Sussex Emeralds

Lade - warm, dry and sunny, W 2 - An overcast night with a light westerly was always going to be good for moths in the garden trap, and so it proved with the first two Sussex Emeralds of the season amongst 45 species of macros, one of which was high up on the side of the cottage. As usual with Sussex Emeralds that get blown over from the NNR they were in a fairly tatty condition.

                                Sussex Emerald

                                Common Emerald for comparison

                                Sussex Emerald on the cottage wall


  A tour of the local patch was curtailed somewhat by a local dog walker who`d fallen and injured his knee. It took the ambulance service almost two hours before they attended site and eventually whisked him away to hospital. Fortunately RSPB staff were on site to open the gates to allow access to the track beside south lake.

                                1st summer Little Gulls

                                1st summer Common Tern

  This afternoons waders on ARC comprised a Ruff, five Black-tailed Godwits, four Redshanks and an Oystercatcher, plus the two regular Little Gulls and a Great White Egret. On Burrowes from Firth hide, six Dunlin, four Ringed Plovers and a1st summer Common Tern were the highlights.