Hot, dry and sunny, NE 2 - A guided walk for eight RSPB guests around the circular walk this morning was memorable for a pair of Black-winged Stilts that flew in from the south, low over our heads calling, before heading inland and eventually settling on Burrowes where they could be seen from Firth lookout. The hayfields had mostly dried out in the recent heat wave (no rain for over a month) with only two each of Shelduck, Oystercatcher, Lapwing and Redshank present on a large puddle at the Dengemarsh end, plus a pair of Yellow Wagtails. Two Cattle Egrets were following the cows behind Hookers where Marsh Harrier, Buzzard (being mobbed by a Raven) and Bearded Tits were noted. Along the route we had good views of Common Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Reed Bunting and Linnet, while Reed and Cetti`s Warblers and Lesser Whitethroat were less obliging. Also noted: Dabchick on the dipping pond; two Common Terns and three Little Egrets on Dengemarsh; four Avocets, Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher, another Common Tern and a flyover, calling Spotted Redshank on Burrowes, where Common, Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls all had young in the nest along with a nesting Black-headed Gull. Post breeding dispersal was apparent on Burrowes with hundreds of moulting Pochards and Tufted Ducks. Only a handful of grassland butterflies were noted along the way, plus plenty of damselflies around the wetlands and a few Four-spotted Chasers and Emperor dragonflies.
The garden moth trap continues to be of interest with Beautiful Hook-tip and Mullein Wave of note, and `hundreds of Green Oak Tortix still coming to light..
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