Recent Sightings 16th-22nd July
Highlights: Great White Egret, Otter, Ruff, Spotted Redshank, Dunlin, Greenshank
Millennium Wetlands
The Sir Peter Scott hide has seen a good deal of wildlife action this week with a Great White Egret feeding just off the lake islands on Monday, as well as four Teal ducklings spotted with their mother the same day; meanwhile a Otter was sighted swimming close by to the hide on Thursdays breeding duck survey, followed closely by a Moorhen chasing it off; juvenile Kingfishers most likely from the first brood have also been sighted using the perches in front of the hide numerous times this week, a perfect place to grab a great close up photo of them. Furthermore adult Kingfishers have been observed using the artificial nesting bank (seen from the screen on the Northern Loop before Black Poplar Wood) taking fish into the burrow to feed their second brood of young. A Four-banded Long Horn Beetle was also seen by the reserves staff on Tuesday, very striking with orange and black colour bands and as the name suggests very long antennae. A Jay was seen predated by a Sparrowhawk this week along the Northern Loop path, not something you see everyday!
Salt Marsh and Dafen Scrapes
A Ruff was again sighted on Sunday and Friday feeding in the small Saline Lagoon, best seen from the Michael Powell hide. On Thursday and Friday a large number of waders were recorded from here, including over 600 Black-tailed Godwits, 140 Redshank, 50 Dunlin, 40 Greenshank, a Spotted Redshank, a Kingfishers and a Common Sandpiper. In the flock of Black-tailed Godwits an individual with colour rings on its legs has been spotted (left leg: yellow, green, blue. right leg: white, black, white, black, white. Both above the knee.), this bird was ringed last year in Cork, Ireland and is its first record since being ringed; recording sightings of ringed birds is valuable to scientific studies, it can help to understand more about species survival and movement. Sightings can be submitted via the European colour-ring website.
Over on Dafen Scrapes a Fox has again been sighted lurking around in wait for its next meal; whilst a juvenile Reed Bunting was seen being fed by the adult in the hedge line separating Dafen Scrapes from the Salt Marsh.
Freshwater Lagoon
The two Little Ringed Plover chicks have thrived here on the islands of the Freshwater Lagoon, they were both sighted Saturday morning sheltering under the adults wings again from the rain, and one was even observed practicing flying. On Wednesday a Sparrowhawk was seen flying over the Lagoons, looking for its next meal. A charm of around 50 Goldfinches can be seen and most definitely heard feeding on the teasels between the East Hide and West Hide; they have specially adapted bills that allow them to extract the seeds from the plants.
