This morning there were three Common Terns displaying over the Deep Pit and a teneral Common Blue Damselfly was found at the back of the Large Gravel Pit. Four Green Hairstreaks and two Dingy Skippers were seen on the Butterfly Bank. PS.
In the afternoon a Brown Argus was also seen on the Butterfly Bank. RW.
The ‘Bird Walk – Migrants’ went well today with eight of us present. We saw Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers, Blackcaps, Whitethroats, Sedge Warblers and Cetti’s Warblers. There were Swallows and Sand Martins by the railway bridge. As the morning warmed up butterflies emerged with Brimstone, Orange-tip, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Green Hairstreak and Holly Blue all seen.
This morning a male Sparrowhawk was seen displaying over the river. At the southern end of the Deep Pit there were at least 17 Northern Marsh Orchids and, on the railway bank, ten Pyramidal Orchids. There are still some Green Hairstreaks flying and plenty of Common Blues. PS.
A male House Sparrow was seen this morning on the Lower Path, close to the river. This is a very rare sighting now at the lagoons. Also heard or seen were a Cuckoo, Green Woodpecker and Grasshopper Warbler along with four Brimstones, five Green Hairstreaks, ten Common Blues, four male Orange-tips, two Green-veined Whites, a Peacock, a Large White and a Latticed Heath. SC/PG.
Also seen this morning were three Hobbies, two Buzzards and a mass of gulls and terns catching flying ants. PS.
This morning at least three Green Hairstreaks were seen around the north end of the Deep Pit, laying eggs on the Bird’s-foot Trefoil. A Brimstone was also seen egg-laying on the Alder Buckthorn by the Pumphouse. Three to four Hobbies were seen hawking insects over the site. (One seen stooping briefly at the Hobbies looked suspiciously like a Merlin, but was very distant.) PS.
Two adult Little Gulls were in the Deep Pit this afternoon. Green Hairstreaks were on the wing and four male Emperor Moths were attracted to a pheromone lure. RW.
This morning there were two cuckoos seen by the Small Gravel Pit. One was calling and the other was silent, so presumably was a female. Later a male was calling on the southern edge of the Slurry Lagoon and a silent Cuckoo was also present. These both then flew to the railway land where another male was calling. So there were at least three Cuckoos present and may have been five. There were also thirteen singing Garden Warblers and a Green Hairstreak was seen on the Causeway. PS.
This morning a Grasshopper Warbler and three Garden Warblers were singing. During the guided Walk a Cuckoo sang from the large willow by the Large Gravel Pit and two Common Terns were seen over the Deep Pit. Four Green Hairstreaks were seen, two were females laying eggs. PS
This morning there were two Black-necked Grebes on the Slurry Lagoon. Also seen were six Green Hairstreaks and a Brown Argus. SC/PG
This morning a Cuckoo called briefly beside the Slurry Lagoon as a solitary Swift flew over. During the Warbler Walk, eight warbler species were heard and six Hobbies were seen hawking insects over the Large Gravel Pit. Around seven Hairy Dragonflies were seen, including two females egg-laying, one on the Slurry Lagoon and one on the Small Gravel Pit. Two female Green Hairstreaks were seen, also egg-laying. An Oystercatcher was on the Wader Scrape and a Little Ringed Plover was on the dry end of the Slurry Lagoon. PS.