This is summary of July's birds on the reserve from our resident expert Ken Croft...
"The thriving sea-bird colony gave visitors a spectacular display this month with Puffin, Guillemot, Razorbill, Fulmar, Kittiwake, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull and Great Black-backed Gull all frantically flying to and fro' bringing food in to their offspring. Meanwhile offshore, Gannets and Manx Shearwaters were regularly seen and on the 17th a Balearic Shearwater was found amongst the manxies. Common Scoter were also observed passing from mid-month onwards and Common, Arctic and Sandwich Terns were all seen fishing offshore in small numbers.
Very few wildfowl records but Mallard and Moorhen both bred, 13 Tufted Duck flew over on the 29th and 9 Greylag Geese arrived on the 31st. Amongst the raptors, Peregrine fledged 2 young and 2 pairs of Kestrel both bred successfully. A movement on the 30th saw a Hobby catching dragonflies over the cafe fields for an hour and 2 Buzzards plus a Sparrowhawk passing through.
A trickle of waders were observed this month with a Lapwing on the 13th, Curlews from the 19th onwards, 5 Snipe on the 27th and 2 Green Sandpipers on the 31st as well as up to 3 Grey Herons. Oystercatcher, Woodpigeon, Skylark and Greenfinch all joined the ever growing list of breeding birds.
A juvenile Redstart and Spotted Flycatcher on the 1st promised much but it wasn't until the last week of the month before any real passage migrants were observed. Good numbers of Swallows were moving form the 20th onwards with a handful of Sand Martins, House Martins and Swifts. Young Willow Warblers and Whitethroats were filtering through the hedgerows, Grasshopper Warblers continued to sing throughout the month and Lesser Redpoll were also regularly seen. In the last few days of the month, Lesser Whitethroat, Spotted Flycatchers, Bullfinch, Reed Bunting and a Great Spotted Woodpecker were all recorded."