Recent Sightings 12th - 18th November
Highlights: Great Skua, Hen harrier, Woodcock, Otter
A rarity this week saw a Great Skua attempting to scavenge along the Estuary from the British Steel hide on Friday morning. It was causing quite the stir upsetting waders and chasing Shelducks. They are known to be aggressive and hunt smaller birds, as well as steal food from larger birds, which has lead to them being known as pirates of the sea.
A Hen Harrier was also seen hunting along the Saltmarsh on Friday mornings bird count, alongside Greenshank, Redshank, Knot, Black-tailed Godwit, Lapwing, and Dunlin on the Saline Lagoons. Whilst birds on Dafen Scrapes included Pochard, Wigeon, Shoveler, Tufted Duck and Teal.
Woodcock have been spotted a couple of times this week, once on the East Scrapes on Monday and the other by the entrance to the site on Wednesday. They are often hard to see but easily disturbed and fly off in a distinctive zigzag pattern. In addition Jack Snipe have been seen on Monday on the Saltmarsh, and 5 Snipe have been sighted from the Sir Peter Scott hide on Thursday.
On Wednesday morning the Otter was again seen on Deep Water Lake, there have been quite a few sightings of them recently from both the Herons Wing and Sir Peter Scott hides. Others sightings this week including a Red Admiral butterfly in the Grounds, a Kingfisher on Deep Water Lake and a flock of about 30 Goldfinches around the Millenium Wetlands.
Work on the reserve this week saw some volunteers from Welney site join us for some scrub control on the East Scrapes, and a bonfire along the Northern Loop to clear some felled trees, the reserves team have also been busy starting to cut a section of the reedbed too.
