Dengemarsh

Lade - 0700hrs - warm, dry and sunny, nw 2 - A decent catch in the garden moth trap last night with 35 species logged, of which only Lackey was new for the year. The back gardens hereabouts are currently alive with juv House Sparrows, Starlings and Blackbirds and it certainly appears to have been a successful breeding season for at least these three species, despite the attempts of the two main local predators - Jackdaws and Mrs PT`s cat, Jim... actually while the former are merciless and efficient hunters of particularly young sparras, old Jim is past his prime with the majority of `catches` ending in freedom for many a ruffled juvenile.

                               Old Jim

                                Lackey, Lade

Dengemarsh - 0930hrs - Mrs PT joined us this morning for a four mile stroll around Dengemarsh, starting and finishing in ARC car park. The usual Tree Sparrows were busily feeding juvs in  Boulderwall garden as we stopped for a natter with BB who was emptying the moth trap. Four Marsh Harriers, including a recently fledged juvenile, were on the wing across the fields at the back of Hookers with at least 200 post breeding Lapwings scattered elsewhere on various fields. A family party of Bearded Tits showed well at Springfield Bridge, from where Common Terns were tooing and froing to their nesting rafts. We bumped into Plodding Birder who told of a Honey Buzzard over the peninsula at around 1000hrs. The `flood` and hayfields had all but dried out with only No 3 attracting a few herons, egrets, ducks and corvids to remnant puddles. From the ramp two Hobbies and a Peregrine.
NB: Somewhere along the route I managed to lose my wristwatch (brown strapped with gaffer tape holding the back on). If anyone does come across it, please drop it in at the visitor centre, that would be much appreciated, thanks in advance.

                                Flowering Rush, Dengemarsh