Monday 6th April

Offshore there were at least 18 Sandwich Tern, three Red-throated and two Great Northern Diver with c80 Pale-bellied Brent Geese in four flocks which flew in from east and into estuary.

Also in the estuary c100 Curlew, 39 Bar-tailed Godwit, 18 Redshank, 11 Ringed and nine Grey Plover, 10 Sanderling, six Knot, four Dunlin, three Greenshank, two Red-breasted Merganser, a Whimbrel and a Dark-bellied Brent Goose. 

Elsewhere two Swallow flew through and a single Wheatear was on site. 

Other Wildlife: The sunshine and warmer weather brought out a variety of flying insects, the highlight being a male Hornet Grabber Conops vesicularis, a nationally scarce parasitoid fly in the Entrance Bushes. 

Hornet Grabber Conops vesicularis - Alan Keatley

Three species of butterflies were active; Peacock, Speckled Wood and Orange-tip, also on the wing Birch Tortrix Epinotia immundana, Dark-edged Beefly, Sandpit, Small Sallow and Yellow-legged Mining Bee, and the first St. Marks Fly of the year.

Speckled Wood - Alan Keatley

Birch Tortrix Epinotia immundana - Alan Keatley

Beetles on the beach included the nationally rare driftwood weevil Pseudophloeophagus truncorum, the weevil Trichosirocalus troglodytes and the ground beetle Paradromius linearis. 

Pseudophloeophagus truncorum - Alan Keatley

Trichosirocalus troglodytes - Alan Keatley

Paradromius linearis - Alan Keatley

Sunday 5th April

Two adult Spoonbill that flew S from upriver gaining height at 9.45 were the highlight from the estuary, where there were also 97 Curlew, 46 Bar-tailed Godwit, 20 Redshank, 14 Sanderling, 10 Ringed and eight Grey Plover, six Knot, four Red-breasted Merganser, two Dunlin, two Greenshank and a Whimbrel at high tide.

Offshore there were at least 43 Sandwich Tern with seven Red-throated and five Great Northern Diver, five Common Scoter, five Great Crested Grebe, two Fulmar and a 3CY Mediterranean Gull. 

Elsewhere the second Purple Sandpiper of the year was at Langstone Rock, the Red-legged Partridge and a Wheatear were on Warren Point and at least three Willow Warbler were on site.

Saturday 4th April

Offshore there were at least 20 Sandwich Tern with 12 Red-throated and two Great Northern Diver, 11 Manx Shearwater, a Fulmar and a Little Egret south early morning in the brisk southwesterly.

In the estuary two Dark and a Pale-bellied Brent Geese, with the continued lull in wader numbers between departing wintering birds and start of the spring passage in a few weeks' time saw counts of 204 Oystercatcher, 82 Curlew, 25 Bar-tailed Godwit, 18 Turnstone, 17 Sanderling, 10 Grey and a Ringed Plover, six Knot and single Dunlin, Redshank and Whimbrel.

Elsewhere the first two Sand Martin of the year arrived in off the sea mid-afternoon with two Swallow through during the day and a single Willow Warbler in Dead Dolphin Wood. A Corn Bunting was reported being chased by Skylark on Warren Point, but was suppressed from others on site. 

Year List addition:
122. Sand Martin

Other Wildlife: Too overcast and breezy for flying insects, however there were several bugs and beetles in the dune areas. These include the ground bugs Peritrechus nubilus, new for the Recording Area, and Scolopostethus decoratus and the small slender rove beetle Drusilla canaliculata.

Peritrechus nubilus - Alan Keatley

Scolopostethus decoratus - Alan Keatley

Drusilla canaliculata - Alan Keatley

Friday 3rd April

A pair of Garganey that flew south just after 7.30 were the highlight of a 50 minute seawatch, with 24 Red-throated Diver, five Manx Shearwater and four Red-breasted Merganser also heading south.

In the estuary counts over the high tide included 101 Curlew, 40 Bar-tailed Godwit, 13 Sanderling, 10 Grey and seven Ringed Plover, eight Sandwich Tern, six Knot and a 4CY Yellow-legged Gull.

Year List addition:
121. Garganey

Thursday 2nd March

Counts over the evening high tide included an increase to 18 Ringed Plover, with the first migrant Whimbrel, earlier on the beach, roosting with 55 Curlew on Finger Point. Also present in the estuary 32 Bar-tailed Godwit, 17 Turnstone, 14 Sanderling, 11 Snipe, nine Grey Plover, seven Dunlin, six Knot, five Greenshank and a Dark-bellied Brent Goose. 

Offshore a drake Gadwall, the first of the year, 12 Sandwich Tern, three Great Crested Grebe, two Red-breasted Merganser and a Red-throated Diver.

Year List addition:
120. Gadwall

Other Wildlife: Good numbers of insects on the wing early afternoon including the first two Speckled Wood and Orange-tailed Mining Bee Andrena haemorrhoa of the year.

Along the beach at least a dozen Dune Scarab, several Marram Weevil Philopedon plagiatum and a Hypera nigrirostris, with the darkling beetle Opatrum sabulosum at Langstone Rock.

Opatrum sabulosum - Dean Hall

Yellow-legged Mining Bee - Dean Hall

Wednesday 1st April

Seawatching early morning saw 10 Red-throated and seven Great Northern Diver, six Common Scoter, three Sandwich Tern and two Great Crested Grebe offshore. 

Counts from the estuary over the morning high tide included 109 Curlew, 40 Bar-tailed Godwit, 15 Turnstone, 13 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 12 Ringed Plover, eight Red-breasted Merganser, seven Dunlin and a Knot. 

Elsewhere migrants included single Blackcap, Swallow, Wheatear and Willow Warbler with a Shoveler on the Main Pond and the Red-legged Partridge was still on Warren Point.

Other Wildlife: It wasn't a day for flying insects, but there good numbers of beetles on the beach and edge of The Bight, including two new species for the Recording Area, a horned dung beetle Onthophagus similis and the ground beetle Bembidion dentellum, both relatively common and widespread.

Onthophagus similis - Alan Keatley

Bembidion dentellum - Alan Keatley

Other species included the rove beetles Tachyporus hypnorum and Philonthus cognatus, the rare driftwood weevil Pselactus spadix, the ground beetle Harpalus affinis and a 2-spot Ladybird, plus, the dune spider Zelotes electus.

Pselactus spadix - Alan Keatley

Tachyporus hypnorum - Alan Keatley

Philonthus cognatus - Alan Keatley

Harpalus affinis - Alan Keatley

2-spot Ladybird - Alan Keatley

Zelotes electus - Alan Keatley

Tuesday 31st March

Counts from the evening hight tide 125 Curlew, 41 Bar-tailed Godwit, 22 Dark and a Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 21 Sanderling, 18 Redshank, 17 Turnstone, eight Dunlin, eight Grey and seven Ringed Plover, seven Knot and five Greenshank.  

Elsewhere 18 Sandwich Tern, six Common Scoter and a Red-throated Diver were offshore and migrants included six Chiffchaff, three Wheatear and a Willow Warbler.

Other Wildlife: The first two male Orange-tip of the year were on the wing with at least a dozen Peacock, also emerging for the first time the hoverflies, Spring Epistrophe E. eligans and Common Tiger Hoverfly Helophilus pendulus.

On the beach the leaf beetle Prasocuris phellandrii, the rove beetles Bledius spectabilis and Cafius xantholoma and in rock pools, that were recently part of Warren Point, Painted Goby Pomatoschistus pictus, new for the Recording Area, and a European Sting Winkle Ocenebra erinaceus. 

European Sting Winkle Ocenebra erinaceus - Kevin Rylands

Monday 30th March

Counts from the evening high tide included 100 Curlew, 36 Bar-tailed Godwit, 22 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 12 Redshank, nine Knot, seven Grey and six Ringed Plover, seven Dunlin, four Red-breasted Merganser and two Greenshank.

Elsewhere eight Sandwich Tern, four Great Crested Grebe and two Red-throated Diver were offshore. 

Other Wildlife: The lack of birds on site were compensated with a variety range of insects, mainly in sheltered areas. On the wing were nectaring Gooden's Nomad Bee Nomada goodeniana near Langstone Rock, Empis femorata dancefly and the hoverfly, Smudge-veined Clubtail Neoascia podagrica, with a Dark-edged Beefly searching for solitary bee nests to deposit eggs by the Entrance Bushes, 

Gooden's Nomad Bee Nomada goodeniana - Alan Keatley

Smudge-veined Clubtail Neoascia podagrica - Alan Keatley

Empis femorata - Alan Keatley

Elsewhere an Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni on nettles, the water scavenger beetle Cercyon unipunctatus on the beach and a click beetle Agrypnus murinus under a log. 

Cercyon unipunctatus - Alan Keatley

Agrypnus murinus - Alan Keatley

Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni - Alan Keatley

As water levels drop a lesser water boatman Corixa punctata appeared out of place and struggling on mud near the Main Pond. It can at least fly to the pond, an option unavailable to the stranded tadpoles. 

Corixa punctata - Alan Keatley

Sunday 29th March

Counts over the evening tide included 42 Bar-tailed Godwit, 34 Turnstone, 31 Dark and a Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 12 Grey and six Ringed Plover, 12 Redshank, 10 Knot, seven Dunlin, five Greenshank and four Red-breasted Merganser.

Elsewhere a redhead Goosander flew S over the Main Pond and offshore there were 30 Kittiwake, 20 Gannet, 12 Common Scoter, 12 Sandwich Tern, three Manx Shearwater and single Great Northern and Red-throated Diver.

Saturday 28th March

Counts from the estuary included 118 Curlew, 46 Bar-tailed Godwit, 46 Turnstone, 12 Grey Plover, nine Knot, eight Dunlin, five Greenshank and two Dark-bellied Brent Geese. 

Elsewhere seven Sandwich Tern, four Great Northern Diver and two Common Scoter were offshore, three Wheatear were on Warren Point and at least 12 Chaffinch called overhead. 

Other Wildlife: A stiff NW wind meant flying insects were restricted to sheltered areas, these included the first Early Nomad Bee Nomada leucophthalma for the Recording Area, found in Skipper Meadow.

Early Nomad Bee Nomada leucophthalma - Alan Keatley

Also on the wing the muscid fly Phaonia subventa and the brown lacewing Micromus paganus with the ground beetles Bembidion quadrimaculatum and Paranchus albipes under logs. 

Phaonia subventa - Alan Keatley

Paranchus albipes - Alan Keatley

Bembidion quadrimaculatum - Alan Keatley