Saturday, 18 March 2023

Saturday 18th March

The warm, sunny weather promised some spring migrants, with six Chiffchaff singing in the woods the most obvious arrivals, although a count of six Song Thrush probably included birds on the move. Also on site a single Goldcrest, and around the Main Pond four Little Grebe, two Shoveler and the Mallard x Wigeon hybrid. Overhead two Rook and single Jackdaw and Buzzard.

Pale-bellied Brent Goose - Alan Keatley

Along the beach the first two Pale-bellied Brent Geese of the year were feeding with 74 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, whilst seven Sandwich Tern were offshore with 21 Great Crested Grebe. Counts from the estuary on a low high tide included 54 Turnstone, 38 Teal, 10 Sanderling, nine Wigeon and four Red-breasted Merganser.

Wildlife News: It promised to be a good day for insects, but a heavy downpour literally put a dampener on proceedings. There was an increase in hoverflies with several Tapered Dronefly Eristalis tenax and Stripe-faced Dronefly E. pertinax along with the first Common Spotted Field Syrph Eupeodes luniger of the year. Also on the wing two Peacock and a Red Admiral.

Common Spotted Field Syrph - Alan Keatley

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