Recent Sightings (4th-7th Aug)
British Steel Hide
A drop in of 17 Common Gull and 6 Mediterranean Gull, as well as a Little Ringed Plover and Green Sandpiper was seen over the weekend on the Dafen Scrapes. Wader counts include a Whimbrel, 2 Dunlin, 2 Spotted Redshank and a Common Sandpiper. There was also 162 Redshank, 43 Greenshank and 17 Black-Tailed Godwit. Two Spoonbill have often been seen, along with Little Egret, Cormorant and Greylag Geese. Out on the estuary 8 Knot, a bar tailed Godwit and a Great Crested Grebe.
Millennium Wetlands
On the weekend a Pied Flycatcher was seen on passage from breeding territories. Kingfishers are becoming a regular sight now on the reserve with 2 seen at the weekend and 1 at the canoe safari on the 6th! An evening roost count on Deep Water Lake produced a count of 132 Little Egret on 3rd. On the water there has been 50 Lapwing, 6 Teal, 8 Little Grebe, 10 Gadwall, 1 Pochard. There has been 1 Goldcrest, 4 Bullfinch, 4 Goldfinch, 2 Jay, 6 Blackcap and 18 Long-tailed Tit. There has also been 4 Chiffchaff, a Great Spotted Woodpecker. In Black Poplar Wood a juvenile Goshawk was seen again, along with a Buzzard nearby.
Other Wildlife
A Water Shrew was seen on 7th. Slow worms have been seen under reptile refugia and 2 Common Lizards were seen on the Saltmarsh. On these hot days Small Winged Cone-heads are an easy insect spot which like the Sea Club Rush out on the saltmarsh and on the reserve.
