WINDY FOR THE WHINCHAT

Walked along the Strood seawall in the mornings of both Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th. The resident family of mute swans with their three well grown cygnets were all busy preening in the nearby borrowdyke when I walked past.

Sunday was windier than the previous day and there wasn't as much of note during the walk. However there was a very mobile whinchat that hopped and flew along the seawall, perching on tops of plants as they swayed in the wind. Two greenshank were the only waders of note along the Strood as well as 2 little grebes in the channel.

On Saturday there were 6 greenshank, 200 golden plover, 70 grey plover, 20 dunlin amongst the regular waders. Thirteen little egrets were dotted along the channel and the Ray saltings.

In the fields there were flocks of 50 linnets and 20 corn buntings a well as a few greenfinches with reed bunting seen too. Hawking low over one of the grass fields were 100 swallows with one or two house martins and sand martins as well. Sparrowhawk was noted near the caravan site on Saturday while a yellow wagtail was seen along the seawall on Sunday.

Out of the wind and when the sun was able to shine, one or two butterflies were seen such as this tatty speckled wood, pictured above. Others seen were common blue, holly blue, red admiral, large white and small white. Dragonflies noted included the southern hawker, migrant hawker and the common darter, while a female wasp spider was found on her web amongst the long grass near the borrowdyke.