This morning, just before the Bird Walk commenced, two Great White Egrets flew onto the Slurry Lagoon. Unfortunately they only stayed for a few minutes. During the walk some passage Siskins, Yellow Wagtails and a Meadow Pipit flew over. Also seen were several Migrant Hawkers and Red Admirals, and a single Small Copper. PS.
This morning a Curlew flew over the site, calling.
In the afternoon – on the Dragonfly Walk – good numbers of Brown Hawkers, Migrant Hawkers and Red-eyed Damselflies were seen, as well as Common Blue Damselflies, Banded Demoiselles, a Brown Argus and a Willow Emerald. PS.
Willow Emerald
Brown Argus
This morning, during the bird count, a Purple Hairstreak was found on thistles near the large oak at the end of the Lower Path. Also seen were good numbers of Red Admirals, Ruddy Darters and a Migrant Hawker. PS.
Purple Hairstreak – unfortunately with rear of hind-wing missing.
This morning, during the Bird Walk, a Black Tern was watched for about twenty minutes, hawking insects over the Deep Pit. Also seen were a Raven and two Lesser Redpolls. There was a light passage of Swallows, House Martins and Meadow Pipits, with fifty-five Swallows, twenty House Martins and seven Meadow Pipits seen flying over to the south. There were also good numbers of Migrant Hawkers seen. PS.
This afternoon a Common Sandpiper was seen crossing the Slurry Lagoon. Several dragonflies were seen including Brown Hawker, Southern Hawker and Migrant Hawker. PS.
A Garganey is still present on the Wader Scrape and a Hobby was seen chasing the Swallows by the railway bridge. On the Ouse Dyke the Green Sandpiper was seen to be still in residence. There are also several dragonflies about with Migrant Hawker, Southern Hawker, Ruddy Darter, Common Darter, Banded Demoiselle and Common Blue Damselflies all being seen. SC.
This morning there was a female Pintail and a female Golden-eye on the Slurry Lagoon, as well as three Red-crested Pochards and good numbers of Gadwall, Shoveler and Teal. There were about 80 Wigeon on the Large Gravel Pit and Swallows, House Martins, Meadow Pipits and Yellow Wagtails were passing through. On the Lower Path a Muntjac was seen. In the afternoon a swarm of Migrant Hawkers was seen along the Lower Path. PS.
A Reed Warbler was feeding along the edge of the reed bed at the back of the Slurry Lagoon this afternoon; while two Green Sandpiper and a Ruff were on the water’s edge. Common Snipe numbers are slowly increasing with at least twelve seen today. The two Red-crested Pochard are still present on the Large Gravel Pit. A few insects are still about particularly Migrant Hawkers. JMD.
What a difference a day makes – it was glorious at the Lagoons this afternoon. The warm sunshine encouraged some insect activity with at least six Migrant Hawkers and one or two butterflies including a Holly Blue and two Small Tortoiseshells. The geese had departed into the surrounding fields and the river so it was easier to view the Slurry and two Ruff were spotted among the Lapwings and Black-headed Gulls and nine Common Snipe were enjoying the sun at the reed edges. JMD.
This morning as we walked along the Lower Path four Jays sneaked into the canopy of the ash trees while a a Buzzard called overhead. There were several immature Reed Warblers, Sedge Warblers, Blackcaps and Whitethroats and a Lesser Whitethroat and Willow Tit in the bushes between the path and the railway line. Near to the signal box a Spotted Flycatcher was perched on the wires and then in the hawthorn bushes, and a Stoat ran across the path. By the river the Swallows’ alarm calls alerted us to a Hobby. PS.
A Little Egret was seen briefly on the Slurry Lagoon and several Roesel’s Bush-crickets were found on the Causeway. By the Small Gravel Pit an Emperor, Migrant Hawker, Brown Hawker and Common Darter were seen. PS.