Small Heath

Lade - muggy, drizzle, S 4 - A stiff breeze out of the south with drizzle all morning made for wretched birding conditions, although a large mixed flock of Swifts and hirundines over north lake kept me busy for a while. By early afternoon the sun broke through and a check of the sands revealed a few Barwits and Knots amongst the non-breeding Curlews and Oystercatchers.

                                Small Heath and Prostrate Broom, Long Pits

Long Pits - A circuit of the lakes this afternoon in broken sunshine was pleasant enough and even brought forth a few butterflies in the shape of a Painted Lady, several Red Admirals and our first Small Heath of the season. The Prostrate Broom has supplanted the Gorse in the yellow flower stakes with great swathes of sulphur spread across the shingle wastes. Birdwise it was fairly standard fare with Reed, Sedge and Cetti`s Warblers, Lesser and Common Whitethroats, Blackcap and Chiffchaff all noted, plus singles of Cuckoo, Kestrel and Hobby. A few hirundines and Swifts came and went, but there wasn`t a sniff of the midday Bee-eater that over flew the peninsular.