Skippers (Mike Roser)

Burnet, immature male Ruddy Darter, male Black-tailed Skimmer (Mike Roser)

0730—1200 Another `tropical` morning; a veil of high, hazy cloud and a warm E breeze which freshened as the tide turned. The Spoonbill was busy sweeping and preening early on, but took sanctuary and rested later among the circa 500  Black-tailed Godwits, and Cormorants . A range of duck sps are hurrying to eclipse on the E flood including a score of Gadwall and several Shovelers. They were dislodged from their prime roosting position by the fifty head of cattle that ranged through the water at 0745 and made the SE island their own. `Great news` for the Avocets  and other waders just as the water levels were dropping!! In spite of mid-summer day`s eve. there was plenty of bird song with Cettis, Whitetroats and Linnets to the fore. Two Yellow Wagtails briefly paused on the wires; a few Swifts sourced insects and locally bred Swallows zipped about. Two Turtle Doves were mobile in the scrub with `purring` a continuous background song. Black-tailed Skimmers were in numbers; immature Ruddy Darters a feature, and skippers a defining headache—Large; Little and—–Essex, not sure ! Antennae tips: orange plays black; scent bands long or short ,or none at all—help !!
Mike Roser