Black Hole Marsh looks EPIC at the moment. There's lots of mud and it absolutely stinks, which means there's lots of lovely flies and bugs for wading birds to eat. This afternoon Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank and Common Sands were spread about all over it - as were Green Sandpipers, 13 of them (with a 14th on Colyford Marsh). Highlights were a stunning juv Ruff, and this juv Little Ringed Plover...
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| It's been here several days now |
Two Med Gulls included an adult and the usual juv...
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| Starting to moult into first winter plumage |
Yesterday morning the wading bird situation was pretty similar, just with the addition of a Turnstone which flew around calling for a few minutes as I was leaving. There were also three Teal (come on Garganey!).
Before yesterday's visit to Black Hole Marsh I had a 45 minute sea watch. I would have stayed longer but I just couldn't get out of the wind! Numbers were represented by Gannets (lots, with birds going both ways) and Common Scoter - 17 of them. There were a few notable singletons too, with a Balearic Shearwater west, a Bonxie east (my first Skua of the autumn) and a Turnstone that flew out from the Estuary.
It's not been hard to notice the excellent numbers of butterflies flying since the suns reappearance, I thought I'd photograph a few of them too...
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| Peacock |
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| Painted Lady - such a stunning underwing |
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| Gatekeeper |
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| The underwing of a Comma - and that's why they're called Comma's! |
It's a perfect place for such a beautiful pictures.. Nice to see this.
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