SKIPPERS BY THE STROOD

Plenty of warmth and sunshine on Monday 30th for a walk along the Strood seawall. Amongst the various butterflies were a couple of large skippers - one pictured above. Lots of meadow browns and small heaths amongst the grass too with small white and large white seen as well.

Enjoying the sunshine in a nearby set-aside field were lots of ruddy darters, resting on the tops of some of the tall plants. Along the borrowdyke were the usual dragonflies with emperors, black-tailed skimmers, azure damselflies and blue-tailed damselflies all on show.

The most notable bird was seen at the start of the walk, a male marsh harrier slowly hunting along the various ditches and dykes inside the seawall. The bird slowly quartered the long grass field too, before heading back over the wheat fields towards the Strood Hill. A second bird was seen in the distance flying low over the Feldy fields on the mainland.

The tide was out along the Strood Channel so lots of mud on show. Scanned the full length of the mud looking for waders and found a greenshank, spotted redshank, 90 redshank, 10 curlew, 4 oystercatchers and 5 lapwing. Amongst the various gulls was one little egret feeding in the channel.

Of interest inside the seawall were 4 singing corn buntings and 3 singing reed buntings, with about 3 reed warblers joining in too. A male yellow wagtail gave out a sort of song from a tall clump of wheat, and also noted were a pair of turtle doves flying off the Island and beyond Ray Island. A sedge warbler was seen also and 50 house sparrows appeared to be feeding on some of the ripening wheat at the south-western end of seawall.

Dittander is a typical coastal plant in flower at the moment, especially along the foot of the Strood seawall. Many areas of the saltmarshes are turning pale purple with the sea lavender coming into flower.