Wednesday 5th June

The most unexpected sighting was offshore, a distant flock of four Mute Swan and a Canada Goose flying S, also present 12 Manx Shearwater, two Great Northern Diver, two Great Crested Grebe and a Sandwich Tern.

Counts from the estuary included 80 Sanderling, 12 Whimbrel, six Eider and single Bar-tailed Godwit and Turnstone.

Other Wildlife: In the sunshine a wide range of insects were active with the highlight being the first record of the nationally scarce ground spider Zelotes electus found in a sand hollow on the Back Path. Also new for the recording area the first Heather Ladybird Chilocorus bipustulatus. 

Zelotes electus - Alan Keatley

Heather Ladybird - Alan Keatley

Making its first appearance since 2017, a Wharfborer Nacerdes melanura, found on the beach, and so named because it bores holes driftwood and wooden marine structures.

Wharf Borer Nacerdes melanura - Alan Keatley

Also recorded, another new species was the strange long legged mite Erythraeus phalangoides found in the dunes.

Erythraeus phalangoides - Alan Keatley

Summer is the time for bees and wasps, both Slender-bodied Crabro cribrarius and Armed Crabro Digger Wasp C. peltarius were active on Hemlock Water-dropwort with the first records of Silvery Leafcutter Megachile leachella, Common Yellow-faced Bee Hylaeus communis and the cuckoo wasp Hedychridium ardens of the year.

Common Yellow-faced Bee Hylaeus communis - Alan Keatley