An unusual and un-spring like month with a fresh wind stuck in a northerly direction from 13th onwards. The total of 91 species was above the ten-year average of 83.5, and the year total of 138 is also above the ten-year average of 133.8 species. However, only six species were added to the year list with our the fourth Marsh Warbler for the site and an unusual spring Spotted Redshank on 22nd and our second earliest Spotted Flycatcher on 1st, only three days after our earliest ever.

138 species so far this year

141 species by this time last year

31st

Three Grey Plovers, two in breeding plumage, flew south and a Redshank, the first here since 27th April, dropped onto the beach.

We were graced by the attractive moth, alabonia geoffrella (colloquially known as “Geoff”) with six present in the scrub.

30th

Cloudy, cool with a fresh NE wind – again! A few Gannets flew east. The pair of Oystercatchers and three Common Sandpipers were on the Marsh Pool and a Ringed Plover, rather optimistically, was displaying over the shingle ridge. Two Stock Doves were also seen on the shingle ridge.

29th

Cloudy with a fresh NE wind. We continue to be stuck if the cool NE airflow. One Fulmar and 16 Gannets flew east. A Common Sandpiper was the only wader noted. There were 14 immature Great Black-backed Gulls on the beach, a significant increase, and six Sandwich Terns flew west. A Hobby flew west over the Obs.

27th

Sunny with a moderate easterly wind. There were two Great Crested Grebes offshore and 18 Gannets flew east. The pair of Oystercatchers, a Common Sandpiper and a Ringed Plover was on the Marsh Pool and a single Turnstone was also noted. There were four immature Great Black-backed Gulls on the beach.

Green-veined White and Holly Blue butterflies were seen.

25th

Cloudy with a moderate northerly wind. Four Gannets flew east. There were three Red Kites, one flew west and two flew NW low over the area. There were four Oystercatchers, and a Common Sandpiper was on the Marsh Pool. A Nightingale, flushed from the alexanders by the path by the Obs, was unexpected. There were five Jackdaws over the beach and 60 Carrion Crows collected on the shingle ridge.

24th

Sunny with a light NW wind. There were three Great Crested Grebes offshore and three Tufted Ducks, two drakes and a duck, flew west. A Red Kite flew west, a male Marsh Harrier drifted east and the only waders noted were six Oystercatchers and two Turnstones. One Skylark was over the area and nine House Martins flew west.

Butterflies noted were Small White, Speckled Wood, Holly Blue, Red Admiral and Orange-tip.

23rd

Three distant auk species flying east were the first to be noted this year.

22nd

Cloudy with a moderate northerly wind. Against all expectations, there was some interest this morning. Andy picked up some quiet but interesting warbling along the middle brook which later blossomed into a full-blown Marsh Warbler song. It sang well in the morning and showed briefly a few times, but couldn’t be heard in the afternoon and was not present the next day. Only our fourth record and the earliest. This fits well with a new arrival of this late species, whilst the other three records between June 15th and July 10th, were more likely have been relocating birds. In addition, three Greenshanks flew off the tidal ponds in the company of a Spotted Redshank heading west at 8.55 am. Otherwise, very quiet with two Shelducks west and the “resident” pair of Oystercatchers. The duck Mallard continues to raise its seven ducklings.

20th

Cloudy with a fresh NE wind. Five Gannets flew east and four flew west. Waders noted were the pair of Oystercatchers, a Lapwing on the Marsh Pool and a Greenshank flew west at 9.47 am. Little else of note but a single House Martin flew west.

19th

Sunny/light cloud, light northerly wind. There were eight Great Crested Grebes offshore. There was an unexpectably large number of 14 Mallard with only one duck, on the Marsh Pool. A Lapwing along the shoreline was our first since February and other waders noted were nine Oystercatchers, including a pair on the Marsh Pool, a Common Sandpiper on the Marsh Pool and 19 Turnstones between the groynes. Other birds noted included a Stock Dove in the grassland and a single Swift west.

18th

Two Whimbrel flew west, two Common Sandpipers were on the tidal ponds with another two on the Marsh Pool. A Reed Warbler was also noted.

A year ago on this date our first ever record of Caspian Tern flew east over the area, which it also did on 20th.

17th

Sunny with a light northerly wind. There were three Great Crested Grebes offshore, a Fulmar and six Gannets flew east, five Shelducks flew west and two Barnacle Geese, an addition to the year list, flew east over the area at 7.38 am. The only waders noted were the pair of Oystercatchers on the beach and the Marsh Pool and two Turnstones on the beach. Two Red Kites flew west at 9.20 and 10.35 am. A Cuckoo, which flew west over the sewage works, had previously been heard calling in the scrub and our first juvenile Starling of the year was only a few days later than normal. .

Orange-tip and Small White butterflies were also noted.

15th

Cloudy, cool, fresh northerly wind. Three Great Crested Grebe offshore, seven Gannets flew east and a Shelduck flew west. The pair of Oystercatchers remained on the beach. A trickle of vis mig with three Swifts, 46 Swallows and three House Martins west.

14th

Four Avocets came in off the sea and dropped down to the Marsh Pool.

13th

Cloudy, cool, moderate NE wind. Two Gannets and 12 Common Scoters flew east. A pair of Oystercatchers were seen mating and nest-scraping on the shingle ridge. Other waders noted were a single Ringed Plover and eight Sanderlings and six Turnstones roosting between the groynes. Little vis mig but three House Martins flew north and two Yellow Wagtails flew west.

11th

Sunny with a light southerly wind. There were six Great Crested Grebes offshore, waders included six Oystercatchers, 21 Sanderlings and nine Turnstones roosting between the groynes, two Curlews and a Common Sandpiper along the brook. Other birds noted included a Hobby low over the coastal path and beach and a Reed Warbler singing quietly in the bushes opposite the Obs.

10th

Sunny with a light westerly wind. There were two Great Crested Grebes offshore. Waders noted were seven Oystercatchers, a single Ringed Plover and 20 Turnstones. A trickle of vis mig with six Swifts, c20 Swallows and seven Yellow Wagtails west. Reed Warbler showed well on the edge of the middle brook and a Stock Dove dropped into the grassland by the Obs Pool.

Butterflies noted were Green-veined White, Orange-tip, Speckled Wood and Holly Blue.

8th

Sunny periods, light southerly wind. Five Shelducks flew east and two Sandwich Terns flew east. Other birds included a single Curlew, a silent Garden Warbler along the east bank and a Jay.

Warm conditions encouraged a number of butterflies with our first Red Admiral, and Holly Blue, Speckled Wood and Orange-tip.

6th

Cloudy, mild, light southerly wind. There were five Great Crested Grebes offshore and nine Gannets flew east. Waders noted were two Oystercatchers, a Sanderling and a Curlew and ten Turnstones. A Red Kite, which flew west at 11.20 am, was only our second of the year. Other birds included c10 Common Terns offshore and our first Reed Warbler of the year singing unseen along the east bank.

Butterflies noted were our first Holly Blue of the year and Green-veined White.

5th

A Ringed Plover was on the beach, four Whimbrel flew west and two Swifts were seen.

4th

Sunny, warmer, with a light NE wind. One Fulmar and two Greylag Geese flew west, two Gannets flew east and a Grey Heron on the tidal ponds flew off south. Waders included two Oystercatchers on the beach and single Whimbrel, Curlew and Greenshank. A flock of 12 Little Gulls moving west but dropping frequently on the sea and one Sandwich Tern flew east.

A Small Tortoiseshell and Orange-tip were noted.

3rd

Sunny, cool with a moderate NE wind. One Great Crested Grebe offshore, two Fulmars and six Gannets east, two Mute Swans west close inshore and a Little Egret and a pair of Shelducks on the Marsh Pool. Waders included two Greenshanks on the tidal ponds, a Whimbrel on the beach by the Obs for as long as it took for the first dog walker to get to it, and single Dunlin and Common Sandpiper on the beach. Other birds noted included a Swift and a Sand Martin west and a Chaffinch singing in the churchyard.

2nd

A Green Sandpiper was on the Marsh Pool.

1st

Sunny and warmer with a light westerly wind. There were three Great Crested Grebes offshore, a Canada Goose flew west along the shoreline and a Grey Heron flew west inland. Waders included six Oystercatchers, two Grey Plovers flying west and three Whimbrel on the beach which flew west early morning. Five Sandwich Terns flew east and two Common Terns flew west. The highlights of the day were our first Cuckoo of the year, which flew west at 6.30 am, and our second, and second earliest ever Spotted Flycatcher along the east bank. Other birds noted included 25 Yellow Wagtails west, a Wheatear on the shingle ridge, three Lesser Whitethroats, a Jay and two male Greenfinches in the churchyard and along the east bank. Finally, two Buzzards flew west and our first brood of Mallard, c12 ducklings, were along the middle brook.

Peacock and Small White butterflies were also noted.