Yesterday saw the first visit to WWT since last year but sadly the weather was grey and completely overcast, virtually no wildfowl present and many areas overgrown. A few invisible warblers called from scrub and reeds and a handful of hirundines were high overhead. One Little Grebe was in close to the restaurant and another was in front of scrape hide. Kingfisher calls around the site produced one briefly perched up on the boat trail. Generally, very poor for insects. Typically crappy traffic at Chichester on the return!!
Today, a much better day weather-wise, was earmarked for gardening but proved to be too nice for such mundane work so off to TH. Here, seventy or more Turnstones were in the harbour at low tide but the masses of noisy terns from the last visit were absent with only single figures seen - were they all at sea fishing or just departed? Other waders on the east side were seven Dunlin and a Common Sandpiper. A circling Sparrowhawk attracted the attention of twenty or so Swallows and martins before it headed back low and fast past the hide. Generally pretty poor for migrants although given the flurry of Pied Flycatchers elsewhere it wasn't surprising to see one reported from the west side.
A decent variety of hovers (20), a couple of Early Bees and two Jersey Tigers, one feeding on Hemp Agrimony. And finally Southern and Migrant Hawkers plus Common Darters.
(Jersey Tiger, Vapourer Moth caterpillar, Southern Hawker, Melangyna comp/lab)
