Saturday 12th May

Any thoughts of doing an early morning sea watch was thwarted by fog. The same weather affected the chance of any grounded migrants, leaving just a few passing hirundines overhead after the fog had lifted. A couple of Reed Warbler and Blackcap were probably new arrivals but Whitethroat numbers remained the same and the lone Sedge Warbler remained in good voice around the Golf Course pond. Overhead single Yellow Wagtail, Swift and Sand Martin and 33 Swallow, the second highest count this Spring!

Elsewhere a Little and three Common Tern were briefly offshore with two Eider, two Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver on the sea, whilst counts from the estuary were limited to 26 Dunlin, 16 Sanderling, 12 Whimbrel, a Turnstone and a Bar-tailed Godwit.

Wildlife News: A Grey Seal was offshore. Weather conditions were not ideal for insect viewing but good numbers of Sandpit Mining Bee Andrena barbilabris remain on the wing, a few longhorn moths Adela reaumurella were flying low down over Bramble and Celery Fly Euleia heraclei became the 500th Dipteran species for the Recording Area. 

 Sandpit Mining Bee (female) - Alan Keatley

 Sandpit Mining Bee (male) - Alan Keatley

 Adela reaumurella - Alan Keatley

Celery Fly (pair) - Alan Keatley