Netted Pug

Lade - cold, cloudy, ne 4 - A cold night produced only four species of moths in the garden trap; however, one was new for the site, a cracking Netted Pug, a moth I`ve been expecting for a while now as one of its host plants is Sea Campion, which is in abundance hereabouts on the shingle ridges.

                                Netted Pug, first for the trap site

   A steady passage of Swifts, Swallows and House Martins was underway out back as birds swept low over the desert and across the lakes feeding en-route. Wild flowers such as Foxglove and Bloom are now in full flower and we found a patch of Salsify by the Taylor Road entrance to the NNR.

  This afternoon, in line with the easing of lockdown restrictions, I paid a visit to Dengemarsh for the first time in two months, and what a joy it was to be in a different habitat. I have very much missed the waders, so it was great to reconnect with breeding Lapwings and Redshanks on the hayfields, along with migrant Whimbrels and a Greenshank, two Little Egrets, Shelducks, Shovelers and a Teal. Swifts and hirundines were everywhere, plus three Hobbies hawking insects in the brisk wind. Also noted: several Marsh Harriers, Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Common Terns, Yellow Wagtails, Bearded Tits, Raven and much more besides.

                               Redshank and Whimbrels on hayfield 3