We could have done with a few more ‘eyes’ this month, as the birds, flowers and the grasses were abundant – Jill has done a magnificent job in identifying the latter. There were plenty of birds present but with lush foliage they were heard more than seen; although after hearing a Cuckoo we did get a good sighting of it perched high on a dead tree branch and then it flew off and disappeared. The exposed mud was perfect for feeding waders but none were present.

The bees continue to fly in and out of their nest in one of the poplar trees near the railway line but other insects were scarce, including butterflies although there were many Orange Tip Butterflies in the grass on the western side of the marina and here too were a pair of Linnets that appeared to be nesting. There was nothing on the lake at Creeksea.

In the reed beds we heard Reed Warblers singing from different areas of the reed beds and sighted one, not singing and a distance away from the others, that flitted amongst the reeds, and we concluded that there are possibly two nesting pairs.

The next ‘Our Patch’ outing will be on Saturday June 25th meeting in the marina car park at 10.00

Birds: (numbers in brackets indicate the highest number seen in one sighting) Robin 1, Wren 1, Chaffinch 4(1), Goldfinch 1, Blue Tit 2(2), Great Tit 1, Long-tailed Tits 20 (20), Linnet 2 (2), Chiffchaff 1, Blackbird 3 (1), Whitethroat 1, Starling 12 (7), Swallow 7 (3), Cuckoo 2 (1), Jackdaw 2 (1), Reed Warbler 3 (1), Pied Wagtail 4 (2), Yellow Wagtail 2 (2), Skylark 5 (2), Wood Pigeon 16 (3), Magpie 7 (5), Black-headed Gull 6 (2).

Flowers: Dandelion, Common Vetch, Dove’s-foot Cranesbill, Buttercup & Creeping Buttercup, Hawthorn, Red Clover, White Clover, Cow Parsley, Prickly Sowthistle, Smooth Sowthistle, Daisy, Goat’s-beard, Cleavers, Stinging Nettle, Hedge Mustard, Field Poppy, Common Forget-me-not, Elder, Red Campion, White Campion, Black Medick, Spotted Medick, Fumitory, White Deadnettle, Wild Pansy, Groundsel, Scented Mayweed, Gorse, Dog Rose, Hoary Cress, Speedwell, Sea Beet, Thrift, Yellow Flag, Rowan, Horse Chestnut, Ox-eye Daisy – (Aquilegia, Alkanet Oxalis) Celery-leaved buttercup – the one on the boardwalk by the reed warblers, Grass vetchling (Lathyrus nissolia).

Grasses:
1. Grasses Couch grass (agropyrum repens)
2. Meadow barley (Hordeum pratense)
3. Meadow foxtail (Alopecurus pratensis)
4. Great reedmace (Typha latifolia), aka False bulrush. Apparently, it has been misnamed “bulrush” ever since Alma-Tadema painted it surrounding the infant Moses in his basket. True bulrush is Scirpus Lacustris.

Other: St Mark’s Fly, Wasp, Orange Tip Butterfly (male & female), Peacock, 7-spot ladybird.

Diane Caulkett