Tuesday 3rd September

Continuing change in the estuary with new autumn arrivals and passage birds amongst those already here for the winter, this evening's high tide brought the 100th Exe ringed Oystercatcher back for the season. Also newly arrived flock of 11 Wigeon watched flying in from the east offshore and heading into the estuary.

Wader counts from the high tide included 281 Redshank, 164 Dunlin, 127 Ringed Plover, 23 Knot, 18 Sanderling, 13 Greenshank, six Bar-tailed Godwit, four Whimbrel, four juvenile Curlew Sandpiper, a Turnstone and the Spotted Redshank. Also in the estuary 89 Sandwich, five Little and three Common Tern, 20 Mediterranean Gull, 19 Little Egret, 10 Teal and four Pale-bellied Brent Geese.

Elsewhere six Wheatear were on site, a Kingfisher was at the Main Pond, six Balearic Shearwater flew east late evening, with 10 Common Scoter, six Great Northern Diver and four distant skuas, presumed Arctic also offshore.

Wheatear - Lee Collins

Other Wildlife: A Painted Lady was one of few records this year, with several white butterflies passing W offshore also migrants. Two Large White caterpillars found on Sea Rocket on the beach were presumably progeny of previous migrants.

Also on Sea Rocket, a second-generation Black Mining Bee Andrena pilipes with good numbers of droneflies active in the flower meadows with Furry Eristalis intricaria, Stripe-winged E. horticola, Common E. tenax, Stripe-faced E. nemorum, Plain-faced E. arbustorum and Small Spotty-eyed Eristalinus sepulchralis. 

Black Mining Bee Andrena pilipes - Alan Keatley

Stripe-faced Dronefly E. nemorum - Alan Keatley

Small Spotty-eyed Dronefly Eristalinus sepulchralis - Alan Keatley

Other insects included Straw-barred Pearl Pyrausta despicata, Bronze Shieldbug and, along the edge of Greenland Lake, a Golden-ringed Dragonfly.

Straw-barred Pearl Pyrausta despicata - Alan Keatley

Bronze Shieldbug - Alan Keatley