12th July 2023

 Weather:  W force 5

An arrival the evening before, mainly with the intention of setting the moth trap for the morning. There were 40 moths of 17 species including the following:-

True Lover's Knot

 

Lime-speck Pug

Buff Ermine

Eudonia mercurella (a moss feeder)

 

The Sandwich Terns continue the build of their autumn roost on the east hoyle, 328 were counted, about 10%.were juveniles.

 

Amongst the waders the Bar-tailed Godwits stood out as 3 of them in summer plumage flew in east of Middle as the tide rose with another between the islands, while a general increase among the other waders was noted with 480 Oystercatchers, 7 Curlews, 18 Dunlin on the edge of the east hoyle and 35 Redshank feeding in the gutter and flying around the north end.

The Black-headed Gull numbers (about 280) are also increasing towards the autumn peak, 2 Grey Herons flew up the west side and 9 Little Egrets were in the gutter. 

 

Passerines recorded were all breeding species if you include a Robin and the 2 Goldfinch which are probably nesting. A Common Scoter and 2 Eiders were here.

 

 

Photos AS, SRW