Birds, moths and a garden

Lade - 0900hrs  - cool, cloudy, drizzle, se 2 - Cream Spot Tiger was new for the year in the garden trap. At the Kerton Road Café more of the same moths plus Mullein and Satin Waves. Kestrel and Skylark also noted on the shingle ridges.

                                Cream Spot Tiger

ARC - A quick pit stop at the south end where a Little Ringed Plover and 3 Ringed Plovers.
Park Wood - A short circuit from the car park revealed at least 6 Nightingales belting it out it fine style. Also noted singing Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Nuthatch, drumming Greater pecker and all the usual tits and thrushes.
Great Dixter - The gardens looked in fine fettle despite the low cloud and drizzle, particularly the wildflower meadow.
Walland Marsh - On the way back we stopped off at Fairfield and Brookland churches. At Midley a stunning Turtle Dove was feeding amongst the Collared Doves, while the feeders were crammed with Greenfinches, House and Tree Sparrows, plus several Goldfinches; until a Sparrowhawk swooped in and took one of the finches.
Nearby we had a smart Yellow Wagtail and several more Marsh Harriers.
ARC - From Hanson hide a decent selection of common wildfowl on the water, but more importantly the water level is dropping to reveal the tops of islands, and should hopefully be good for the return wader passage. We managed to find a couple of Common Lizards on the boardwalk and 3 Raven flew over on the walk back to the car park.

                               Common Lizard