Wildfire

A trip to Southwold has turned out well in some respects with both the Hudsonian Godwit and the Black-winged Kite successfully twitched, the down side was a terrible wildfire at Dunwich Heath which has caused some serious environmental damage here. 

It seemed to have started about 1530hrs on the 29th, we saw the smoke billowing up while playing cricket on Southwold Common, and apparently the fire service were on scene by 1730hrs. It was still burning fiercely on Thursday morning and doesn't look to be dying down any time soon. A disaster for insects and reptiles but let's hope the birds have managed to avoid the worst with most fledglings on the wing by now. Grim.

The fire viewed from Castle Keep at Southwold:

Mullet & Moths & more

Not much birding to be done or anything really going on but mothing has been OK and it was good to see Thin-lipped Mullet back at the sluice at the North Wall. Pagham Harbour.

Thin-lipped Mullet, you can just about see the diagnostic dark spot above the pectoral fin:

Red-crested Pochard on New Lake while watching Norfolk Hawkers & Lesser Emperors:

Painted Lady, shame about the twine!:

Moth-wise we have had Dewick's Plusia, Light Crimson Underwing, Straw Dot & Rusty Dot Pearl amongst others...I did, however, fail to find a Starry Pearl on Viper's Bugloss at Pagham Spit, surely there somewhere though! Purple Hairstreaks still on the east side oaks and a Yellow-legged Gull, sub-adult type, out on the mud on the rising tide.

Ebernoe

A morning out at Ebernoe found 41 bird sp., best being breeding Tree-creepers, Nightingales and two Hawfinch. I couldn't find any Purple Emperors but there were zillions of Purple Hairstreaks, Gatekeppers, Marbled Whites and Small Skippers plus a singles of Small Copper and Painted Lady. The Red Sussex cattle are also excellent company following around the meadow in leisurely fashion. Very nice.

Silver-washed Fritillary:

 

Painted Lady:

Small Copper:

Small Skipper:

Marbled White, striking a rather odd pose:

Red Sussex bull, a youngster & very friendly, I love cattle!

In the moth trap we had a Dewick's Plusia but I only managed one rushed picture, a good one for us though: