June Meeting

Eleven attended a successful bird group meeting at Lymington's Normandy Marshes on the last Friday in this June, noted for its constant rain but we were very lucky and the sun came out and although it was very windy the air was warm. We saw 39 different species of birds.
Any botanist know what the plant is, and what a strange notice "Danger of death" on the notice board

Picture of a Redshank
Email from Jane - plant is Malva moschata or Musk Mallow

From Mike
Despite the blustery wind we enjoyed a variety of birds on our walk around the seawall at
Normandy Marsh including good views of a Linnet singing cheerily on the fencing but the Reed Warblers and Reed Buntings were more elusive.
Lapwing and Redshank watched us pass and clearly had young hidden away in the tussock grass but the 'bird of the day' was perhaps the Little Terns fishing the ditches close to the wall and we found several sitting on their nests in the shingle of the lagoon islands, when their yellow bills and white foreheads were noted by some of the group. This forehead gives them their scientific christian name of 'albifrons'.
Other birds seen included a number of Common Terns also sitting, presumably, on eggs, two dozen Oystercatchers at their club, a few Ringed Plovers and a solitary Greenshank whilst 6 Black-tailed Godwits flew over to remind us that autumn is uncomfortably close.
Among the butterflies seen were single Marbled Whites and Red Admirals and many Meadow Browns

Regards, Mike