Recent Sightings

August 2010

This month saw increasing evidence of passage movement, as many species began the long move south to their wintering grounds in warmer climes. This was particularly evident among the waders, with a wide range of species present during the month. On the Beach Reserve/Harbour Farm this included up to 380 Curlew, 150+ Dunlin and 60 Knot, with smaller numbers of Golden Plover and Grey Plover and the occasional Sanderling, while at Castle Water Lapwing made up the bulk, with up to 500 present. In addition, up to 14 Green Sandpiper, 12 Common Sandpiper and 7 Greenshank, were present with small numbers of Spotted Redshank and Wood Sandpiper and the occasional Ruff and Black-tailed Godwit.

Highlights were a possible White-rumped Sandpiper present briefly at Castle Water on the 29th, a first for the reserve if accepted, and a Stone-curlew on Harbour Farm on the 24th. As might be expected with all this movement, there was plenty of sea-bird interest during August, particularly in the latter half of the month. This included regular sightings of Black Tern, with 26 on the Beach Reserve on the 26th, up to 200 Sandwich Tern, 60 Common Tern and small numbers of Arctic Tern and Little Tern. This in turn attracted the attention of small numbers of Arctic Skua and a Great Skua late in the month. Raptors during August included regular Marsh Harrier and up to six Hobby (at castle Water on the 6th), while the highlight was an Osprey over the Beach Reserve on the 28th. Passerine movement during August included good numbers of Yellow Wagtail moving through (with 300 on the 24th), up to 14 Wheatear, small numbers of Whinchat and the occasional Redstart and Spotted Flycatcher, while hirundines included up to 200 Sand Martin, 70 Swallow and 40 House Martin. Of the resident species, Bearded Tit seems to have another good year, and up to 10 were recorded at Castle Water during August.

The run of migrant moths continued during August, with several interesting species turning up in the Lime Kiln moth trap. Best of these was a Vagrant Piercer (Cydia amplana, above) on the 22nd, a migrant micro which has only fairly recently been added to the British list and had not been recorded on the reserve before, while other notable migrants included a Vestal on the 24th, Marbled Yellow Pearl, and Humming-bird Hawk-moth. The best of the non-migrant species were Pigmy Footman, Rosy-striped Knot Horn and Oblique-striped. Among the other invertebrates the highlights were more records of the rare hoverfly Lejops vittata on Harbour Farm, and several Moss Carder Bee at Lime Kiln Cottage during the month. Plants in flower during August included Lesser Water-plantain, Purple Loosestrife, Tufted Vetch and Meadow Vetchling.