A Summer Visit to Landguard Point

11th June 2018

Landguard Point is primarily a migration site so the last time of year that you would want to pay a visit would be June, but it was a lovely day so time for a wander round to see what was about. What I like about coastal sites in the summer is the array of plants that you find, many of which are growing in shingle, and some only found on the coast. Here is a collection that I photographed on the way round.

Birds-foot Trefoil

Rest-harrow

Scarlet Pimpernel

Sea Campion

See Holly

Sea Kale

Sea Spurge

Vipers Bugloss

Yellow Horned Poppy

On the bird front the Linnets were back in force including some rather stunning males which were singing from any suitable vantage point and the other residents, the Oystercatchers and Shelduck were also in evidence.

On the shingle bank next to the sea large areas had been roped off to protect the nesting Ringed Plovers. Dogs don't appear to be a problem as they have to be kept on a lead, a rule which seems to be strictly enforced. So the main reason for the fence is to prevent humans just wandering across the area and disturbing or inadvertently damaging the nests.

The main problem is that the Ringed Plovers don't respect fence-lines and sometimes nest just within a few feet of the boundary. Luckily, as soon as the danger has passed they are very quick to return to the nest.

But the most surprising find today was this rather late Wheatear which should have been on its breeding grounds long ago. Nigel Odin from the Observatory informs me that is a rather faded 2nd calendar year male