Rye Meads

I had intended to get down to Symonshide Great Wood to see if any butterflies were out-last year was very good.However the weather has been very poor recently with strong winds and heavy rain. It is still a bit blowy today, and not all that warm so i decided to visit Rye Meads instead.
The Garganey that has been present for a few days was found quite quickly, and for once was not too far away.

On the same scrape, a Common Sandpiper was feeding among the loafing Black Headed Gulls. Small groups of moulting ducks included family parties of Gadwall, Mallard Tufted Duck and also  a couple of Dabchick.
Not much on the marsh, apart from three Green Sandpipers-my first of the year. The north lagoon was full of ducks, all rather far away. However the southern lagoon had a couple of feeding Pochard close in-there were one or two chicks around too.

The tern rafts were occupied in the main by loafing ducks, along with a few families of Black Headed Gulls.

As soon as I walked into the Kingfisher Hide, the female was seen perched on one of the branches stuck into the water. Apparently this has been a very good year for them, and it looks like they may be starting a third brood soon.

It was starting to warm up a bit, and I started to see a few Dragonflies-mainly Brown Hawker, and the occasional Black Tailed Skimmer. A few Azure and Common Blue Damselflies were out too. Butterflies consisted mainly of Small White, Gatekeeper, Ringlet and Peacock with a few Speckled wood and Green Veined White.