Monday at Blashford saw the chance to get another look at the Bonaparte's and, with my eye in from last visit, it didn't take long to find but was still very distant; one of the 2cy Little Gulls was more obliging.
About eighteen hover spp included Ferdinandra cuprea; also plenty of Common Damselflies. The moth trap was virtually empty with just Clouded-bordered Brindle and two Lesser Swallow Prominents. A single Green-winged Orchid was the first I've ever seen here.
Good to catch up with JW for the first time since the 'Ashdown eagle' back in 2014!!
Tuesday
Caught up with Andy and Terry where the highlight, in the absence of any wildlife, was the Bacon and Egg Sarnie!!
Then on to Whiteways briefly - Rose Chafer, loads of Hairy Shieldbugs, single Merodon equestris and patches of Bugle.
At Lord's Piece (highlight, 'singing' Field Crickets) and Burton Pond (Speckled Yellow, Variable and Blue-tailed Damselflies). All but Whiteways had singing Firecrest.
Wednesday was wet but with lots of reported Black Terns it seemed best to head to Blashford where RC had reported seven; and all still present early afternoon along with six Turnstones, two each of Bar'wit and Grey Plover plus a single summer plumage Knot. A single Red Kite, 100+ Swifts and a Kingfisher zipping down Dockens Water were best-of-the-rest. A year-first Common Blue was blowing over the lichen heath spatting with Small Coppers.
Thursday, and variable weather, was a camera day with some 'Back to Black' (and white!!) in West Sussex - photos on other blog. A Peregrine, presumably the male, brought a meal in to the three chicks and the Ravens were again vocal but little else.
Friday at TH was on a flat calm tide which made finding the Long-tailed Duck off of Brownwich easy but it was very distant; a male Eider was much closer. The plants around the restaurant pond were full of 'bumbles' including Tree and Early bees. Very few hovers other than Cheilosia on every butter up, two flyby Hairy Dragonflies and a nice fresh, obliging Broad-bodied. A Rhagio scolopaceus was perched, head down as always, on the same tree that I always see it on here each spring!
In MSH a brief chat with DC, leading a group, and just one Common Sandpiper (disappointingly the only migrant wader), a distant Hobby and ten or more Buzzards. An unplanned visit to PB the following day also produced Hobby plus two Avocets, single Dunlin and the ubiquitous spring birdsong. Insects were nowhere to be seen!!
Thursday, and variable weather, was a camera day with some 'Back to Black' (and white!!) in West Sussex - photos on other blog. A Peregrine, presumably the male, brought a meal in to the three chicks and the Ravens were again vocal but little else.
Friday at TH was on a flat calm tide which made finding the Long-tailed Duck off of Brownwich easy but it was very distant; a male Eider was much closer. The plants around the restaurant pond were full of 'bumbles' including Tree and Early bees. Very few hovers other than Cheilosia on every butter up, two flyby Hairy Dragonflies and a nice fresh, obliging Broad-bodied. A Rhagio scolopaceus was perched, head down as always, on the same tree that I always see it on here each spring!
In MSH a brief chat with DC, leading a group, and just one Common Sandpiper (disappointingly the only migrant wader), a distant Hobby and ten or more Buzzards. An unplanned visit to PB the following day also produced Hobby plus two Avocets, single Dunlin and the ubiquitous spring birdsong. Insects were nowhere to be seen!!
