Monday 20th May 2013

The Slavonian Grebe remains in the estuary with 108 Dunlin, 50+ Sanderling, 36 Ringed Plover, five Whimbrel, two Bar-tailed Godwit and two Knot. Offshore there were three Great Northern Diver, 39 Sandwich and four Common Tern. Elsewhere a Hobby and three Jay flew over.

 

Sunday 19th May 2013

The first Ruff of the year, a moulting male, was very briefly in the Bight with c160 Dunlin, 40+ Sanderling, 26 Ringed and a Grey Plover, eight Curlew, eight Whimbrel and a Bar-tailed Godwit. Offshore there were two first summer Little Gull, an Arctic Tern, three Great Northern and two Red-throated Diver, 15 Sandwich and four Common Tern. Elsewhere a Hobby flew in off early morning and 112 Swallow, four Collared Dove and two House Martin flew through.

 

Wildlife News - The Common Seal was on Bull Hill. Elsewhere the longhorn moth Nematopogon swammerdamella was by the amusements, a first for the recording area. Other day flying micro-moths included Esperia sulphurella and Adela reaumurella.

 

Saturday 18th May 2013

At least one Roseate Tern remains offshore with 30+ Sandwich and eight Common Tern and two first summer Little Gull. Wader counts included 119 Dunlin, 18 Ringed Plover, eight Sanderling, two Bar-tailed Godwit, two Turnstone and a Grey Plover. Elsewhere 185 Swallow, 30 Swift and 12 House Martin flew through with two probable Hobby. Late news of a Red Kite some when in last week, the first of the year.

Coot 18/05/13 © Dave Jewell

Friday 17th May 2013

At least three Roseate Tern were again offshore with 30 Sandwich, nine Common and an Arctic Tern, an Arctic Skua and a first summer Little Gull.  The Slavonian Grebe was in the estuary where wader counts included 154 Dunlin, 86 Sanderling, 43 Ringed Plover and four Bar-tailed Godwit. Elsewhere the Cuckoo remains in Greenland Lake, two Wheatear were on site and three Pale-bellied Brent Geese flew south.

Little Grebe (juv) 17/05/13 © Lee Collins

Wildlife News - There was an emergance of Blue-tailed Damselfly around the Dune Pond and the first Small Copper of the year were on the wing.

 

Thursday 16th May 2013

A Curlew Sandpiper was again present only on the morning tide with 219 Dunlin, 135 Sanderling, 25 Ringed Plover, eight Whimbrel, five Curlew and a Bar-tailed Godwit, also in the estuary 19 Sandwich Tern and a Bar-headed Goose. Elsewhere the first Tree Pipit of the year flew over with 38 Swallow and a Yellow Wagtail, three Spotted Flycatcher were behind the Crocus Compound, a Cuckoo was in Greenland Lake with 18 Whitethroat and five Wheatear also onsite.

 

Wednesday 15th May 2013

Wader passage was a feature of the day with a Curlew Sandpiper on the morning tide the highlight. Counts from the estuary included 393 Oystercatcher, 326 Dunlin, 102 Sanderling, 42 Ringed Plover, 22 Whimbrel, three Turnstone and a Bar-tailed Godwit. Elsewhere 17 Sandwich, 12 Common, three Roseate and an Arctic Tern were feeding offshore with 18 Manx Shearwater, 11 Great Northern and two Red-throated Diver heading south. New migrants on site were limited to the first Cuckoo of the year, three Spotted Flycatcher and a Sedge Warbler.



Little Grebe 15/05/2013 © Andy Stuthridge