Moths galore

Saturday - St Mary-in-the-Marsh - 0700hrs - humid and overcast - A moth session out on the Marsh proved interesting for the large numbers of Setaceous Hebrew Characters and Reed Daggers at 435 and 185 respectively. The species tally was 41 including migrant Silver Ys and Dark Swordgrass, plus others I don't often get on the coast such as Dusky Thorn, Green and Common Carpets, 5 Light Emeralds, two Gold Spots and a Poplar Hawkmoth. Garden birds included Tree Sparrows and Willow Warblers coming down to drink in the pond.

                                Setaceous Hebrew Characters

                                Red-legged Shieldbug

Lade - Not much change on the local patch, apart from fewer warblers around the ponds and a trickle of Swallows overhead. Still plenty of herons and egrets around the site and two more Sparrowhawks on the hunt. 72 Great Crested Grebes were counted across the waters, many of which were young birds.
Whilst sitting in the garden til late several small bats were hawking insects in the shelter of the fir trees and a Hedgehog was noted. Even after sunset Sandwich Terns remained vocal, streaming over the cottage throughout.

                                Grebes are having a bumper year

Sunday - Lade - 0700hrs - The garden MV was full of moths in the early morning fog, mostly Flounced Rustics and Setaceous Hebrew Characters and the like, with a Small Blood-vein being the best of the bunch. With the mist clearing we checked the pits where a flyover Bar-headed Goose in amongst a hundred Greylags was new for the site list. A Great White Egret was present on south lake and a few Willow Warblers filtered through the bushes.
  Just after midday, whilst prepping for a family barbecue in the garden, the local Herring Gulls kicked off. In warm sunshine under a clear blue sky, 10 Common Buzzards went down the coast towards Dungeness, plus at least one Honey Buzzard.