Recent Sightings 14th-19th August
Highlights: Clifden Nonpareil Moth (Blue Underwing), Bar-tailed Godwits, Ruff, Spotted Redshank
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Juvenile Kingfishers are continuing to practice fishing from the perches of the Sir Peter Scott hide offering visitors an amazing up-close experience.
A reptile survey this week was successful with 11 Slow Worms, 7 Grass Snakes and 2 Common Lizards found underneath the metal refugia tins; being cold blooded they need to warm up externally so they will shelter under metal tins we have placed around the reserve to absorb heat, offering the perfect place for us to survey them also.
Over at Hopkin's Folly a Robin's Pincushion Gall was sighted on Tuesday, found on wild rose plants this is a growth caused by female Gall Wasps laying their eggs on the plant, the plant then reacts to form a gall and this is what the larvae feeds upon, but it doesn't cause major damage to the plant.
Three moth traps were run this week with 77 individuals caught of 39 species including the following: Blood-vein, Bright-line Brown-eye, Brown China-mark, Brown-veined Wainscot, Canary Shouldered Thorn, Common Wave, Copper Underwing, Dingy Footman, Drinker, Flame Shoulder, Frosted Orange, Heart and Dart, Herald, Large Yellow Underwing, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Light Brown Apple Moth, Light Emerald, Oak Eggar, Old Lady, Orange Swift, Pale Prominent, Pebble Prominent, Poplar Hawk-moth, Ringed China-mark, Rosy Rustic, Ruby Tiger, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Sharp-angled Peacock, Silver Y, Six-striped Rustic, Small China-mark, Small Wainscot, Snout, Straw Dot, Uncertain, Vine's Rustic, and Webb's Wainscot. The most exciting moth species caught this week was Clifden Nonpareli more commonly known as the Blue Underwing a rarer species for Britain, once a resident species in Southern England, which became extinct as a breeding species was then considered a migrant, however in recent years it is thought to be recolonising. Moth mornings are Tuesday and Thursday 11am-12pm, come and see what we've caught.
British Steel Hide
Friday mornings bird count at the Marsh Scrapes saw 905 Black-tailed Godwits, 115 Redshank, 61 Greenshank, 32 Lapwing, 23 Curlew, 15 Knot, 3 Ruff, 2 Grey Plovers (one in summer plumage) and a Sparrowhawk; a Peregrine Falcon was also spotted on Monday here. Over on Dafen Scrapes 6 Pintail were recorded on Saturday; other wildfowl species such as Shoveler and Teal are starting to gathering in larger flocks of around 50 now, a sure sign that Autumn is on its way!
The Walk with the Warden event this month took the opportunity to get out of the wet and windy weather by paying a visit to the Steel Hide, highlights included 3 Ruff, a Spotted Redshank and 2 Bar-tailed Godwits amongst a large flock of around 1000 Black-tailed Godwits. These guided walks take place on the third Saturday of each month 11:30am - 1pm, there is no extra charge, come along to our September one and see what's about at the Wetlands.
Freshwater Lagoon
A Kingfisher payed a surprise visit in front of the Boardwalk hide on Friday mornings count, not a usual species to see here; plus a Green Sandpiper was spotted feeding from the East Hide on Saturday morning.
Our Bioblitz took place on Wednesday of this week, with the aim of recording as many species as possible, our events such as dawn chorus, moth light trapping, small mammals, minibeasts, beautiful bugs, pond dipping, wildflowers, owl pellet dissection, bees and butterflies, and a bat walk saw a lot of people get up close with nature, we had a fantastic day a big thanks to all that took part!
