Local Patching Update,Saturday 3rd and Sunday 11th June 2023.

A couple of visits to the local patch at East Halton covered here,saw a fairly quiet period for bird sightings as is par for the course locally as we head into June,but some nice insects kept things ticking over.

The following is what i recorded over the two visits:

Saturday 3rd 

Winter's was a little more active with birds on today's visit,with a flock of Greylag Geese now taking up their summer residence here,with only a low count of 68 birds,but it was more than on my last visit.

Other birds on the main lake included 5 Gadwall and a drake Tufted Duck.

2 singing male Cetti's Warbler were still blasting out their songs,so hopefully we will see some young fledging again this year.

The best sighting here though went to 4 Broad-bodied Chaser's giving some superb views along the main track down to the Humber,photos of these crackers can be seen here @ https://LincolnshireOdes.blogspot.com 

A look over the Humber was again a waste of time as on my last visit,so i headed for the marshes.

The pools are beginning to dry up a little now,but there were still 3 Greenshank present along with a flock of 222 Icelandic Black-tailed Godwit,a single Little-ringed Plover,2 drake and a female Teal,3 pairs of Avocet and 3 pairs of Redshank still.

A look at the Skitter saw very little of note to report.

Interesting insects seen on the visit today,saw a new species of Hoverfly being found for the patch Pipizella viduata/virens,it was found nectaring on Cow Parsley at Winter's Pond.

And a new species of Ichneumon Wasp along the same area as the Hover,was a very smart White-striped Darwin Wasp.This species is a parasite on various Noctuid Moth species.

Sunday 11th 

Winter's was a little more productive today,for not only birds,but Odonata as well as on my last visit.

The Greylag flock had built up to 165 birds on today's visit along with a pair with 4 Goslings on the main lake.

Four Mute Swans here,was the most for a while,the resident male still chasing all comers away from his territory.

The best passerine sighting went to 3 fledged juvenile Lesser Whitethroats giving some great views as they chased each other along the track down to the Humber.

Odonata were the stars here again,particularly on the rear pond with 3 Emperors(2m,1f),6 Four-spot Chasers,3 Black-tailed Skimmer,a female Hairy Dragonfly and literally hundreds of Common-blue Damselfly.

A walk along the marshes,saw all the pools almost bone dry now,but on the small area of water on the northern most pool,there was still a pair of Teal,120 Black-tailed Godwit and a Little-ringed Plover with the 3 pairs of Redshank still present and still chasing predatory species away.It really would be fantastic if all three pairs bred successfully.

A good count of 23 Small Heath along the marshes was an encouraging count after the really poor year for butterflies so far.

I also saw my first Meadow Brown and Silver Y Moth of the year along here also,with other Moths including Yellow Shell and Silver-ground Carpet.

The only surprise at the Skitter was a singing male Cetti's Warbler along the beck.

A couple of quiet visits bird wise,hopefully i can find some rare insects to bridge the gap until autumn migration begins.

Hoverfly - Eristalis arbustorum,East Halton Skitter.

Hoverfly - Myathropa florea,East Halton Skitter.

Male Wasp Beetle,East Halton Skitter.

Sicus ferrugineous,East Halton Skitter.

Yellow Shell,East Halton Marshes.

Blister Beetle Sp. - Oedemera nobilis.

Broad Centurion,East Halton Marshes.

Goat's Beard,East Halton Skitter.

Ox-eye Daisy,East Halton Skitter.

Dog Rose,East Halton Skitter.

Juvenile Carrion Crow,East Halton Skitter.

Skitter Road,East Halton.

White-striped Darwin Wasp,Winter's Pond.

East Halton Marshes.

Hoverfly Sp. - Pipizella viduata/virens,Winter's Pond.

Red-tipped Malachite Beetle,Winter's Pond.

The Coastguard Carrying Out A Search Over The Humber.