Patch yearlist additions

Today on the patch was actually fairly productive, with two additions for my Patchwork Challenge list. The fist of these was a Ruff, which was hiding in a flock of several hundred Lapwing, and revealed itself when the local female Sparrowhawk made them all lift up. The second was a Spotted Flycatcher, feeding on the ground along Trent Lane in a group of finches. A Pied Fly would have been better, with birds today at IVNR and Dunham Lagoons, but hey, shouldn't complain....

Spotted Flycatcher

Waders in addition to the Ruff were 2 Greenshank, 3 Green Sands, 4 Common Sands, 3 Dunlin, 4 Curlew, 3 Snipe and 11 Ringed Plover. Wildfowl highlights were 4 Wigeon and 2 juv Shelduck, along with plenty of Teal - but still no Garganey.

There were quite a few butterflies around, with no fewer than 17 Brimstones nectaring on purple loosestrife along a short section of ditch next to the Silt Lagoon, with c.10 Common Blues, a couple of Small Heaths, and best of all, a Clouded Yellow, also in the same area, the latter shooting through without stopping, in typical fashion.