Saturday 18th July

Another increase in Sandwich Tern with at least 210 in The Bight on the dropping tide, conversely just three Mediterranean Gull in the estuary today. Other counts included 129 Redshank, 30 Whimbrel, 15 Dunlin, nine Greenshank, four Sanderling, two Bar-tailed Godwit and two Grey Plover. 

Elsewhere the Coot remains at the Main Pond. 

Other Wildlife: The highlight was a Purple Marbled Tortrix Pammene gallicana, found at Langstone Rock on Wild Carrot, its food plant. A nationally scarce species with scattered records, mainly coastal, but just the fifth Devon record of this day flying moth.

Purple Marbled Tortrix Pammene gallicana - both Alan Keatley

Also nectaring on various flowers, Noble Cuckoo Wasp Hedychrum nobile, a Common Purple and Gold Pyrausta purpuralis, the plant bug Phytocoris varipes, several Episyron rufipes and the hoverflies White-clubbed Glasswing Scaeva pyrastri and Common Weeny Paragus haemorrhous.

Noble Cuckoo Wasp Hedychrum nobile - Alan Keatley

Common Purple and Gold Pyrausta purpuralis - Alan Keatley

Phytocoris varipes - Alan Keatley

Episyron rufipes - Alan Keatley

At ground level, a coastal lesser spiny-winged fly Trixoscelis obscurella. As with recent days good numbers of Clouded Yellow at least eight, were on site, including a pale helice colour form.

Trixoscelis obscurella - Alan Keatley