Golden Hour

Dave and I arrived at the pond at 7:20am just as the rain cleared bringing down birds that needed to rest or were re-orienteering themselves as they continued on their migration. The first surprise was a Woodcock that flew over farborough bank and headed north.followed by 4 juvenile Shelduck arriving from the south but after checking out toft bay they carried on east closely followed by more arrivals in the shape of a Green Sandpiper, 2 Ringed Plover and Wheatear. Meanwhile Buzzard, Common Sandpiper, 100+ Swift and 4 Common Tern noted. The final ‘goodie’ was a Little Egret over rainbow corner. Good to see the fearsome threesome just starting out on their walk so I hope they saw as much as we did.

Buoyed up by our ‘fall’ we had breakfast at the Long Itch Diner where Vapourer Moth and Southern Hawker were buzzing around before checking out Butt Hill which had at least 10 Spotted Flycatcher , 2 Green Woodpecker, 4 juvenile Treecreeper, Willow Warbler and Coal Tit.

By this time it was mid-day and having been out mothing as part of the National Moth Night scheme the previous two nights I was suffering from fatigue so headed for bed.

I managed a couple of hours before being dragged kicking and screaming to see the long staying 2^nd summer Night Heron at Thornton Reservoir.

No doubt you have noticed the influx of butterflies attracted to buddleia or lavender so last Wednesday I checked out my estates front gardens and counted 227 Large White, 12 Small White, 5 Green-veined White, 5 Comma, 87 Peacock and the odd Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell and Meadow Brown. Also seen were 6 Silver Y, 3 Vapourer and a Dusky Sallow.