockwood and 11 Sandwich Tern were in the estuary but no other news was received.