Thursday 5th July 2012

Serin still with us although with the absolutely superb botanical display on the reserve at the moment it's easy to loose it amongst the Lady's Bedstraw & Birds-foot Trefoil. Juv Turtle Dove was a bit of a surprise as it's obviously been reared not to far away. In the bushes not only are we still getting the odd new adult Blackcap (presumably failed breeders or very late spring migrants) but the odd juv is starting to appear having dispersed from elsewhere. A handful of waders going south despite the fog rolling in including 6 Dunlin, Curlew, Whimbrel & Redshank. Butterflies are still low in numbers with Meadow Browns only now creeping into double figures the last couple of days & the 1st Essex Skippers of the year today. Finally the first Harlequin ladybird of the year was in the moth traps (which have finally started to get a bit busier).