13th May–1200-1430 .  Walked westward to Uplees copse; warm with broken cloud and sunny intervals. Blustery conditions still deter insect life, although a Small Copper, bright male Common Blues, Small Heath and a large, high,fast flying, presumed Hairy Dragonfly were on the wing in sunny aspects. 3 Whimbrel and a Curlew moved off the saltings as the tide rose; a Hobby circled over the marsh; Swifts gyrated, and a Buzzard was circling, semi-lost in the clouds. The resident Cuckoo continues to call; Whitethroats continue to confirm their status for me, as the commonest of the migrant warblers, but significant was the `purring` from the Horse Chestnut of at least 3 Turtle Dove(s)—two flew rapidly exposing their prominent tail markings, and a third was seen separately. I suspected a fourth bird later. Cetti`s also continue to sing from this locale. Marsh Frogs were audible from distance with 18 congregated on the surface water at Dan`s Dock. A Greenshank in adult summer plumage continues to favour the SE shallows of the E flood.
Mike R

Oare Marshes: Common Blue (2); Marsh
Frog and Greenshank