Saturday 26 March 2022

Saturday 26th March

The first winter drake Velvet Scoter was again off the seawall with three Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver, 15 Gannet, two Great-crested Grebe and two Common Scoter also offshore.

Counts from the estuary included 197 Oystercatcher, 127 Curlew, 64 Dunlin, 48 Bar-tailed Godwit, 31 Dark-bellied and a Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 19 Teal, 15 Knot, 14 Grey Plover, six Red-breasted Merganser, four Greenshank and a Scandinavian Rock Pipit.

Elsewhere late news from yesterday of the first Willow Warbler of the year, today six Chiffchaff and two Blackcap in the bushes, four Shoveler and a Water Rail at the Main Pond and seven Lesser Black-backed Gull, four Jackdaw, three Rook and three Siskin overhead.

Wildlife News: The high temperatures brought out a group of 30 Rudd at the Main Pond up to the surface, also more insects with Marsham's Nomad Bee, Sandpit Mining Bee Andrena barbilabrisCommon Carder Bee, Tree and Red-tailed Bumblebee on the wing with several solitary bee species. Most notable was a clear NE movement of Buff-tailed Bumblebee with 120 estimated to have flown through in just an hour midmorning.

Common Carder Bee - Alan Keatley

Also Comma, Peacock and Speckled Wood with the hoverflies Dumpy Melanostoma Melanostoma mellinum and Platycheirus scutatus new for the year.

Dumpy Melanostoma - Alan Keatley

The Sand Crocus was being enjoyed by several visitors with Shepherd's Cress now in flower and Pot Marigold found by the railway. 

Pot Marigold - Kevin Rylands

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