Thick-thighed Flower Beetle........who could ask for more?

West to WNW fresh wind. Overcast all day with a few showers.

Mainly stuff from my check of the south shore (MD)

I had a quick visit at high water to see if there was anything roosting on the mud, there wasn't. 

Just Red Nab to Saltmarsh checked.

No Mediterranean gulls seen on Red Nab

Rock Pipit 1 on Red Nab plus 1 on foreshore (also 1 on Near Naze, checked on way home)

Linnet 2 on saltmarsh 

Little Egret 7 - 1 on Red Nab plus 6 on saltmarsh 

These are five of the saltmarsh birds, the clip begins with a Curlew and a Redshank 

I returned 3 hours after high water to watch the beach near the wooden jetty become exposed.

Shag 1 resting on the wooden jetty

Mediterranean gulls 11 minimum  (3 adult plus 4 juvenile near jetty  - Pete also saw 7 adult or 3cy roosting on Red Nab).

It started off looking promising as the three adult and two juvenile were already waiting on the water before the beach was exposed, unfortunately only joined by two more juvenile when they started "feeding" (inverted commas as I didn't see them catch any Sandmason worms)

Adult  Mediterranean gulls waiting for the beach near jetty to become exposed
They are loosing their black heads now making individuals easier to recognise

Juvenile Mediterranean gulls 

Two adult and a juvenile Mediterranean gull 
The adult on the right has already lost its black head and has a very pale mask

This is one of the juvenile trying to catch Sandmason worms, yow can see the end of their tubes poking out from the mud.

This is the history of the German ringed bird seen last week

It was surprisingly cool, I was wearing my winter coat! Even so, there was some butterfly activity in the Nature Park.

Meadow Brown 4

Gatekeeper 2

Small White 2

Large Skipper 1

Common Blue 2

It's unusual to see two butterfly species so close together, but it was not coincidental.
The Skipper had followed it here and had chased off another male Common Blue.
Perhaps they are old friends! The Blue has certainly been around a while.

In this clip you can actually see the white wing border coming away from the very worn Common Blue.

In contrast, the other male was very fresh

A very fresh looking male Common Blue

But today's star is behind the butterfly, the green beetle. Unfortunately, my image isn't really good enough for Alison to confidently identify, but she suspects it's  a Thick-thighed Flower Beetle Odemera nobilis. Much too good a name not to use! If you wonder why they are called this check google images!