Recent sightings 12th- 18th March
Highlights: Ruff, Brimstone, Otter, Black-headed Gulls Colonising , Marsh Harrier
British Steel Hide
This weeks counts of the Saline Lagoons and Saltmarsh have seen a Ruff continuing to show well in amongst the Black-tailed Godwits, whilst a couple of Spotted Redshanks have also been showing amongst the Redshank, up to 8 Greenshank have been seen actively feeding across the Saline Lagoons, joining the usual Little Egrets, Shelduck, and Wigeon. Dafen Scrapes continues to host the female Long-tailed Duck, as well as Pintail, Shoveler, Teal, and Gadwall.
Freshwater Lagoon
Black-headed Gulls are continuing to increase in numbers on the Lagoon, where they will soon colonise to raise young. A good number of 16 Tufted Duck were seen diving to feed, whilst Pied Wagtails flit among the islands foraging for insects. A Small Tortoiseshell butterfly was also seen in the Boardwalk hide.
Millennium Wetlands
The Black-headed Gulls are starting to colonise the stony islands on Deep Water Lake this week, you certainly wont miss them from the Sir Peter Scott hide, with numbers of around 300 calling! Lapwing are continuing to been seen performing display flights over Deep Water Lake and the Western Scrapes, if you look closely at the cockleshell islands of the Lake you can see them checking out potential nesting sites. A Kingfisher pair have been spotted numerous times scouting out the earth banks along the Lake, including the bank in front of the Heron's Wing hide. A Marsh Harrier was seen flying over the Lake disturbing the Gulls and Snipe, on the last count there were 37 in the small cut section of reeds in front of the Sir Peter Scott Hide. Up to 10 Pochard have been sighted on the Lake also.
A Brimstone butterfly has been spotted this week in the afternoon sun bathing on the bramble and Buff-tailed Bumblebees have been seen emerging. Passerines such as Treecreeper, Siskin, Chiffchaff, and Goldcrest are continuing to show well mainly along the Northern Loop, as well as the pair of Willow tits on site too. The first drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker of the year was heard in Black Poplar Wood. A Grass snake was seen by a lucky visitor swimming across the Lake in front of the Heron's Wing hide. Plus the Otter family continue to be seen fishing in front of the Heron's Wing hide mostly early in the morning.
This months Walk with a Warden saw a dozen or so people get out and enjoy the good weather looking for signs of spring. An unexpected highlight from the walk were multiple Otter prints seen in a section of mud, where they had evidently crossed from one area of water to the next. Otter prints are up to 9cm long and 6cm wide, they have a large pad and five toes, although the 5th toe doesn't always imprint, and sometimes claws can be seen too.
