5/6 Had a good walk round the Drewton Estate on Wednesday afternoon. The plan had been to look for butterflies and moths but the low cloud that plagued the east coast recently hadn’t burnt off so ended up seeing, apart from the ever present Nettle-taps, one moth but this was a new one for me, a Cork Moth. A really nice looking micro.

Cork Moth-Drewton Estate

View from Drewton Estate.

Black Swan-Drewton Manor
6/6 Went to look for Dragonflies at Fountain Farm, Watton with Roy and Martin L on Thursday afternoon. Only managed 6 Azure Damselflies but a few other interesting insects.

Alder Fly-Watton

Nettle Weevils-Watton
With the Great White Egret reported again this afternoon at Tophill Low NR went to get a site tick for Martin after adding it to his Yorkshire List on Tuesday.

Sand Martin-Tophill Low NR
Had been seen recently at Struncheon Hill Pond but no sign of it there late afternoon. Split up and Roy and Martin checked the ditches around Hempholme Meadow whilst I checked the area west of Barmston Drain. Shortly got a call from Martin that Roy had seen it dropped onto Hempholme Meadow. We then viewed it from Barmston Drain bank for a few minute before it took off and flew strongly east.

Great White Egret-Hempholme Meadow
Did return as Lee Johnson had it in the evening from North Marsh. This is the 3rd record for the site [check here]. All seen by Roy and I. More here.

Great White Egret-Tophill Low NR-June 1997-1st record.
Ring-necked Duck had been reported again for the last two days but no sign for us early evening or other regulars earlier.
7/6 The Great White Egret was again at the north end of Tophill Low NR on Friday. Went to High Eske late afternoon. The Oystercatcher still had one very large chick but the Common Terns had abandoned their nest but were still present so could sit again.

Common Tern-High Eske NR

Chimney Sweeper-Pulfin NR

Azure Damselfly-High Eske NR

Blue-tailed Damselfly-High Eske NR
Had a few Lapwing chicks on Leven Carrs. Good numbers of odonata along Leven Canal earlier but too cold later but I had a few damselflies behind High Eske pit. 3 Ringed Plover were on the temporary Islands when I returned to the NR.
8/6 Went to Swinemoor with Roy and Martin L on Saturday afternoon. I picked out the now tatty drake Garganey. Also 2 Ringed Plover and 4 Little Ringed Plover. Had a look at Bewholme Hall then check the sea between Atwick and Barmston. Had a few Puffin, a Manx Shearwater off Ulrome and a female Eider off Barmston.
9/6 Went to Tophill Low NR with Roy on Sunday morning. Jeff Barker had the Great White Egret on Hempholme Meadow early morning but no further sign although we had it’s smaller cousin flying north from North Marsh, causing some confusion at Hempholme Meadow. We went to Kiplingcotes with John this afternoon. Hoped for the recently seen Turtle Doves but missed out along with several others. Although not exactly warm it was brighter than at Tophill Low NR and we managed a good list of insects. In some way the less perfect weather can help with butterflies and moths as although harder to find are less mobile when located which helped with Dingy Skipper which can be difficult to photograph.

Cocksfoot Moth-Hudson Way
Cinnabar Moth-Kiplingcotes Chalk pit

Dingy Skipper-Kiplingcotes Chalk Pit

Green-legged Sawfly

Common Blue Butterfly-Kiplingcotes Chalk Pit

Small Heath-Hudson Way
Speckled Wood-Hudson Way

Tenthredo livida

Nettle-tap-Hudson Way

For more from Kiplingcotes check here
10/6 Monday afternoon checked out a site at North Newbald. Looked good for Banded Demoiselle but too cold today. Had my first orchids of the year.

Southern Marsh Orchid-N.Newbald