Latest Highlights
A compilation of the past few days sightings. It's currently possible to top 60 species in a days birding on the reserve.
The waders are still providing plenty of possible interest with an excellent count of c.40 Dunlin out on Woodend Marsh today. We can't remember an August count here larger than that. Unusual too as the condition have been very clear and big passage wader counts tend to occur with poor visibility / rain fronts.
Other waders present included 3+ Green Sandpiper, 200+ Black-tailed Godwit, 400+ Lapwing, 12+ Ruff inc juveniles, 10+ Snipe, 6 Redshank, 3 Curlew, Oystercatcher, Little Ringed Plover and Ringed Plover.
On the raptor front: 2 Marsh Harrier, Peregrine, 4 Common Buzzard, 2 Sparrowhawk and 2 Kestrel. The next few days of warmth could produce Hobby hawking insects over the reserve.
Swifts going south still. Swallows still feeding young on the reserve. House Martin and the odd Sand Martin present.
Raven are present on and off. A Great Black-backed Gull caught and killed a Mallard on the Mere on Sunday.
Kingfisher(s) showing from the Ron Barker Hide and the UU Hide.
Along the Nature Trail this morning 5 Redpoll were noteworthy. Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff in the tit flock. Goldcrest also heard.
Four House Sparrow and a juvenile Yellow Wagtail seen just off the reserve. House Sparrow is rare on the reserve these days but we do have a breeding colony of Tree Sparrow.
At least 6 Grey Heron and 2 Little Egret. Little Grebes are showing well from the Harrier Hide. A Cormorant of the P. carbo sinensis race was present on the Mere on Saturday.
