Saturday 10th August 2013

An unexpected but welcome early autumn fall occurred overnight with minimum counts of 38 Willow Warbler, 20 Blackcap, 12 Chiffchaff, seven Whitethroat and two Wheatear. Scarcer migrants included single Spotted Flycatcher and Redstart, three Sedge and two Garden Warbler. Records from the estuary included 100+ Sandwich and 13 Common Tern, 87 Ringed Plover, 53 Dunlin, 30 Sanderling, three Knot, a Greenshank, a Turnstone and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere at least nine Balearic Shearwater flew south offshore, a Red-throated Diver and two Great-crested Grebe were on the sea and 60+ Swallow, a dozen House and three Sand Martin flew through.

Wildlife News: A total of 16 butterfly species were on the wing today with two or three Clouded Yellow the first of the year. Other migrants  included a Painted Lady, several Red Admiral and hundreds of cabbage whites, mostly Small White. The first Golden-ringed Dragonfly of the year was a more local migrant as was the Grey Squirrel in the Entrance Bushes.

Friday 9th August 2013

A new Roseate Tern was with 13+ Common Tern in front of the hide, also in the estuary three Mediterraean Gull, two summer plumaged Knot, the Slavonian Grebe, single Greenshank and a Common Sandpiper. Elsewhere 55 Sanderling were on the beach.

Thursday 8th August 2013

A Balearic Shearwater and 104 Gannet flew south mid morning with the Red-throated Diver still offshore. Waders counts included 314 Curlew, 105 Dunlin, 96 Ringed Plover, 67 Redshank, 52 Sanderling, seven Turnstone, two Knot and a Greenshank with the Slavonian Grebe, a juvenile Mediterraean Gull, 58+ Sandwich and 17 Common Tern also in the estuary.

View Ringed Plover Ring number: 893219 in a larger map

A Ringed Plover seen here on 2nd and 3rd August was ringed as a chick on 17th June 2005 at Holtsoddi in Iceland. It was then retrapped breeding at the same site in 2011 when colour rings were added.  It bred there again in 2012.  This is the first sighting this year.

Wednesday 7th August 2013

Wader counts included 800+ Oystercatcher, 110 Dunlin, 86 Ringed Plover and 54 Sanderling with single Snipe, Turnstone and Black-tailed Godwit. Also in the estuary the Slavonian and juvenile Great-crested Grebe, 86 Sandwich and 15 Common Tern, five juvenile Shelduck and two Mediterraean Gull. Elsewhere a Wheatear was in Greenland Lake, with 170 Shag, 55 Kittiwake and a Red-throated Diver offshore.

Tuesday 6th August 2013

A flock of 38 Common Tern offshore were the most notable arrivals. Elsewhere a Buzzard roosted on Warren Point and the Slavonian Grebe was in the estuary with a Great-crested Grebe and 22 Mute Swan.

Monday 5th August 2013

A Balearic Shearwater headed south close offshore late evening with a dozen distant shearwater sp, some of which were probably also this species. High tide counts included 62 Dunlin, 53 Sanderling, 47 Ringed Plover, 24 Whimbrel, five Common Sandpiper and a Mediterranean Gull. Elsewhere two Wheatear were in Greenland Lake with a Willow Warbler in the Entrance Bushes.

Sunday 4th August 2013

Two Balearic and 76 Manx Shearwater flew south with four Great, two Arctic and a Pomarine Skua, also offshore a Red-throated Diver. In the estuary there were 119 Ringed Plover, 110 Dunlin, 48 Great Black-backed Gull, 45 Redshank, 26 Sanderling, 13 Common Tern, a Mediterranean Gull and single Slavonian and Great-crested Grebe.

Saturday 3rd August 2013

The first Little Ringed Plover of the year, a juvenile, was in the Bight over both high tides, also in the estuary a female Goosander, with counts from the evening tide of 688 Oystercatcher, 548 Curlew, 111 Dunlin, 94+ Ringed Plover, 45 Sanderling, 39 Redshank, seven Bar-tailed Godwit, three Turnstone and a Knot. Small wader numbers were higher over the morning tide with flocks seen and heard leaving high south throughout the day. Offshore two Balearic Shearwater, single Red and Black-throated Diver, 150+ Sandwich,11 Common, two Arctic and two Roseate Tern. Elsewhere 40+ Swift and the first Crossbill of the year flew over whilst grounded migrants included eight Willow Warbler and a Wheatear.

Wildlife News: The first Migrant Hawker of the year was on the wing and a Grey Seal was offshore.

Migrant Hawker 03/08/13 © Lee Collins

Friday 2nd August 2013

A single Balearic and six Manx Shearwater flew south offshore with 520 Dunlin, 174+ Ringed Plover, 60 Sanderling, three Turnstone, two Bar and two Black-tailed Godwit in the estuary.

Thursday 1st August 2013

Wildlife News: A few moth sightings from today all found during a walk in the afternoon. Migrants included one Vestal, along with two Rush Veneer, a Diamondback Moth and many Silver Y. Interesting residents, largely in Greenland Lake, included Platytes alpinella (RDB3), Gymnancyla canella (Na), Jersey Tiger (Nb), Anerastia lotella (Nb), Pediasia contaminella (Nb), Synaphe punctalis (Nb) and Archer's Dart.

The Vestal 01/08/13 © Guy Freeman