Curlew Sandpiper at Carlton Marshes

On Sunday 22nd July, a tweet from Andrew E had me driving down to Carlton Marshes and walking up to the scrape, Andrew, James B, Chris M were in attendance and a fine adult Curlew Sandpiper (just starting to moult out of full summer plumage) was reasonably close feeding away but often obscured. A Moorhen chased it off. A ruff was seen further away and later on a further 2 were seen. A cow wandering over caused the bird to fly together with a Dunlin and Redshank. They flew round in a circle and settled again on the scrape. However an unseen Sparrowhawk later flushed them off completely. At the back a Green Sandpiper sat down and then stood up. Lovely to see 2 adult and 2 almost full grown immature Avocets too. On th walk back with Rob W we saw a Stoat on the path just ahead of us and a Muntjac Deer crossed the path further along too.

Dragonflies & butterflies in the garden on World Cup final day

During half time during the 2018 Football World Cup final, one Brown Hawker was flying around the conservatory and I was able to gently guide it to the open door and it flew out totally unharmed. Up to 2 Brown Hawkers dragonflies were flying around and 2 seen briefly perched on the wooden pagoda. One quickly flew off but the other settled on the wall then an overhanging honeysuckle. At 7am, a Small Copper butterfly was seen above the wooden Pagoda in resting in the sunshine on vegetation, only the second record for the garden but at the first sign of my camera it flew off. At 7.05pm, a Hummingbird Hawk Moth was seen in flight around principally the Lavender bushes seen for around 3 minutes before it too disappeared my first for this year and personal first in the garden for 2 years although Jenny did see one last year in the garden.

No luck with the Lesser Emperor at Filby Broad X2

On Wednesday 4th July at Filby Broad a quick 30 minute visit failed to reveal the Elusive Lesser Emperor, Black- tailed Skimmer was all I saw. On Sunday 8th July, another visit to Filby Broad board walk revealed up to 6 Black- tailed Skimmers, a regular patrolling male Emperor Dragonfly, perhaps putting off a visit by the mega elusive Lesser Emperor which again failed to show in a 70 minute vigil between 12.30 and 1.40pm. A male Bullfinch calling showed briefly as he made his way through the hedge by the road.

Kefalonia Turtles, Birds & Insects 2018 (To be continued)

June 19 to 26 June 2018 trip to Kefalonia driving to Scala, a male Woodchat Shrike seen by the left roadside just before Scala, the only one seen on the whole trip. The night we arrived just outside the hotel was a bush cricket. Also the next night a cat caught a Great Green Bush cricket. That day we went to Argostoli, for Loggerhead Turtles.