It seems that wader passage has started here at Langford - although we can't quite compete with what has turned up on the east coast in the last few days! This morning Beach Hut volunteer Dave Roberts picked up 4 green sandpipers on silt lagoon 5 (2nd northern most, please view from public footpath only). One of these birds was an obviously very young juvenile, so has flown from wherever it has hatched very soon after fledging. This is a good number of green sands for Langford, usually this species is only seen in ones and twos.
Also today, a wader flying with a group of c.30 lapwing seen briefly by Dave and myself proved to be a ruff on later inspection. This is Langford's second ruff this year and first on return passage. Ruff is a nice record here and a species we get less than annually, so good to record the second for 2014.
I had a whimbrel on silt lagoon 5 last Thursday, with another seen over the weekend. Again, a nice bird for Langford, with less than 5 records annually.
Things will hopefully keep on dropping in over the next few weeks, so please do keep a close eye on muddy edges!
At least 5 clouded yellows, probably more, have been seen today - the best places to spot these are on the southern edge of the Cromwell trail and the grassland in front of the Beach Hut. It looks like we may enjoy a repeat of last year, with clouded yellow numbers looking good already. And purple hairstreaks are showing well on the ash tree above the information board near the car park. Take this opportunity to have a look at this normally canopy dwelling species. They seem to come fairly low down on this tree, giving great views.
And finally, the bittern was seen again for the third time on Saturday, flying from the same fringe of reed next to the dipping platform and into silt lagoon 6. Keep looking!
More clouded yellows on site today - despite the blustery conditions! Nice to see a juvenile hobby on site near the car park yesterday too and several snipe on Phase 1 and the old silt lagoon 7 today.