Latest Sightings
This sunny week we've managed to see a lovely Bullfinch at Janet Kear and the first two Sandmartins were seen passing through at United Utilities. Oystercatchers, Avocets, Godwits, Ruff, and 6 Mediterranean Gulls are frequenting the Mere and the Great White Egret and Little Egrets have been seen flying over and sitting in the ditches. Avocets have also been seen down at Ron-Barker, along with Gadwall and two Green Sandpipers. The Kingfisher has been seen in the sluice up at Long-Meadow Barn, potentially nesting with another at United Utilities Hide and two have been seen in the Sluice at Ron-Barker, flitting from bank to bank, possibly nesting too! A new male Marsh Harrier has been seen soaring over the reserve and the Buzzards have been seen hunting, and a Red Kite and Hen Harrier were kind enough to pop in for a visit. We've been doing some frog spawn surveys in the ditches in some of the outer fields and have managed to find a great deal as well as encountering some of the maternal frogs themselves. Whilst conducting these surveys we spotted Roe Deer and Water Vole tracks, Hares, Kestrel, Snipe, Red-Legged Partridge, and lots of Skylark who are soaring and singing. There's been lots of Speckled Wood, Red Admiral, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, as well as a few lovely Brimstone Butterfly as well as lots of bumbling bees flying about too. On Saturday, we checked the Nest Boxes we have dotted around the reserve and found that up to now we have 21 nests that are built or in the process of being completed. As we go on in the next week we hope to see some more new nests and some eggs being laid. This morning, we were also lucky enough to see two Barn Owls flying together at Ron-Barker, hunting.
Feature Image Kingfisher by Charlie Lowe
