Recent Sightings 30th April-6th May
Highlights: Little Ringed Plover, Swifts, Ruff, Cuckoo, Garganey
Freshwater Lagoon
A nice highlight this week has been 2 Little Ringed Plovers on the islands of the Lagoon, they have tried to nest previously on site at Dafen Scrapes, so we hope that they will find the Freshwater Lagoon more to there liking. Also here this week a Common Sandpiper has been observed feeding around the islands Thursday and Friday.
Millennium Wetlands
Swifts have made their long migration back and 5 have been spotted this week on Tuesday over Deep Water Lake, and the same day a Cuckoo was heard singing in the morning on the Northern Loop. Four Ruff were sighted on Deep Water Lake on Thursday and Saturday, feeding on the exposed mud area of the islands, whilst over on the Western Scrapes two Male Garganey have been seen feeding in the channel. Kingfishers have been observed taking fish into the nest burrow on Deep Water Lake which suggests that they are feeding chicks; other chicks this week seen for the first time were Great tit chicks overserved when carrying out nest box surveying.
Flowering plants on the reserve this week include: Bird's-foot Trefoil, Dove's-foot Cranesbill, Shining Cranesbill, Thyme-leaved Speedwell, Common Vetch, Red Campion, Yellow Flag Iris and Scurvy Grass.
Tuesdays butterfly survey this week saw 34 individuals, with the following species observed: Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Red Admiral, Peacock and Speckled Wood, also spotted on the survey were 3 Azure Damselflies, and 2 Hairy Dragonflies. Brimstone and Small Copper Butterflies have also been seen throughout the week. Other insects spotted around the reserve include 7-Spot Ladybird, Green Shield bug, Dock Shield bug, Nursey Web Spider, Missing Sector Orb Web Spider, and Hawthorn Fly. A Moth light trap run on the evening of Saturday 29th had a small number of 5 moths, with 2 Brindled Beauty, 1 Common Quaker, a Waved Umber, and a Puss Moth.
This weeks reptile survey proved good with 8 Slow Worms, 2 Grass Snakes, and 2 Common Lizards. A Common Shrew was also seen taking refuge under the tins.
British Steel Hide
Friday mornings bird count saw a flock of 8 Dunlin, 4 Knot, ~300 Black-tailed Godwit, and a Bar-tailed Godwit, also resting nearby was a Spoonbill; whilst the birds were resting a Fox was seen prowling the Salt Marsh area around the Michael Powell Hide.
Over on Dafen Scrapes a male and female Pintail were resting alongside Gadwall, Shoveler and Tufted Duck.
Work on the reserve this week has seen preparations for livestock returning to graze the site, we now have 11 sheep on Deep Water Lake, with Cattle returning soon. The fifth Breeding Bird Survey this week found Lesser Whitethroats around the Western and Eastern Scrapes.
