13th August

Managed a few hrs today, started at ARC with 3 greenshank, 4 little egret, 2 common sandpipers, 2 ringed plover, 1 redshank, 6 blacktail godwits didn't last long though, Lucy and the crew turned up to give the landscape in front of the screen a much needed haircut. Over to main reserve where I sat in Firth hide for a while watching 2 wood sandpipers keep their distance so that I couldn't get a good shot of them! another redshank noted, the 6 blackwits settled there from ARC as well. Ringed plover, juv pied wagtails, linnets and oystercatcher and a female Garganey also in view. 2 Black neck grebes still hanging around, a little gull and 2 Egyptian geese also dropped in. A splendid summer plumage grey plover was also in front of Makepeace.
Just watching my garden while typing this up just as a sparrowhawk slammed into a bush and grabbed a house sparrow! Finally saw the green woodpecker which has been very vocal over the last few days fly over.

Egyptian Goose

Little Egret

Redshank

Wood Sandpiper with 2 Blacktailed Godwits

Wood Sandpiper

Greenshank

6th August

Managed a trip down to Dungy today. The first thing I noticed was the abundance of butterflies today, inc red admiral, peacock, small copper, small heath, gatekeeper, speckled wood, brown argus just to name a few. 2 black necked grebes were showing well in front of Dennis's hide, and from there I drove up to the viewing ramp but very quiet except for a few bearded tits pinging in the reeds but keeping out of sight, 1 juvenile marsh harrier quartering at a distant and not much else really. Moved on to Denge hide where the juv harrier was a bit closer getting mobbed by common terns. Still a few juv terns around, nice to see that they have been more successful this year in raising many young on the rafts. The great white egret was visible from the track just before the hide and as I came out of the hide a bittern flew straight towards and then over me from Christmas dell area. Back to the visitor centre to try and find the swallowtail butterfly that was first seen by Dennis's hide about 5 mins after I left there earlier!!!!! Typical!! but to no avail.
Sitting back at home I noticed a young song thrush in the garden, and managed a quick shot of it.

Brown Argus

Gatekeeper

Juvenile Common Tern



Peacock

Juvenile Song Thrush