Tuesday, 16 April 2024

Tuesday 16th April

Yesterday's Whitethroat was in full song near the Dune Pond, with a second arrival in the Entrance Bushes. The only other migrants was a high flying flock of 16 Woodpigeon heading W.

Whitethroat - Alan Keatley

Over the low high tide The Bight was empty of waders but 12 Dark and seven Pale-bellied Brent Geese and eight Sandwich Tern were present. 

Other Wildlife: A range of insects in the spring sunshine, the majority however sheltering from the chilly northerly wind. Several beetle species were trapped near the geotubes, the pick being the nationally rare Horned Rove Beetle Bledius frisius (previously B. spectabilis) with the colourful leaf beetle Gastrophysa polygoni and the water scavenger beetle Sphaeridium bipustulatum also adrift on the beach.

Horned Rove Beetle Bledius frisius (a horned male) - Alan Keatley

Gastrophysa polygoni - Alan Keatley

Sphaeridium bipustulatum - Alan Keatley

First emergences for the year included the hoverflies, Smudge-veined Clubtail Neoascia podagricaStriped-faced Dronefly Eristalis nemorum and Batman Hoverfly Myathropa florea, and around the Entrance Bushes, a Flavous Nomad Bee Nomada flava.

No comments:

Post a Comment