This afternoon a Hobby sat on one of the fence posts on the east side of the Deep Pit for some time before flying low around the Deep Pit and then away over the Railway Bridge to upset all the Swallows while on the opposite side a Cuckoo was cuckooing and hopping from post to post. JMD.
Later on a Bar-tailed Godwit flew through while three Garden Warblers sang in the Deep Pit. PS.
This afternoon there were twelve Common Terns on the tern rafts. A flock of around fifty Swifts drifted high over the reserve and a Hobby alarmed the Swallows by the railway bridge, other raptors were two Buzzards, two Kestrels and two Sparrowhawks. There were several butterflies about, including Brimstone and Orange Tip and a Stoat was running up the Deep Pit bank, following a trail, its tail held high. PS.
This morning there was a Green Sandpiper, Greenshank, Pintail and two Water Rail on the Slurry Lagoon. A Hobby was seen flying over, carrying prey.
Later in the day there were four Water Rail and one Golden Plover and a Hobby hawking insects. At dusk another Greenshank flew in. RW.
Two Hobbies were present in the morning, as well as a Water Rail and up to three Cetti’s Warblers. PS.
Three Greenshank seen on the Slurry Lagoon late afternoon. RW.
A very warm and sunny day slightly spoilt by a strong south westerly breeze which kept the butterflies from flying. A group of seven of us set off along the Ouse Dyke where we encountered the usual selection of large, small and green-veined whites, speckled wood butterflies along with common darter, brown hawker and southern hawker dragonflies. We were even greeted by the call of the resident kingfisher as it speed off up the path.
On entering the site we soon found the first of our target species of common blue, which it became apparent are very abundant all around the site as there is plenty of birds-foot trefoil on the bank tops and sides. The next of our target species for the day was the small copper, only one of these was located at the top of a bank I know from previous visits to be one of the best places to find them. Unfortunately we weren’t so lucky with the small heath which failed to show at all, probably due to the wind whipping across the site.
Dropping down to the river bank to get some shelter from the wind we encountered our next target, brown argus. Or at least the back markers did, by the time the rest of us had backtracked it had disappeared into the long grass. However, we did all get to see this small butterfly later as altogether we encountered six in various parts of the lagoons.
The walk continued in the shelter of the hedge bordering the back of the gravel pits where plenty of common blue damselflies along with other butterflies and dragonflies were taking advantage of the windbreak offered by the hedge. Our return to the site found more brown argus on the central bund between the deep pit and the slurry lagoon, and also along the bottom pathe following the railway line.
By the end of the walk we had encountered ten butterfly species, including those mentioned above along with small tortoiseshell, brimstone, meadow brown and painted lady. Other highlights included two hobby, wheatear, whinchat and various warblers.
Two Hobbies were briefly seen flying together over the site. Also seen were a Sparrowhawk flying over and four Snipe lurking in the edge of the reeds on the slurry lagoon.
A Whinchat and a Wheatear were seen this morning, both on the Deep Pit fence by the Railway Bridge, though not at the same time. Two Hobbies were also seen here. About six Brown Argus were seen around the site and more Long-winged Coneheads, as well as several Migrant Hawkers, Brown Hawkers and a Southern Hawker. The Lower Path had a flock of warblers, containing Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff, plus two Willow Tits.
A Hobby caused alarm amongst the swallows near the river bridge this morning, while in the deep water pit four Common Terns were mobbing a cormorant which was drying its wings on one of the platforms.
A Brown Argus was found at the car park end of the Slurry lagoon and the Hobby was seen again, being mobbed by Swallows.
An exciting new find by Marion Bryce was a sawfly, Abia sericea, which has not been recorded in the area before.
Six to eight Spotted Flycatchers were seen today as one or two families moved through on migration. They were seen along the Railway Embankment and by the Railway Bridge. At the Bridge were a large gathering of Hirundines, including at least 100 Swallows, which were spooked by a Hobby.