At least one juvenile marsh harrier was hunting across the south brooks yesterday morning - this is typical August bird for us here and this one was right on cue. If previous years are anything to go by, it will stay around for some weeks. A young cuckoo was also present yesterday, eating cinnabar caterpillars near the visitor centre (you could see it from the main window). North brooks (from the hanger viewpoint) held green sandpipers, common sandpipers, little ringed plover, ruff, greenshank and black-tailed godwits. Garganey and wood sandpiper have been reported in the last couple of days. Sand martins and swallows have been passing through in reasonable numbers in the last week, and hobbies are being seen daily. Brown hairstreaks still to be found on the ash trees around Nettley's picnic area.