Millions of Flies

Lade - 0600hrs - cool, sunny, nw2 - There were hundreds of Swifts and House Martins hawking insects over the scrub by south pit this morning, in the lee of a brisk north-westerly. On closer inspection I tentatively identified them as St Mark`s Flies (furry, black bodies with dangly legs) and there must have been literally millions of them. On the storm beaches Starlings and Sparrows were also mopping them up and hurriedly flying back to nest sites with beakfulls of these bountiful insects; there must be some very satisfied chicks in nests along the coast road bungalows today. A Wheatear singing from a power line post also flew down to feed on the flies.

                                          Wheatear, Lade
Only 20 species in the trap last night, including several immaculate `tigers` and a `hawk`

                                          Cream-spot Tiger                                         

                                          Poplar Hawk Moth