Records from the morning high tide included 216 Oystercatcher, 157 Curlew, 82 Black-headed Gull, 11 Redshank, eight Whimbrel, six Sandwich Tern, six Turnstone, four Bar-tailed Godwit and a Greenshank.
Offshore a Great Northern Diver, nine Manx Shearwater and three Mediterranean Gull, an adult and two second summer.
Counts from the estuary continued to reveal the start of return wader passage with 207 Oystercatcher, 168 Curlew, 14 Redshank, four Bar and a Black-tailed Godwit, three Dunlin, two Whimbrel and two Greenshank. Also present 14 Sandwich Tern, 51 Black-headed and an adult Mediterranean Gull.
Offshore 30 Gannet, 13 Manx Shearwater, two Common Scoter and a Common Tern.
Wildlife News: Morning showers and a blustery south-westerly reduced insect activity, even in the usual sheltered spots. However at least 10 butterfly species were seen battling the elements, including Ringlet, Small Tortoiseshell, a couple of fresh Comma and three migrant Painted Lady.
Also on the wing Red-legged Spider-wasp Episyron rufipes, Coastal Leafcutter Bee Megachile maritima and the hoverfly Broad-banded Epistrophe Epistrophe grossulariae.
Counts from the estuary included 15 Mediterranean and 38 Black-headed Gull, including the first juvenile, 146 Curlew, 14 Redshank, 11 Sandwich Tern and a Bar-tailed Godwit. Elsewhere 18 Manx Shearwater and a Common Tern were offshore.
Ringing News: Although numbers have increased slightly of late, the first returning ringed Oystercatcher was noted today, U3 now with a very worn ring.
Another returning bird was Sandwich Tern Red KZA. Ringed on passage on Dyfi Estuary, Wales as a juvenile in 2020. It was first seen here between 5-15th July last year. This only the third June recovery for this species and indicates that KZA is probably still a mobile non-breeding immature hence the early date.
Wildlife News: A Large Skipper in Greenland Lake was one of the few butterfly species on the wing during breaks in the poor weather.
A Siskin was in the Alders by the First Pond but there was little else to report on a brief evening visit.
Wildlife News: The first Scarlet Tiger of the year was on the Golf Course along with the first Green-eyed Flower Bee Anthophora bimaculata. Despite the poor year for flowering several Sand Crocus seedheads were located.
The Cuckoo was again on Warren Point, with 45 Swift and four Swallow overhead; a Teal was a new arrival offshore along with 16 Sandwich and three Common Tern.
Counts from the estuary included 193 Oystercatcher, 115 Curlew, five Whimbrel, four Redshank, three Bar-tailed Godwit and single Ringed Plover and Greenshank.
The most unexpected sighting was a female Black Redstart at the expected location of the Go-karts early morning, not surprisingly the first June record. This was closely followed by the third Cuckoo of the year on Warren Point.
Counts from the estuary included the first Greenshank of the autumn, 208 Oystercatcher, 98 Curlew, 12 Whimbrel, five Redshank, four Bar-tailed Godwit, two Grey and Ringed Plover, two Dunlin and, in the saltmarsh, two Stock Dove.
Elsewhere 70+ Swift were overhead, at least two broods of Whitethroat are on the wing and offshore 68 Manx Shearwater, 23 Sandwich Tern, six Common Scoter, four Mediterranean Gull and a Great Crested Grebe.
Wildlife News: The nationally scarce Silver Spiny Digger Wasp Oxybelus argentatus was on the edge of Dead Dolphin Wood, the first site record for over 30 years. Other natoable hymenoptera on the wing included Coast Leafcutter Megachile maritima and Large Sharp-tailed Bee Coelioxys conoidea.
Ten species of butterfly included the earliest ever Ringlet and the first Gatekeeper of the year along with several Painted Lady. Further signs of migration included large numbers of Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus and several White-clubbed Glasswing Scaeva pyrastri. Other species on the wing included Bumblebee Hoverfly Volucella bombylans, Batman Hoverfly Myathropa florea and Broad-banded Epistrophe Epistrophe grossulariae.
A quiet day birdwise with four Common Tern offshore and the family of four Raven in the Bight the most notable sightings
Wildlife News: A Shiny-vented Sharp-tail Bee Coelioxys inermis was watched investigating holes in the Railway wall between the footbridge and Langstone Rock. The first site record since 2011. This species is a cuckoo of Patchwork Leafcutter Megachile centuncularis.
Other new hymenoptera for the year included another cuckoo bee Black-thighed Epeolus Epeolus variegatus and the Sand-tailed Digger Wasp Cerceris arenaria. Other sightings included 12 Pyramidal Orchid on Warren point, a Golden-tailed Hoverfly Xylota sylvarum in Dead Dolphin Wood and a Marbled White along the railway.
Counts from the estuary over the evening tide included 146 Oystercatcher, 35 Curlew, 10 Sanderling, six Dunlin, five Grey and three Ringed Plover, five Mediterranean Gull (1 ad, 2 2nd s, 2 1st s), four Sandwich Tern and single Redshank and Whimbrel.
Counts from the estuary included 201 Oystercatcher, 149 Black-headed Gull, 33 Curlew, 16 Turnstone, eight Dunlin, six Whimbrel, the first three returning Redshank, three Mediterranean Gull (two first & a second summer) and single Bar-tailed Godwit and Ringed Plover.
Elsewhere 180 Swift (102 between 7-8am) and 16 Swallow moved through, five Sandwich Tern were offshore and c180 Starling were in the Bight early morning.
Wildlife News: Eleven species of butterfly were on the wing; Large Skipper, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood, Holly Blue, Common Blue, Small Tortoiseshell, Painted Lady, Peacock, Green-veined, Small and Large White. Still no sign of any Wall. Also on the wing Cinnabar, Yellow Shell and Straw Dot.
At least 15 Black-headed Gull were around Langstone Rock but no other news was received.
Wildlife News: There was no sign of any Heath Potter Wasp around Langstone Rock but there was plenty of insect activity with the first Marbled White of the year, along with Alexanders Conch Aethes deaurana, Fork-tailed Flower Bee Anthophora furcata, several Red & Black Squashbug Corizus hyoscyami and Narcissus Fly Merodon equestris and Lesser Hornet Hoverfly Volucella inanis. The collection of garden exotica has increased with Asiatic Lily Lilium longiforum and Oriental Poppy Papaver orientale in bloom, alongside the spreading Russian Vine Fallopia baldschuanica and Hebe sp.
The seven Mute Swan cygnets remain on the Main Pond with two Canada Geese goslings, the adults trying to keep a wide berth of each other. Also at the pond Little Grebe, Moorhen and Reed Warbler.
Wildlife News: Another nationally scarce insect was the highlight, a male Heath Potter Wasp Eumenes coarctatus near Langstone Rock. The second unexpected site record for this localised heathland species, after one in Aug 2018.
Also on the wing this morning the first Hornet Hoverfly Volucella zonaria of the year and a good number of at least six bumblebee species, including Vestal Cuckoo Bumblebee Bombus vestalis, nectaring on the opening bramble flowers.
The continuing midsummer lull saw little in addition to the regular breeding species, but two Common Scoter were offshore and counts from the estuary included 121 Oystercatcher, 11 Sandwich Tern, five Dunlin and single Ringed Plover and Black-headed Gull.
Wildlife News: A busy day with lots of interest and variety. Taking the top honour was the nationally rare Golden-haired Longhorn Leptura aurulenta. A deadwood species, it spends up to four years as a larvae, this is just the third record in the last ten years.
More expected was the nationally scarce Dune Spurge Bug Dicranocephalus agilis, also on Warren Point.
Other notable sightings included a Giant Dark Horsefly Tabanus sudeticus, the heaviest fly in Europe; a smart male Sand Lizard on Warren Point, the first Small Skipper of the year, three Painted Lady, the migrant hoverfly White-clubbed Glasswing Scaeva pyrastri and a pod of at least 15 Common Dolphin.
Still some signs of northward wader passage with counts of 73 Dunlin, 28 Ringed Plover, 10 Turnstone and eight Sanderling from the estuary along with 164 Oystercatcher, 15 Shelduck, 11 Curlew, seven Whimbrel and two Bar-tailed Godwit.
Elsewhere 18 Swift were overhead and a Great Northern Diver was offshore with 10 Manx Shearwater, five Common Scoter, four Sandwich Tern, three Mediterranean Gull and a Great Crested Grebe
Wildlife News: Two Painted Lady, a Silver Y and increased numbers of Marmalade Hoverfly in particular showed continuing migration. At the Main Pond an emergence of Common Toad with a minimum of 440 toadlets counted and a first instar Puss Moth caterpillar was by the car park.
Counts from the estuary included 165 Oystercatcher, 15 Sanderling, 13 Sandwich Tern, 13 Curlew, nine Dunlin, five Whimbrel, four Ringed Plover, two Turnstone and single Bar-tailed Godwit and first summer Mediterranean Gull.
Elsewhere 11 Swift and eight Swallow overhead, a Great Crested Grebe was offshore and the first fledged Blackcap and Greenfinch were on the wing.
Wildlife News: Insect migration continues with five Silver Y seen along with single Red Admiral and Painted Lady.
Counts from the estuary and beach included 162 Oystercatcher, 46 Sanderling, 18 Dunlin, 14 Shelduck, 10 Curlew, six Whimbrel, four Turnstone, three Ringed Plover, three 1st summer Mediterranean Gull, a Bar-tailed Godwit and a Common Tern. The latter have again been very scarce this Spring.
Elsewhere two distant Pomarine Skua flew east early morning, the first brood of Cirl Bunting have fledged and over a late Yellow Wagtail, nine Swallow, two Swift and a Buzzard.
Wildlife News: The first Large Skipper of the year was on the with Brown Argus and Meadow Brown, along with Cinnabar and Cream-spot Tiger moths.
Also on the wing Fairy-ring and Spotted Longhorn, Vestal Cuckoo Bumblebee, Thigh-legged Hoverfly Syritta pipiens and Ornate-tailed Digger Wasp Cerceris rybyensis.
