Thursday 31st July

No sign of the Little Stint in The Bight over the high tide amongst 62 Ringed Plover and 35 Dunlin. Also in the estuary 78 Sandwich and two Common Tern, with 35 Sanderling on the beach.

Other Wildlife: Before the afternoon showers there was a good selection of hoverflies on the wing including, In the flower meadows, a showy Wasp Plumehorn Volucella inanis, and, new for the year, a Two-banded Wasp Hoverfly Chrysotoxum bicinctum. Numerous Batman Hoverfly Myathropa florea were favouring Rock Samphire at Langstone Rock.  

Wasp Plumehorn Volucella inanis - Alan Keatley

Two-banded Wasp Hoverfly Chrysotoxum bicinctum - Alan Keatley

Batman Hoverfly Myathropa florea - Alan Keatley

Other species included Stripe-backed Fleckwing Dasysyrphus albostriatus, many Common Twist-tail Sphaerophoria scripta, several Compost Hoverfly Syritta pipiens, Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax and a Stripe-faced Dronefly E. nemorum.

Stripe-backed Fleckwing Dasysyrphus albostriatus - Alan Keatley

More unexpected a Bloody-nosed Beetle was along the railway wall and a Water Shrew ran onto The Bight and meandered through the glasswort, presumably looking for food, maybe that's what they sometimes do, but not in broad daylight!

Water Shrew - Alan Keatley

Bloody-nosed Beetle - Alan Keatley

Wednesday 30th July

The adult Little Stint remained for a third day with counts from the estuary including c120 Sandwich and a Common Tern, 65 Ringed and a Grey Plover, 53 Whimbrel, c40 Dunlin, 11 Greenshank, 11 Sanderling and five Bar-tailed Godwit.

Little Stint - Lee Collins

Elsewhere seven Common Scoter and two Great Northern Diver were offshore. 

Tuesday 29th July

The Little Stint was still present in The Bight over the morning tide along with 156 Sandwich and seven Common Tern, 47 Dunlin, 37 Ringed Plover, c30 Sanderling, 10 Greenshank and two Turnstone.

Little Stint - Jim Summers

Sanderling - Dave Jewell

Elsewhere two Swift were overhead and two Common Scoter, a Great Crested Grebe and a Great Northern Diver were offshore. 

Ringing News: A distinctly Dutch feel to proceedings with new ringed juvenile Mediterranean Gull and Sandwich Tern arriving from Holland, with the ringed juvenile Ringed Plover still present. Part of an increasing pattern of birds from the continent starting to appear. 

As well as these migrants wintering birds also continue to arrive, mostly Oystercatcher, but also an Exe-ringed Dunlin and a German ringed Ringed Plover, first recorded here in August 2019, back for at least it's seventh winter. 

Other Wildlife: New species keep being discovered on coming, this time a new springtail Allacma fusca. A  widespread, rather large (by springtail standards) globular springtail, usually found in summer months.

Allacma fusca - Alan Keatley

Insects included several nectaring bee species including Geoffroy's Sphecodes geoffrellus and Sandpit Blood Bee S. pellucidus, Sandpit Mining Bee Andrena barbilabris, Heather C. succinctus and Hairy-saddled Colletes C. fodiens, White-zoned Furrow Bee Lasioglossum leucozonium and Common Yellow-faced Bee Hylaeus communis. 

Also taking advantage of the available nectar, Ornate-tailed Digger Wasp Cerceris rybyensis, Common Ectemnius E. continuus and a Four-banded Bee-grabber Conops quadrimaculatus. 

 Four-banded Bee-grabber Conops quadrimaculatus - Alan Keatley

 Ornate-tailed Digger Wasp Cerceris rybyensis - Alan Keatley

A male Sand Lizard was on the Dune Ridge and a Water Vole swam across the Main Pond. The Wasp Spider remains on its web in Heather near the Visitor Centre and a Jersey Tiger was resting up near the Main Pond.

Jersey Tiger - Alan Keatley

Monday 28th July

An adult Little Stint in The Bight on both tides was the first record of the year and just the second record for July since 2005. other new arrivals included three summer plumaged Knot with other counts from the estuary including 202 Redshank, 98 Whimbrel, 82 Dunlin, c80 Sandwich and a Common Tern, 35 Sanderling, 29 Ringed and a Grey Plover, 24 Mediterranean Gull, 10 Greenshank and four Bar-tailed Godwit. 

Little Stint - Lee Collins

Year list addition: 
158. Little Stint

Ringing News: Colour-ringed Ringed Plover from Holland and Hampshire were new arrivals with the Bardsey ringed Whimbrel first seen on 14th July making a reappearance.  

Ringed Plover - Lee Collins

Other Wildlife: A mainly overcast the warm muggy morning with little wind meant insects were mostly found settled on flower heads. These included the first Locust Blowfly Stomorhina lunata of the year, a sporadic but increasing summer visitor, Waisted Bee-grabber Physocephala rufipes, Hook-banded Wasp Hoverfly Chrysotoxum festivum, Sand-tailed Digger Wasp Cerceris arenaria and Common Yellow-faced Bee Hylaeus communis.

Sand-tailed Digger Wasp Cerceris arenaria - Alan Keatley

Locust Blowfly Stomorhina lunata - Alan Keatley

Deeper in vegetation, a Beautiful Plume, several Straw Dot and the hoverflies Common Paragus P. haemorrhous, Grey-spotted Boxer Platycheirus albimanus and Many-tufted Boxer P. scutatus. 

Common Paragus P. haemorrhous - Alan Keatley

Beautiful Plume - Alan Keatley

The first Hornet of the year was moving through the flowers, several Rush Veneer underfoot and a Wasp Spider with a web in Heather trapped an unfortunate Heather Colletes C. succinctus.

Rush Veneer - Dave Jewell

Heather Colletes C. succinctus - Alan Keatley

Elsewhere seven Common Dolphin and two Grey Seal were offshore and in the tunnel, a Small Dusty Wave and a Knapweed Conch Agapeta zoegana.

Knapweed Conch Agapeta zoegana - Alan Keatley

Sunday 27th July

The outstanding discovery of a Chough was the clear highlight, an unexpected second site record after a bird around Langstone Rock on 13-14 October 1984. With 55 breeding pairs in Cornwall in 2024, today's bird is likely a non-breeding wanderer from further west, the origin of the first record is unclear with the species extinct in the south west between 1973-2001. 

Chough - Lee Collins

The bird was found foraging in The Bight moving to the golf course and then dunes for around half an hour before being heard and seen flying west over the Entrance Bushes. 

Its arrival overshadowed the presence of the year's second Roseate Tern, which joined 160+ Sandwich and seven Common Tern on Finger Point over both high tides. Wader counts included 150+ Redshank, 72 Whimbrel, 55 Dunlin, 29 Ringed and a Grey Plover, eight Black and five Bar-tailed Godwit, five Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper and a Turnstone. 

Elsewhere two Stock Dove were in the Railway Saltmarsh, two juvenile Kestrel sparring over Greenland Lake and a lone Swift overhead. 

Year list addition: 
157. Chough

Saturday 26th July

An increase in terns and waders over today's high tides with at least 200 Sandwich and 10 Common Tern, 195 Redshank, 82 Whimbrel, 60 Dunlin, 55 Sanderling, 43 Mediterranean Gull, 20 Ringed and a Grey Plover, 10 Greenshank, two Bar-tailed Godwit, two Common Sandpiper and a Turnstone. 

Other records included two juvenile Yellow-legged Gull on Bull Hill early morning, with singles offshore and in The Bight, a third bird, in the evening, and the first returning Teal and a male Tufted Duck offshore. 

Ringing News: Juveniles are appearing in increasing numbers with new arrivals today including Sandwich Tern from Holland and Hampshire, Mediterranean Gull from Hampshire and a Ringed Plover also from Hampshire. 

Ringed Plover - Lee Collins

Friday 25th July

On a low tide visit Sandwich Tern were gathering on an offshore sandbar with at least 35 present, with another 20 in the lower estuary. Apart from the occasional call from one of the breeding warblers and the begging calls of the young Sparrowhawk, the reserve was relatively quiet during the warmth of the afternoon.

Other Wildlife: Numerous species of bees are now nectaring on Common Fleabane in the flower meadows including Bronze Furrow Bee Halictus tumulorum, White-zoned Furrow Bee Lasioglossum leucozonium, Pantaloon Bee Dasypoda hirtipes, Sandpit Blood Bee Sphecodes pellucidus and Red-tailed Bumblebee.

Bronze Furrow Bee Halictus tumulorum - Alan Keatley

Pantaloon Bee Dasypoda hirtipes - Alan Keatley

Migratory hoverflies were also still in evidence with several Compost Hoverfly Syritta pipiens and White-clubbed Glasswing Scaeva pyrastri, joined by a lone Rhombic Leatherbug Syromastus rhombeus.

Rhombic Leatherbug Syromastus rhombeus - Alan Keatley

Thursday 24th July

Counts over the evening high tide included 197 Redshank, 115+ Sandwich and a Common Tern, 72 Whimbrel, 51 Dunlin, nine Greenshank, nine Ringed and a Grey Plover, eight Sanderling, three Bar-tailed Godwit and a Turnstone.

Elsewhere the juvenile Cuckoo was still in Greenland Lake, having gone unreported for several days, and offshore there were 19 Common Scoter and a widely dispersed feeding flock of at least 1220 Herring, 150 Black-headed and four Mediterranean Gull. 

Other Wildlife: An increase in migrant butterflies, despite the NW wind, with at least 10 Large White and six Red Admiral. A Grey Seal was again on Bull Hill. 

Wednesday 23rd July

The evening high tide roost was unfortunately disturbed by anglers with good numbers of Sandwich Tern and Oystercatcher repeatedly flushed. Numbers of the latter have noticeably increased with at least eight Exe ringed birds returning in recent days. Also present, before anglers started climbing fences,  a 1cy Yellow-legged Gull and three Common Sandpiper.

Yellow-legged and Herring Gull - Lee Collins

Tuesday 22nd July

A moulting adult Curlew Sandpiper was the highlight over the afternoon tide, especially after missing out on the small arrival into the SW on Sunday.

Curlew Sandpiper - Lee Collins

Other counts from around The Bight included 110+ Sandwich Tern at least 42 juveniles, 16 Dunlin, 13 Ringed and a Grey Plover and three Bar and two Black-tailed Godwit, with 34 Mediterranean Gull and 11 Greenshank also in the estuary.

Ringing News: Five colour-ringed Sandwich Tern were recorded, four juveniles from Lymington still being present and an adult (Green 3C5) which was ringed as a chick at Blue Circle Island, Larne Lough, Co Antrim in 2021 and also recorded here last July. 

Monday 21st July

Counts from the afternoon high tide included 160 Redshank, 119 Sandwich Tern, 56 Whimbrel, 37 Dunlin, 16 Mediterranean Gull, eight Ringed and a Grey Plover, five Greenshank, two Bar-tailed Godwit, a Turnstone and, on Bull Hill, a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull. 

Other Wildlife: There was a notable influx of migrant hoverflies, particularly on Rock Samphire at Langstone Rock, the arrivals included several Compost Hoverfly Syritta pipiens, White-clubbed Glasswing Scaeva pyrastri, Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus and a single Migrant Field Syrph Eupeodes corollae. 

Compost Hoverfly Syritta pipiens - Alan Keatley

White-clubbed Glasswing Scaeva pyrastri - Alan Keatley

However, the best sighting of all was not a migrant, the nationally scarce Variable Spearhorn Chrysotoxum elegans. Not a totally unexpected first for Recording Area, as most records are from south west coastal regions.

Variable Spearhorn Chrysotoxum elegans - Alan Keatley

The more locally based species included a few Batman Hoverfly Myathropa florea, Burdock Blacklet Cheilosia impressa, Dull-bellied Blacklet C. proxima and Many-tufted Boxer Platycheirus scutatus. 

Burdock Blacklet Cheilosia impressa - Alan Keatley

Seeking shelter from the afternoon showers, a Ringlet was a welcome sight, especially after a blank last year.

Ringlet - Alan Keatley

A Common and two Grey Seal, including an amorous male, were on Bull Hill on the dropping tide.

Sunday 20th July

Seawatching early morning saw at least 50 Manx Shearwater offshore circling the bay, but the lack of wind presumably accounted for the lack of Balearic despite the numbers further south. 

Counts from the mid afternoon tide included 296 Oystercatcher, 144 Sandwich Tern (50 juvs), 134 Redshank, 32 Whimbrel, 20 Sanderling, 17 Mediterranean Gull, 11 Dunlin, 11 Greenshank, eight Ringed and a Grey Plover, eight Shelduck, five Bar and a Black-tailed Godwit, four Turnstone, three Common Sandpiper, a Common Tern and a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull. 

Other Wildlife: The female Grey Seal was on Bull Hill on the dropping tide. 

Saturday 19th July

A female Marsh Harrier, the first of the year, arrived over The Bight just before midday before returning up estuary pursued by a lone Carrion Crow.

Also around The Bight at 125 Sandwich Tern including 45 juveniles, eight Ringed and a Grey Plover, five Dunlin, four Bar-tailed Godwit, three Common Sandpiper and a Common Tern. In the Railway Saltmarsh 12 Mediterranean Gull and eight Greenshank were amongst the Black-headed Gull, Curlew and Redshank. 

Elsewhere the juvenile Cuckoo was mobile around Greenland Lake and the Back Meadow, with single Garden and Willow Warbler in the scrub.

Pied Wagtail - Dave Jewell One of the pair that nested at Warren Point

Year list addition: 
156. Marsh Harrier

Other Wildlife: Insect activity was hampered by the strengthening wind but there was still much to be found in sheltered areas. A few migrant Rush Veneer where accompanied by increased numbers of Marmalade Hoverfly and a couple of White-clubbed Glasswing Scaeva pyrastri.

Other hoverflies included the first Matt-backed Halfband Melangyna labiatarum and Broad-banded Globetail Sphaerophoria taeniata of the year.

Broad-banded Globetail Sphaerophoria taeniata - Alan Keatley

Matt-backed Halfband Melangyna labiatarum - Alan Keatley

Other flies noted included Pied Plumehorn Volucella peluscens, Notch-horned Cleg Haematopota pluvialis and the shieldbug tachinid Ectophasia crassipennis.

Ectophasia crassipennis - Kevin Rylands

Notch-horned Cleg Haematopota pluvialis  - Alan Keatley

Moths included the first Jersey Tiger of the year and, around the lights in the entrance tunnel, Black Arches, Brown-tail and Least Carpet had avoided the spiders. 

Waste Grass-veneer Pediasia contaminella - Kevin Rylands

Arctosa leopardus - Alan Keatley

Wasp Spider - Dave Jewell

Friday 18th July

The juvenile Cuckoo was still around Greenland Lake, with the year's first Garden Warbler in the Back Meadow perhaps also lingering from yesterday.

Cuckoo - Lee Collins

A minimum of 151 Sandwich Tern (56 juveniles) gathered on the dropping tide with 34 Mediterranean Gull in the Railway Saltmarsh and other counts including nine Dunlin, seven Common Tern, four Bar-tailed Godwit, two Common Sandpiper, two Sanderling and single Grey Plover and Turnstone. 

Year list addition: 

155. Garden Warbler

Other Wildlife: Wasp Spider are starting to appear in Greenland Lake. 

Wasp Spider - Lee Collins

Thursday 17th July

No news from the high tide but autumn migration was still evident with the discovery of a juvenile Cuckoo in Greenland Lake, just the third record of the year. Perhaps from the same upland valley, the first juvenile Willow Warbler was with a tit flock in Dead Dolphin Wood.

Other Wildlife: Increasing numbers of Six-spot Burnet and Common Blue were around Greenland Lake, with a Hornet Hoverfly Volucella zonaria by the Dune Pond and a Golden-ringed Dragonfly in Dead Dolphin Wood. 

Six-spot Burnet - Kevin Rylands

Wednesday 16th July

Counts over the morning tide110 Sandwich and seven Common Tern, c30 Mediterranean and a 1cy Yellow-legged Gull. Wader numbers included 37 Whimbrel, 16 Dunlin, five Bar and four Black-tailed Godwit, three Ringed Plover and three Sanderling. 

Common Tern 3cy - Lee Collins

The only passerine migrants were a Sedge Warbler and a Budgerigar that visited the Bight on the dropping tide, the first since a vismig bird in Oct 2017.

Budgerigar - Lee Collins

Other Wildlife: A female Grey Seal roosted on Finger Point and a Bottle-nosed Dolphin was offshore. 

Grey Seal - Mark Bailey

Despite the overcast conditions a couple of new insects for Recording Area were amongst those on the wing. The first was a soft-winged flower beetle Dasytes aeratus, a common widespread species, in Skipper Meadow.

Dasytes aeratus - Alan Keatley

The second new species was a small dagger fly, Empis scutellata found in Dead Dolphin Wood.

Empis scutellata - Alan Keatley

New emergences included the lauxaniidae fly Homoneura notata, Green Leafhopper Cicadella viridis and a Long-faced Furrow-bee Lasioglossum punctatissimum.

Homoneura notata - Alan Keatley

Long-faced Furrow-bee Lasioglossum punctatissimum - Alan Keatley

Other notable insects were a Brown Argus in Greenland Lake and two Median Wasp Dolichovespula media gathering nest material from the new fencing by the Station.

Median Wasp Dolichovespula media - Alan Keatley