Recent Sightings (17th-20th March)
British Steel Hide
We are greeted this week by the sunnier weather and 5 Wheatears! We also have had counts of c.400 Black-tailed Godwit, 48 Knot, 5 Curlew, 5 Redshank, 4 Greenshank and 2 Spotted Redshank. Other water birds seen from the hide include a Great Crested Grebe, 79 Wigeon, 37 Shelduck, 6 Oystercatcher off the estuary, 12 Tufted Duck, 11 Greylag Geese, 1 Spoonbill and a Little Egret and 2 Mute Swan. Two Stonechat, a Pied Wagtail and Chiffchaff were also seen in front of the hide. Gull counts include 17 Black-headed Gull, 19 Lesser Black-back Gull and 33 Herring Gull.
Millennium Wetlands
Around the reserve counts included 5 Cormorant, 2 Grey heron and a Little Egret, as well as 4 Greylag Geese, 14 Shelduck, 31 Gadwall, 20 Teal, 22 Mallard, 1 Pintail and 11 Shoveler. A lovely count of 16 Pochard and 18 Lapwing also were noted. Ninety Black-tailed Godwit have been seen using Deep Water Lake, as well as a pair of Mute Swans and the appearance of the female Ring Neck Duck. Three Chiffchaff were feeding in the pony paddock during the cold weather, 2 Great-spotted Woodpecker, 16 Skylark, 51 Meadow Pipit, 2 Stonechat, 4 Water Rail and 1 Woodcock were also seen around the reserve. Furthermore 216 Redwing were seen in a flock, as well as 2 Fieldfare and 6 Song Thrush. Seven Cetti's Warbler were noted around the Wetlands, as well as 89 Starling, 36 Long-tailed Tit, 3 Jay and a Bullfinch and 2 Raven.
The Grounds
On the lagoon were 355 Black-headed Gull on 19th, on 20th a female mallard and a brood of four ducklings were seen in one of the nearby channels. A Green Woodpecker was also seen amongst the 214 Mallard and 155 Shelduck that use the grounds.
Other Wildlife
Two Otter sightings, possibly of the same individual were recorded on 20th. These were on the Deep Water Lake and on the Lilly Pond area. There have been Buff-tailed and White-tailed bumblebees on site too.
