27th June.
Bright and sunny - very warm with a brisk southerly wind.
11.20 am. 102 Common Gulls (22 juveniles amongst them) and 6 Shelduck out on the mudflats.
11.45 - 2.45pm. Had a walk round the Blue Route calling in at the hide for a while. Saw a Whitethroat along the hedge near Bushcraft Island. Large White and Red Admiral butterflies, a Large Skipper, Large Red damselflies (Male) and plenty of bumblebees were flying. There was an apparently injured Common Gull on the dipping platform.
5.40 pm. A Little Egret flew east along the saltmarsh.
Grasses in hayfields along the route.
Red Admiral on the edge of the arable field near the damson trees.
Large Red damselfly - Male
Common Gull (injured) - on dipping platform.
LOGBOOK sightings.
Natalie, Rob, Anne and Rob:- Kestrel, Skylark, Blackbird, Goldfinch, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Crow, Blue Tit, Blackcap, Large Heath, Small White butterfly, Large Skipper, Song Thrush, Four-spotted Chaser, Darters, Pheasant and lots of Damselflies, House Martins, Swallows, Swift, Buzzard, Four Common Lizards, Fox Moth caterpillar, and soldier beetles.
28th June.
Sea Pinks on the saltmarsh.
After a wet night the sun came out late morning - stayed very warm all day. The sunshine brought the flowers and insects out on the saltmarsh: Large Skippers on Bird's-foot Trefoil; Silver Y Moths on crane's-bill; Sea Pinks; Common Rock Rose and Foxgloves were all in flower. 70 Shelduck were out on the mudflats.
In the hamlet there were 4 Young Blue Tits on the nut hanger; Two young Tree Sparrows were being fed and a juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker was now feeding itself on the nut hangers.
A male Large Skipper on Bird's-foot Trefoil.
A Silver Y Moth - day flying.
Sea Pinks growing down the side of a dub.
Young Tree Sparrows waiting for their next feed.
Young Bullfinches have soon become independent of their parents . . .
. . . as has the juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker.
29th June.
A hot sunny day brought out the wildlife.
A walk down the Lonning revealed a Buzzard hunting over the Moss, a Grey Heron on the wetlands in front of the hide with butterflies and damselflies soaking up the warmth of the Lonning track.
Later in the evening, a couple of Foxes wandered into the garden, seemingly attracted by the peanut bits that had dropped from the hangers above. They looked like an adult with a cub.
Calves resting amongst the cool grass.
Buzzard hunting over the Moss, as seen from the hide . . .
. . . and then in front of the wood.
Later, as it perches in the end of the wood, a Kestrel came in to have a look
.
Grey Heron also flew over.
Male Blue-tailed damselfly on Lonning track.
Female Emerald damselfly on track.
Red Admiral on the track too.
A fine stand of Foxgloves in flower along the Lonning.
Two foxes gleaning fallen peanuts under hamlet feeders - early evening.
Wily adult Fox.
More timorous cub.
C + I : - Roe Deer +2 Fawn, Skylark, Buzzards, Stonechat, Swallows, Toad.
30th June.
A Roe Deer and two fawns were seen crossing the Discovery Field and going through the gate into the buttercup meadow beyond.
Roe Deer and two fawns in Discovery field.
They had followed the path through the gate and into the buttercup meadow beyond.
LOGBOOK Sightings:
DB.: Large Heath butterflies on the Moss, Ringlets on the path.