Recent Sightings 15th- 20th May
Highlights: Great Crested Grebe Chicks, Little Ringed Plovers, Willow Tits, Beautiful Demoiselle's, Linnets
Millennium Wetlands
The pair of Great Crested Grebes on Deep Water Lake have been very busy incubating their brood and at the start of this week some stripy black and white humbug chicks were spotted snuggled up in the nest, then on Friday the parents took them out on the water, carrying them on their backs. Over on the Stony Islands of Deep Water Lake chicks have been spotted in the Black-headed Gull colony, the vegetation is growing tall now so it might take a bit of a patient eye to spot them; also here are 3 pairs of Mediterranean Gulls who we hope will have a successful year. Additionally on the lake the Kingfishers are continuing to be seen taking fish into the burrow to feed the brood, with each chick able to consume 12-18 fish per day the parents have their work cut out for them! A Willow tit was heard calling in the Northern Loop on Tuesday mornings early breeding bird survey, and two were seen carrying food on Friday, a promising sign that they are also feeding a brood.
Beautiful Demoiselle's have been spotted a few times around the reserve this week, this joins the Azure and Large Red Damselflies, as well as Hairy, Broad-bodied Chaser, and Four Spotted Chaser Dragonflies now being seen on site. The wildflowers are looking fantastic at the minute with Southern Marsh Orchids, Oxeye Daisy (with added extras of Flower Crab Spiders), Lesser Hop Trefoil, Germander Speedwell, and Round-leaved Crane's Bill all blooming on the reserve. The reptile survey carried out this week found a male Grass Snake, 9 Slow Worms and a Bank Vole taking refuge under the tins.
Freshwater Lagoon
Over on the Freshwater Lagoon the Little Ringed Plovers have been stealing the limelight with a third individual seen this week, there has been courtship displays/song, and mating observed, so it seems that they may nest on the lagoon islands, fingers crossed! The male Pintail can still be seen here also.
British Steel Hide
Friday mornings bird count here was rather quite, although a pair of Linnets were seen on the bramble just outside of the hide and a Spoonbill was seen resting on the Lagoon bank.
Work this week has seen the start of a nesting Lapwing willow sculpture taking place by the Lily Pond, the willow Otter sculpture by Swan's Nest Maze is not far off completion too. This week has also seen the Quentin Blake Drawn to Water partnership begin with a trail for visitors to follow around the reserve and lots of events coming up in the half term break too.
