Its been fairly quiet on the patch lately but I added sparrowhawk plus large skippers and meadow browns were on the wing early this week. Tuesday evening I took a trip over to Oare finding the Bonaparte's gull out on one of the islands plus numerous black-tailed godwits and good numbers of avocets.
On the 24th I counted 49 curlews out on the mudflats and 3 egrets but nothing else except gulls and oystercatchers. On the landward side a blackcap, chiffchaff, 1 emperor and 1 hairy dragonfly, my first variable damselfly and 2 stock doves. Just the usual everyday species which have had a good breeding season, lots of young about.
Young Whitethroat
Variable Damselfly
On the 26th the high tide roost was populated by people but I doubt if there would be anything now anyway. A couple of Sandwich terns were out in the bay plus a couple of shelduck (their recent big numbers have now gone). A walk over the plots didn't reveal anything new except a kestrel for the month but along the seawall at last, a rook, the first for the year. The past few years has always seen a pair of rooks along the wall near the toilet block but not this year until now!
Dyers Greenweed
Small Tortoiseshell
On the plots I noticed a lot of Dyers greenweed growing along the tracks obviously spread by vehicles and plenty false oat grass (arrhenatherum elatius) and cock's foot (Dactylis glomerata). Yes, if nothing else you can always have a go at the grasses!
Today 27th I went to Stodmarsh...........should have stayed at home!
1 comment:
Nice account and photos Mike. Nothing at Stodmarsh? Is it a bit overgrown over there at the moment?
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