Maiden`s Blush

Lade - 0530hrs - Warm, dry and cloudy, e3, by afternoon, sw 5 with occasional showers - More about quantity than quality in the moth trap this morning with an influx of Shuttle-shaped Darts and Straw Underwings. However, a Maiden`s Blush was new for the year; although how it turned up down here on the coast away from an oak wood is something of a mystery, nice moth though and what a great name. Also had a tatty Sitochroa palealis, a scarceish pyrale, trapped in a cobweb by the summer house.
A stroll over the beach produced small numbers of Ringed Plovers, Dunlins, Turnstone and Sanderlings along the tideline and at least 50 Sandwich Terns loafing on the sands.

                                          Maiden`s Blush

                                          Garganeys, ARC

ARC - pm - Yet again the forecasters were proved wrong as the afternoon deluge failed to materialise; although the wind did pick up briefly to deliver a couple of showers, but by late afternoon the sun had broken through. Anyhow a thorough check of all parts of ARC to try and push the wader total along failed to deliver any newcomers for the month. Still a decent show though with 50 Lapwings, 10 Common and 2 Green Sandpipers, 5 Dunlins, 5 LRPs, 2 Ringed Plovers, 2 Greenshanks and 2 Little Stints. From Screen hide a flock of 6 Garganeys amongst the eclipse Teals, Shovelers, Gadwalls and 2 Wigeons. Hundreds of Sand Martins over the water and a couple of Sedge Warblers in front of Hanson.