West End:- Amongst a group of 6 normally-plumaged Swallows was a leucistic Swallow which had all-white wings and body to top side and only had the usual black plumage markings around its head and underside. Also 10 Mandarin Duck one with a late breeding young chick out on the water.
15 Lapwing, 1 House Martin, 4 Common Terns, 30 Black-headed Gull, 44 Great Crested Grebe plus 2 young, 2 Little Egret. Tapping noises heard at one of the nest boxes confirmed a Stock Dove chick.
Whillet’s:- A work party Grass Snake survey recorded a good count of 11. A Butterfly transect survey included a fresh Small Tortoiseshell; our first of the early Autumn since seeing adults and caterpillars back in late spring. A butterfly count gave good numbers of both Gatekeepers and Common Blues. Plus a couple of meadow moths – Blood Vein and Shaded Broad-bar; also some Cinnabar moth caterpillars.
Reed Warbler singing and some late-flowering Orange Foxtail grass at the Reed bed.
