2 Garganey feeding on the wader scrape
2 Garganey are still present on the reserve.
2 Garganey - wader scrape
1 Common Sandpiper - main lake
19 Teal - wader scrape, main lake
7 Shoveler - main lake
1 Little Grebe juvenile - wader scrape
1 Peregrine - perched on the hospital
July bird highlights: Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Peregrine, Kestrel, Buzzard, Hobby, Little Egret, Common Tern, Mediterranean Gull, Greenshank, Little Ringed Plover, Garganey, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat.
Post-breeding (or non-breeding) birds are on the move, such as migrant Green Sandpiper and Teal. The wader scrape is the best spot to check for migrant waders. Lapwing managed to fledge 7 young. Sand Martins have occupied 97% of the nest chambers and some are on their 3rd broods now. Tufted Duck, Pochard, Gadwall and Mallard all had broods of ducklings. The main lake and reservoir lagoon have had several Black-headed Gull juveniles.
The reedbeds and scrub blocks are full of young birds including Reed Warbler, Reed Bunting, Sedge Warbler, Cetti's Warbler and a few Chiffchaff. Watch for Hobby hunting dragonflies and Sand Martins over the reserve.
Flowering plants: (late July) Cut-leaf Cranesbill, Marsh Marigold, Ragged Robin, Common Mallow, Salad Burnet, Ox-eye Daisy, Bird's-foot Trefoil, White Water-lily, Meadow-sweet, Marsh Woundwort, Purple Loosestrife, Meadow Vetchling, Common Vetch, Self-heal, Hop Trefoil, Common Knapweed, Betony, Tufted Vetch, Agrimony, Figwort, Lady's Bedstraw, Branched Bur-reed, Great Burnet, Meadow Rue, Square-stalked St.John's Wort, Yellow Loosestrife.
Invertebrates: (July) Rose Chafer, Honey Bee, Buff-tailed Bumblebee, Yellow-legged Mining Bee, White-tailed Bumblebee, Red-tailed Bumblebee, Brimstone, Comma, Speckled Wood, Peacock, Orange Tip, Small White, Large White, Holly Blue, Red Admiral, Green Hairstreak, Common Blue, White Admiral, Marbled White, Small Heath, Red Willow Leaf Beetle, Wasp Beetle, Fairy-ring Longhorn Beetle, Black-and-yellow Longhorn Beetle, Black-striped Longhorn Beetle, Umbellifer Longhorn Beetle, Click Beetle, Red-headed Cardinal Beetle, Plum Longhorn Beetle, Common Zebra Spider, Hairy Dragonfly, Azure Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfy, Broad-bodied Chaser, Large Red Damselfly, Norfolk Hawker (see 1st photo below), Stag Beetle, Scarce Chaser (see 3rd photo below), Marbled White, Ringlet, Long-winged Conehead, Wasp Spider, Ruby-tailed Wasp, Dark Bush-cricket (see 2nd photo below).
Moths (July 17th and 24th moth trap results) - Vapourer, Yellow Shell, Brown-veined Wainscot, Black Arches, Canary-shouldered Thorn, Tree-lichen Beauty, Common Carpet, Single-dotted Wave, Common Footman, Burnished Brass, Copper Underwing, Rustic, Dusky Sallow, Chilo, Obscure Wainscot, Dark Sword-grass, Pebble Prominent, Rosy-striped Knot-horn, Scarce Footman, Silver Y, Webb's Wainscot, European Corn-borer, Rosy Footman, Least Carpet, Dark Umber, Dusky Thorn, Gold Spot, Jersey Tiger.
