I've managed to see six new species in the last fortnight (total now 905) but only one of them was my own work. I found a tiny red velvet mite crawling about on one of the windows in the Fen Hide but the brown-spot pinion and garden rose tortrix moths were entirely down to the young ladies doing the moth trap.
I managed to collar a birding/photographer friend that I knew had a considerable knowledge of beach/sealife, and he showed me a bryazoa species. Bryazoa are aquatic invertebte animals also known as 'moss animals'. This particular one was probably a hairy sea mat (electra pilosa), and was making quite attractive lacy patterns on several crab shells. I jokingly told two more friends to stop messing about watching birds and find me a harbour porpoise, it took them all of ten minutes to do it!
Finally I was shown a common shrew along the west bank. So thanks to everybody, but it really is time you found me a rat!
Ray Kimber.