Some bird movements in the last few days have produced some nice sightings, whilst insect numbers continue to do well on sunny, warm days. Highlights of the last week include -
Another bittern sighting today on Phase 2.
Spotted flycatcher, 3 greenshank, 6 snipe and 2 jay over the visitor trails yesterday - thanks to Dave Roberts for these.
13 golden plover over our storage containers - first of the autumn yesterday and more overhead today.
Dunlin over the Beach Hut yesterday.
4 hobby feeding over the site - thanks to Dave again for this record.
Several large flocks of small birds around the site including the public footpath alongside the silt lagoons and on the Sustrans route 64 at the south end of the site. Flocks include mixed finches and buntings, tits and chiffchaff. Worth looking through these.
Increasing numbers of teal, wigeon and shoveler - winter approaches!
At least two flocks of c.100 starlings at the north and south end of the site - winter approaches again!
Vapourer moths are on the wing, with the first of the year yesterday from the Beach Hut and on the public footpath.
Hornets feeding up and down the public footpath - take a look at David Morison's photo of these in the gallery section.
Red admiral, small tortoiseshell, speckled wood, common blue, whites, peacock and comma still on the wing. Migrant hawker, common darter and common blue damselfly are still flying in good numbers - summer clings on!