Latest Sightings
There’s plenty of new life on the reserve. The swallows nesting in the visitor centre are a highlight, soon to be making their journey to Africa. We’ve flushed families of wrens from the undergrowth. The black and white shelducklings can be seen following their parents around. The black headed gulls managed to fledge some young despite heavy losses to bird flu, and the juvs can be seen on the mere or alternating between Woodend marsh and Vinsions and Sunleys.
After our initial visit from four spoonbills a couple of weeks ago, there is at least one occasionally being seen on the reserve and one was on Plover pool ion Sunday evening.
On Wednesday we had an unconfirmed report of a juvenile cuckoo, seen on the posts around Woodend marsh on the path down to Tomlinson hide.
It’s a fine time for waders. There have been great views of green and common sandpipers from Tomlinson hide, and the occasional unconfirmed report of wood sandpipers. Amongst the lapwing on the mere yesterday morning there was a ruff in brown morph breeding plumage and a greenshank. 100s of black tailed godwits are also regularly seen on the mere and Woodend marsh. Up to 25 little ringed plovers have been scuttling about on the mud too. Families of avocets are making occasional visits to Sunleys pool.
A whimbrel was spotted on Woodend marsh on Wednesday.
There was a treecreeper, a site rarity, in the trees opposite the duckery on Wednesday morning.
Our cattle are spread into 3 herds at the moment, so you may see the cattle egrets up close on Woodend marsh, or distantly from Ron Barker or UU. Little egrets can be seen from Harrier hide or Ron Barker.
Our big skies are perfect for watching the un-paralled flight of hirundines and swifts as they hunt insects and chase each other for fun.
A water vole was seen in the sluice from Rees bridge yesterday.
Highlights in the moth trap recently (we open it at 10.30 every morning near the visitor centre) have been peach blossom, garden tiger, and the subtly handsome lesser broad bordered yellow underwing. Pop into the observatory to look at our elephant hawkmoth caterpillar and find out how they got their name.
The butterflies have been showing nicely, across the reserve but especially flying around the buddleia near discovery hide. Peacock, comma, red admiral and gatekeeper have all been seen regularly. The dragonflies are out in earnest too. A brown hawker was seen catching a peacock butterfly on the reed bed yesterday. A short winged cone head was spotted on Thursday, don’t all rush at once to come and see it!
Photo credit: Anthony Mills, reserve volunteer
North West Bird Watching Festival
Join us on the 14 & 15 October for the annual North West Bird Watching Festival. Celebrate the thousands of migratory wild birds that visit the centre over the autumn and winter period. With well-known guest speakers such as Ben Osborne, Lucy Lapwing, and David Goulson, plenty of exhibitors, and a weekend full of birding activities, this is an event not to be missed.
