Monday 22nd June

Counts from the estuary included 50 Black-headed and four adult Mediterranean Gull, two Grey Plover, a Knot and an Oystercatcher. At least 25 Manx Shearwater and 24 Sandwich Tern were rafting / feeding offshore.

Singing warblers and Cirl Bunting were on territory signalling second brood breeding, with Stonechat and tits still feeding fledged young.

Other Wildlife: Most insects were active in the morning quieting down as the heat increased into the afternoon. On the railway wall a Shiny-vented Sharp-tail Bee Coelioxys inermis searching for nest holes of its host, Patchwork Leafcutter Bee Megachile centuncularis.

Shiny-vented Sharp-tail Bee Coelioxys inermis - Alan Keatley

Also on the wing the year's first Pantaloon Bee Dasypoda hirtipes, Javelin Wasp Gasteruption jaculator and on the Main Pond, a pair of Red-eyed Damselfly, with a couple of Black-tailed Skimmer, Broad-bodied Chaser and Emperor. In the flower meadow a dozen species of butterfly including at least three Marbled White, along with several Silver Y and Diamond Back Moth.

Gatekeeper - James Marshall

Silver Y - Kevin Rylands

Other records included hole nesting Common Yellow-faced Bee and burrowing Beewolf, a male Microlinyphia pusilla spider, the Beach Pill Woodlouse Armadillidium album and, new for the Recording Area, the saltmarsh specialist lacebug Pentastiridius leporinus. 

Common Yellow-faced Bee Hylaeus communis - Alan Keatley

Beach Pill Woodlouse Armadillidium album - Kevin Rylands

Pentastiridius leporinus - Kevin Rylands