☀️☁️21C Wednesday 9th May 2018 ~ Wednesday I spent the morning at Brandon Marsh, mainly checking out the woods and meadows for Butterflies and Odonata. There was nothing new to add to the year lists, with the exception of Large Red Damselfly, with one or two around River Meadow and Ted Jury Hide. Birds of note included a Grasshopper Warbler on farm reedbed, singing Lesser Whitethroat, Cuckoo and an unprecedented five Hobbies feeding over Newlands. Most likely feasting on St. Marks flies, with their favourite food dragonflies at a premium this time of year.
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| Hobby over Newlands |
There was also a notable increase in
Swift numbers too with 40+ counted during my brief time in the hides. Waders included:
Little-ringed Plover (2),
Ringed Plover,
Redshank and
Oystercatcher (4).
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| Grizzled Skipper |
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| Dingy Skipper |
On route back to the marina I stopped for a while at Stockton Cutting in the hope of finding a few additions to my butterfly list but the sun had gone in. I was, therefore, more than happy when I found both
Dingy and
Grizzled Skipper.
