Tuesday 1st
At Tophill Low today Little Grebe with young on North Marsh and a Hobby with prey over the site. Quite a good day for Dragonflies today
with Broad-bodied Chaser and Emerald Damselflies at Kingsmill Driffield and at Barmston, Emperor Dragonfly , 4 Spot Chaser and 2 Common Darter.
Friday 4th
Generally pretty quiet throughout the area at the moment but a Little Gull was on
South Marsh East at Tophill Low along with 9 flying juvenile Common Terns .
Of interest at the beginning of the month a count of 111 Pipistrelle Bats was made emerging for the evening
from one site at Tophill Low.
Saturday 5th
An overnight moth trapping session at Tophill Low provided a good number of interesting species including thes 2 Poplar Hawk-moths. Fingers by kind permission of Richard Sears
Also at Tophill today Green Sandpiper on South Marsh East where a flock of 48 Little Gulls spent
a few minutes sheltering from a squall. A Turtle Dove was also observed here today.
Sunday 6th
At Tophill today Spotted Flycatcher and a count of about 100 Little Gulls flying over South Scrub. Little
Gulls have also been in evidence at the coast with 200 logged at Atwick-Ulrome, where a Manx Shearwater
was seen . A Green sandpiper was on Watton Nature Reserve today and a Common Sandpiper at Hornsea Mere.
Monday 7th
A Ruff was observed on the South Marsh at Tophill Low and 350 Sand Martins over one of the reservoirs.
Common Sandpiper was also seen on the reserve.
Wednesday 9th
Reverse wader migration seems to be under way now with Green Sandpipers appearing throughout
our area, one was at Heron Lakes today and a Wood Sandpiper was seen at Swinemoor Beverley.
Thursday 10th
At Tophill Low an Osprey was seen passing over South Marsh East and Buzzard was seen in the area.
Saturday 12th
Crossbills were seen in the car park area of Tophill Low and a Little Egret was noted at the entrance
to Watton Nature Reserve. Of interest to some was the discovery by Doug Fairweather
of a Blackneck Moth at the North end of Tophill Low believed to be the first record for the reserve.
Only one record was unearthed for the species in 2007 in the area so it seems to be a rare sighting for us.
Blackneck moth at Tophill Low 12th July 2008 photo by M Hodges
On the Dragonfly front an e-mail sent by Martin Hodges pointed out that as Broad-bodied Chasers have increased in the area over the last few years so has the number of Black-tailed Skimmers and it may be
worthwhile double checking any observations to ensure a clearer picture of the colonisation of these 2
species. He also noted that as Southern Hawkers have become established in our area and many more could be recorded if looked for.
Sunday 13th
An interesting day today with a report of a possible Canvasback from Hornsea Mere. The bird was seen by a very experienced birdwatcher but searches by the observer and others failed to re-locate the bird
and it seems as though it will remain as unconfirmed. Records from Paul Holme Strays today include
3 Little egret, Greenshank and a Black-tailed Godwit. Meadow Brown and Small Heath were also seen.
A Cuckoo was seen flying over North Scrub at Tophill Low
Monday 14th
A report of an unringed White Stork from the Wansford Area today, could be the Tophill bird still
in the area. Also reported 8 Greenshank from Swinemoor.
Wednesday 16th
A nice arrival at South Marsh West, Tophill Low this afternoon c56 Black-tailed Godwits. At Swinemoor
Wood Sandpiper, 7 Green Sandpipers. High Esk held a couple of Green Sandpipers, 1 Common Sandpiper
LRPs, Goldeneye and the colour ringed Greylag Goose. An evening seawatch at Atwick provided Little Gull, Common, Sandwich and Arctic Terns, Bar-tailed Godwit and Whimbrel.
Friday 18th
A Hobby was reported from South Marsh East at Tophill Low.
Saturday 19th
2 Common Sandpipers were on the 'O' Res wall at Tophill
Sunday 20th
The reduction in water levels on the South Marsh at Tophill has resulted in more wader sightings.
Today the marsh held Greenshank, Dunlin, Ruff and Redshank. Please try to help with wader records to
help with the management plan for Tophill see homepage for link.
Also in the area today a Hobby was seen at Watton Nature Reserve. A Crossbill was still at Tophill where
2 Adult Little Gulls were present on South Marsh East.
Monday 21st
Common Darters have started to emerge at Kingsmill Driffield, where amongst Emerald Damselflies a
Emperor Dragonfly was seen today. At High Esk a Sanderling was present. Sightings from Paul Holme Strays today included c300 Black-tailed Godwits, Yellow-legged Gull and Mediterranean Gull.
Tuesday 22nd
At Tophill Low today Black-tailed Godwit and Dunlin were on South Marsh today with 3 Common Tern
chicks and 2 Adults. A few more butterflies have been showing over the last few days Ringlets and Meadow
Browns the most numerous. It was also good to see some Marbled Whites at the north end today. On the
Dragonfly front Ruddy Darters, 4 spot chasers, Emerald Damselflies and Brown Hawkers were in evidence.
Sightings from Brough Airfield Marsh tonight included 2 Grasshopper Warblers and a Marbled White
Butterfly.
Grasshopper Warbler at Brough Airfield Marsh photo by E Hediger
Wednesday 23rd
Whilst some management work was taking place on Watton Nature Reserve a good opportunity arose
to do count some Dragonflies this included a remarkable count of 18 Black-tailed Skimmers which shows
how they are spreading into the area. Also seen Common and Ruddy Darters, 4-spot Chasers and an
Emperor Dragonfly.
Black-tailed Skimmer and Emperor Dragonfly Watton Nature Reserve 23rd July 2008
Also Seen today at Tophill Low, Comma and Marbled White Butterflies and this Toad photographed by
Michael Flowers.
Thursday 24th
A Bittern was reported today at Tophill Low East Pond
Friday 25th
Sightings for today. At Hornsea Mere Common Scoter, Green Sandpiper, 14 Common Sandpipers and
c70 Little Gulls. Atwick provided Common Scoters, Pomarine Skua, Arctic Skua, Juv Sandwich Tern and
2 Sanderling. Sightings from Swinemoor included Redshank, Ruff, Golden Plover and 5 Snipe.
The Hornsea Mere Canvasback saga has now concluded. A report of a possible eclipse drake earlier this month caused a bit of a stir but no further sightings were made. However further observation at the mere
has provided sightings of 2 female Canvasback-Pochard Hybrids it is now considered that the original report of an eclipse drake was probably a hybrid, the matter rests here. Photos of the original bird and
the later hybrid have been kindly supplied by Brett Richards.
original bird hybrid
Saturday 26th
A great sighting today at Tophill Low was that of a female Lesser Spottted Woodpecker. It was seen
feeding in Willows near to the South Marsh hides.
Sunday 27th
7 Common Sandpipers were on South Marsh West at Tophill Low
Monday 28th
Sightings from High Esk today include a Little Egret and 6 Little Gulls
Wednesday 30th
A rare sighting at High Esk Nature Reserve today of a Pied Flycatcher probably the first in about 20 years
this fine photograph of the bird was taken by David Hobson.
Other sightings today include Arctic, Common and Sandwich Terns, 21 Common Scoter at Atwick. Little Gulls and Common Terns at Hornsea Mere. 16 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Ruff, Green Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover and 100 Golden Plover at Swinemoor.
Thursday 31st
At Tophill Low today, Green Sandpiper and Black-tailed Godwit on South Marsh East at Tophill Low
and a Crossbill was heard in the area. At Watton Nature Reserve 2 Turtle Doves and a Green Sandpiper
were noted.
