Monday, 10 April 2023

Monday 10th April

Despite the overnight rain little change on site, but the increased winds saw some light passage offshore first thing with a two hour watch producing four Red-throated and two Great Northern Diver, 32 Gannet, 14 Kittiwake, 10 Sandwich Tern, five Common Scoter, three Fulmar and two Red-breasted Merganser.

Five Wheatear and a Willow Warbler were newly arrived on site, with five Swallow and a Sand Martin through. In the estuary, 19 Grey Plover, three Dark-bellied Brent Geese and singles of Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, Greenshank and Whimbrel.

Wildlife News: A few solitary bees could be encountered in sheltered areas of the reserve, with a female Small Sallow Mining Bee Andrena praecox nectaring, as to be expected, on willow, an Orange-tailed Mining Bee A. haemorrhoa and a Painted Nomad Bee Nomada furcata. At Langstone Rock, the Alexanders were feeding several Yellow-legged and a Buffish Mining Bee.

Small Sallow Mining Bee - Alan Keatley

Orange-tailed Mining Bee - Alan Keatley

The first Orange-tip of the year was on the wing with Peacock, Red Admiral and Speckled Wood. The usual beetles were on the beach struggling in the windswept sand, but a couple of 16-spot Ladybird were sheltering under some wood.

16-spot Ladybird - Alan Keatley

Two briefly seen dragonflies, by the station and in the Crocus Compound, may have been Vagrant Emperor, female & male respectively. 


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