Thursday, 3 April 2025

Sun brings out the butterflies

Another warm sunny day with a fresher NE to E breeze.

South shore (Malcolm)
A walk from saltmarsh to harbour at mid morning low water.

This Wren was singing its heart out on the saltmarsh 

Wheatear 1 male on the foreshore 
Wheatear

Rock Pipit at least 3. 1 displaying on Red Nab, 1 near No.1 outfall, 1 above the nest site at the lighthouse, joined by another later, but it could have been the one from No.1 outfall.
Rock Pipit above the lighthouse nest site

Meadow Pipit 1 grounded on saltmarsh plus 59 over to the north between 09:45 and 11:00.

Meadow Pipit

Lesser Redpoll 2 north
Several other small passage birds not heard/identified (not wagtails)
White Wagtail at least 2 grounded.
White Wagtail on Red Nab

It seemed to be finding plenty of flies on the quickly recovering gutweed.

When I reached the lighthouse there was one feeding there too. Not impossible it being the same bird, but on the way back along the wall there was another feeding, so at least 2 present.
White Wagtail near the lighthouse 

Male Greenfinch in the copse behind Red Nab

Swallow 2 
Swallows zipping past the rounhead

Carrion Crow 3 individuals flying north, looked like movement.
Carrion Crow, a bit more sedately past the roundhead.
It continued north till lost from view.

Shelduck 2
Eider 1 male out from the harbour mouth
Bar-Tailed Godwit 3 on waterline near the wooden jetty
Turnstone 135 in one flock
Turnstone 

Middleton Nature Reserve (Janet)
Gadwall coming in to land on the "no swimming" pond

You can never tell at this time of year if the Coot are angry or amorous!


Curlew on the main pond, a slightly unusual visitor 

Female Speckled Wood - first of the year

Male Orange Tip - first of the year

Peacock

Small Tortoiseshell 

Janet called this a May Flower, and it is what I have always known them as,
but apparently it is quite a colloquial name and is more widely known as Lady's 
Smock or Cuckoo Flower. Either way, quite early.



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