A Little Gull flew around the Deep Pit this evening and over the Tern Platforms before moving on to the Slurry. Also this evening a small Starling roost with perhaps 200 birds coming in to roost in the bushes and reeds. JMD.
Earlier on two Grasshopper Warblers were singing on the Deep Pit banks. PS.
There are lots of Southern Marsh Orchids out now and in some areas the Spotted Orchids and their hybrids are out too. The Bee Orchids will be another week or so. PS.
An adult Peregrine was seen with prey, possibly a Jackdaw, accompanied by a juvenile bird on one of the pylons. The juvenile Peregrine later flew off down river. Two Little Ringed Plovers were seen on the Slurry Lagoon. RW.
Two Small Heaths were seen along the top of the Slurry Lagoon bank this afternoon and a Small Copper on the bank by the ‘car park’. Two Four-spotted Chasers were seen on the Small Gravel Pit along with several Red-eyed Damselflies. PS.
A first summer Little Gull rested on the Slurry Lagoon for a short time this afternoon. Three Four-spotted Chasers were seen and two Red-tipped Clearwings were attracted to lures. On the southern, inside bank of the Deep Pit several Burnet Companions were seen. The cygnets were out briefly and a Gadwall with nine new ducklings and a Mallard with four were also on the Slurry Lagoon. RW.
The Slurry Lagoon Mute Swan pair have four cygnets. The other three pairs on the site all seem to have failed to lay. PS.
Unfortunately most of the orchids were still not much more than buds, but there were plenty of other plants to see and some butterflies and damselflies were about. A Hobby gave spectacular views as it swooped over the Slurry Lagoon and Swifts were seen mating on the wing. A pair of Shoveler were also seen and a drake Wigeon was a surprise find. PS.
The Deep Pit bank, facing the railwayline had good numbers of Common Blues showing today and amongst them were one or two Brown Argus. All four orchid species are visible but the cold weather last month has delayed their flowering a little. A small blue flower with iris shaped leaves that could be Blue Eyed Grass Sisyrinchium bermudiana, was also found. PS.
Today I counted 25 Common Blue butterflies on the signal box bank alone, plus many more else where on the site. Other species of note seen today include: Holly Blue, Small Copper, Cinnebar, Burnett Companion & Green Carpet (pictured), plus caterpillars of Small Tortoiseshell and Burnett. There were also lots of damselflies: Common Blue, Blue Tail, Banded Demoiselle and Red Eye, even some flying in tandem over the small gravel pit.
There was also a Cuckoo present on site all afternoon, on the fence posts around the deep pit.
SJ
A teneral Blue-tailed Damselfly was found today sheltering from the breeze on the hedge bordering the Large Gravel Pit and on the grassy embankment under the Railway Bridge a Stoat was watched for some minutes as it dragged a baby rabbit some distance into cover. JMD.