August 6th 2009

Last nights weather with broken cloud, moonlight, little wind, humid and a light shower just before dawn meant just one thing this morning to this ornithological god, get your butt to the pond a.s.a.p.
I arrived just after 7am with 5 Black Tern present out in the centre which built up to 22 birds by 9am and these were joined by 7 Common Tern while the female or immature Garganey that had also arrived overnight took umbrage to the flotilla of fishing boats pushing it about in toft bay that it soon became mobile. Another interesting sighting that took me and Bob Hazell by surprise was the arrival of 7 Snipe which is probably the highest count I have had in August for quite sometime if ever. Also seen were Little Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, a Hobby perched in a dead elm tree, Yellow-legged Gull adult, 8 Long-tailed Tit, Garden Warbler, Whitethroat and 55 Mute Swan. Only one Swift seen as the majority seem to have departed yesterday. The rest will trickle through till early September.
This morning’s bright sunshine brought out the butterflies in huge numbers with well over a thousand counted from the 5 areas checked with the country park, sailing graveyard and the area at the end of toft bank in toft bay the most productive. Moths found on the café wall included Barred Umber, Riband Wave and a Dagger sp while Bob found a Dusky Sallow.
Heavy rain again since 2pm so itching to get back out tonight but it never stopped and unfortunatley Dave goes rusty if he gets wet.

Richard