DRAKELOW NATURE RESERVE W/E 15th September 2018.This was a quiet week with little rain or sunshine to get excited about. BUTTERFLIES: Both SK21 and SK22 were covered with Small Coppers, Small Heaths, Brown Arguses and Common Blues still on the wing with a somewhat worn Painted Lady seen daily towards the week-end. DRAGONFLIES: Migrant Hawkers and Common Darters were the only species noted and they were somewhat scarce. BIRDS: The combined Mute Swan count was still around the 40 mark and included 11 cygnets. A party of seven Greylags was present on the 13th and 15th together with a hybrid Canada X Greylag? There was little change in the duck numbers although Wigeon went up to 20 but Shovelers remained around 30. On the 10th two parties of Goosanders were seen flying upstream numbering six and seven respectively. An early visit on the 13th revealed that the Cormorants were having a late morning with some 200 still in the roost before a mass exodus began at 0958 with 166 being counted out over a few minutes. A roost count on the 15th realised a total of 338 birds. During the evening of the Cormorant count seven Little Grebes were noted on the ML. The only waders recorded during the period were one to three Green Sandpipers and two Snipe. On the 13th an adult Great Black-backed-Gull was dominating the islet in the ML and the best Black-headed Gull count was of 120. Migrants were sparse over the week although there were reports of a few Sand Martins, House Martins and Swallows going through the reserve. With thanks to RW, AL and KW.