Sunday 9 April 2023

Sunday 9th April

A case of diminishing returns with few new migrants and reducing numbers in the estuary. Counts included 354 Oystercatcher, 122 Curlew, 20 Grey Plover, 14 Redshank, 14 Sanderling, 12 Turnstone, 12 Teal, 10 Snipe, four Bar-tailed Godwit, three Dark-bellied Brent Geese, two Whimbrel and single intermedius Lesser Black-backed Gull, Ringed Plover, Greenshank and Dunlin.

Elsewhere a Scandinavian Rock Pipit in the Bight, overhead 23 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 10 Swallow and six Rook and offshore 10 Sandwich Tern, five Common Scoter, two Red-breasted Merganser and single Red-throated Diver and Great Crested Grebe

Wildlife News: Invertebrates included several Dune Scarab Aegialia arenariaMarram Weevil Philopedon plagiatum and Black Marram Weevil Otiorhynchus atroapterus below the geotubes, and a Turtle Shieldbug on Warren Point, where the early stage of Dead Man's Fingers Xylaria polymorpha was discovered on a rotting Elder log.

Turtle Shieldbug - Kevin Rylands

Dead Man's Fingers - Kevin Rylands

Elsewhere Sand Crocus did open briefly but the weather meant today was early closing, a Sand Lizard was basking on the Dune Ridge, and just the one butterfly in the increasingly cloudy conditions, a single Small Tortoiseshell

Sand Crocus - Kevin Rylands

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