Warm, dry and sunny, W 2 - A guided walk for RSPB this morning in pleasant weather conditions delivered a decent range of wildlife including good numbers of common grassland butterflies and dragonflies. It was quiet passerine-wise as expected at this time of year apart from several pulses of out bound Sand Martins over the circular trail. Passage waders on Burrowes included a smart Wood Sandpiper, a Greenshank, two Common Sandpipers, a Redshank and three Little Ringed Plovers plus a Whimbrel and Curlew overhead calling. There was still plenty of activity on the breeding tern island out from Dennis`s. At Dengemarsh we enjoyed good views of the comings and goings at the small ternery in front of the hide where a fledgling was fascinated by the bathing antics of a Common Sandpiper! I saw my first Marsh Harrier of the season in crisp, juvenile plumage, as well as a spanking adult female bird with extensive white on the crown and shoulders. Also of note during the walk: two Great White Egrets and a Hobby. A quick look from Hanson hide on the way out revealed the two Avocet chicks to be doing well and two more Common Sandpipers on the islands.
Yesterday afternoon a seawatch from the fishing boats produced a trickle of Common and Sandwich Terns, plus at least four juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls among the gull throng lured in by slices of bread from Martin and Richard.
NB: The colour ringed (C68) Common Tern that was present on Dengemarsh on Monday, and not seen since, was ringed at Belfont Lakes Country Park, Feltham, (Middlesex), Greater London on 30th June 2020 making it just over five years old.
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