June 2008
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Monday 30th:
A single Comma was by the First Pond and good numbers of Small Skipper were on the wing.
Sunday 29th:
Giant Viper's-bugloss Echium pininana was discovered growing on Warren Point in Soft Sand Bay. The first record for the reserve for this alien species. Corncockle is still flowering near the Main Pond - although four of the flowers have been picked!
Giant Viper's-bugloss 29/06/08 Corncockle 29/06/08
Saturday 28th:
A Grey Seal was in the estuary.
Small Skipper 28/6/08 © Ivan Lakin
Thursday 26th:
The first Small Skipper of the year were on the wing.
Tuesday 24th:
Several Corncockle were found in flower near the Visitor Centre, the first reserve record. They are on an area of recently cleared bramble, origin unknown but possibly from the seedbank.
Corncockle 25/06/08 © John Fortey
Sunday 22nd:
Common Darter were emerging in numbers, the first records of the year.
Common Darter 22/6/08
Saturday 21st:
A Stoat was near the Tractor Compound and Marsh Helleborine was in flower in Greenland Lake.
Thursday 19th:
A probable Common Seal was in the estuary.
Sunday 15th:
A Fox cub was seen around the Entrance Bushes and Visitor Centre mid morning. Several Wasp Beetle Clytus arietis were seen nectaring on water dropwort in the Butterfly ride.
Wasp Beetle Clytus arietis 08/06/08
Tuesday 10th:
Three Black-tailed Skimmer were on the wing. Also on the reserve today at least one Hairy Dragonfly and a Green Hairstreak.
Sunday 8th:
The highlight was the first Emperor Moth for the reserve was found near the First Pond. Five species of dragonfly were on the wing including a Hairy Dragonfly ovipositing at the First Pond and the first Black-tailed Skimmer of the year. Eleven species of butterfly were also on the wing including Green Hairstreak, Holly Blue and Brown Argus. Mottled Grasshopper was the first orthopteran of the year to be heard calling.
Black-tailed Skimmer (female) 08/06/08 © Lee Summersby Emperor Moth 08/06/08 © Lee Summersby
Friday 6th:
A Hairy Dragonfly was at the First Pond with another Diamondback Moth reported.
Thursday 5th:
Two Emperor dragonfly were at the Main Pond.
Wednesday 4th:
Three Sand Lizard were seen along the Dune Ridge.
Tuesday 3rd:
At least one Green Hairstreak remains around Dead Dolphin Wood.
Sunday 1st:
The first Large Skipper of the year was on the wing.
May 2008
Saturday 31st:
Today saw a large emergence of hundreds of young Toad from the Main Pond. The first Red Admiral for several weeks, a presumed migrant, was in the Back Meadow.
Toad 31/05/08 © Pearl Summersby
Friday 30th:
Two migrant Diamondback Moth were recorded.
Thursday 29th:
A Grey Seal was in the mouth of the estuary.
Wednesday 28th:
A Fox around The Bight, caused consternation to the roosting waders.
Sunday 25th:
The warm weather produced a total of 11 species of butterfly on the wing around the reserve, the highlight being an exceptionally early Meadow Brown. Odonata were also well represented with five species including Four-spotted Chaser and Hairy Dragonfly, both in Dead Dolphin Wood. A single Hornet was also a good site record.
Wednesday 21st:
Six Brown Argus and three Green Hairstreak were on the wing.
Tuesday 20th:
Four Green Hairstreak were holding territory in Dead Dolphin Wood and the first Brown Argus of the year was on the wing. A Four-spotted Chaser at the First Pond was the first record on the reserve for over 10 years, also there an ovipositing Hairy Dragonfly.
Monday 19th:
The presence of two or three Green Hairstreak in Dead Dolphin Wood suggest this species is indeed resident.
Green Hairstreak 19/05/08 © John Fortey
Sunday 18th:
A Green Hairstreak in Dead Dolphin Wood was the first of the year of this scarce visitor (or very elusive resident).
Green Hairstreak 18/05/08 © John Fortey
Saturday 17th:
The buck Roe Deer was seen well in the Entrance Bushes and the first Cream-spot Tiger moth of the year was on the wing.
Roe Deer 17/05/08 © Simon Thurgood
Thursday 15th:
The buck Roe Deer was again by the Main Pond.
Tuesday 13th:
The first two Hairy Dragonfly and Large Red Damselfly of the year were around the Main Pond along with a few Blue-tailed and many Azure Damselfly.
Sunday 11th:
The first Common Blue butterfly of the year was on the wing and the warm weather triggered a large emergence of Azure Damselfly.
Common Blue 11/05/08 © Simon Thurgood
Saturday 10th:
The first Azure Damselfly of the year was on the wing. The Green-winged Orchid has reappeared near the Tractor Compound, having not flowered last year.
Friday 9th:
A buck Roe Deer in the Buffer Zone was a rare visitor to the reserve and a Slow worm on the Golf Course was only the second recent reserve record.
Saturday 3rd:
The first Blue-tailed Damselfly of the year was on the wing.
Thursday 1st:
The first Holly Blue of the year was on the wing and Small Adders-tongue is out in Greenland Lake.
Holly Blue
© John Fortey
Small Adder's-tongue © John Fortey
April 2008
Wednesday 30th:
A large bull Grey Seal showed well off the seawall.
Sunday 27th:
The first Wall of the year was along the Dune Ridge, where there were at least three Sand Lizard. The first Cinnabar Moth of the year was by the Visitor centre.
Tuesday 22nd:
A Red Admiral came in off the sea early evening.
Sunday 20th:
The Grey Seal was in front of the hide and butterflies recorded included the first two Green-veined White of the year, five Orange Tip, four Speckled Wood and three Peacock.
Wednesday 16th:
The first four Sand Lizard of the year were seen towards Warren Point.
Tuesday 15th:
In the warm conditions several butterflies were out including Orange Tip, Peacock, Speckled Wood and Small Copper.
Orange Tip 15/04/08 © Simon Thurgood Speckled Wood 15/04/08 © Simon Thurgood
Saturday 5th:
The first Orange Tip of the year was on the wing and Adder's-Tongue Fern were out in Greenland Lake.
Adder's-tongue 05/04/08
Thursday 3rd:
A Large Tortoiseshell was seen well basking in Greenland Lake near the Dune Pond. It flew off strongly over the Golf Course. This is only the second record for the reserve following the first record in July last year.
Tuesday 1st:
Large numbers of Warren Crocus are now in flower in the sunny weather. This also brought out the first Green-veined White of the year along with several Peacock and Speckled Wood.
Warren Crocus