Thursday 20 July 2023

Thursday 20th July

Today's star bird was an adult Roseate Tern that spent most of the high tide on Finger Point, moving into the Bight as the tide receded, it was accompanied by a single Common Tern and the majority of the 53 Sandwich Tern, including eight juveniles.  

As expected during early autumn, passage wader numbers fluctuate on a daily basis with just 15 Dunlin, including the first juvenile, but an increase to 37 Sanderling around the Bight. With them were three juvenile Little Ringed Plover, 12 Mediterranean Gull, five Ringed and four Grey Plover, five Turnstone, a Knot and the Dark-bellied Brent Goose.

Also in the estuary, a high count of nine Common Sandpiper, 155 Redshank, 10 Greenshank, nine Whimbrel and single Bar and Black-tailed Godwit. Elsewhere the usual breeding birds were in the bushes with three Sand Martin through and a Grey Heron high south.

Other Wildlife: Cool and overcast at times there few insects on the wing but 11 species of butterfly included Brown Argus, a Painted Lady and a passage of Red Admiral. A few Spotted Meliscaeva M. auricollis also indicated some insect migration.

Painted Lady - Alan Keatley

Spotted Meliscaeva - Alan Keatley

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