Recent Sightings 9th-16th April
Highlights: Blackcap, Reed Warbler, Goosander, Marsh Harrier, Willow tit carrying nesting material
Millennium Wetlands
More spring migrants have arrived this week, with a pair of Blackcap seen and heard singing on the Northern loop, joining Willow Warblers that continue to be heard. Reed Warblers can now be heard singing in the reedbeds around the reserve. Unlike Reed Buntings who sing from a perch, Reed Warblers sing from within the reedbed and are often hard to spot.
Breeding behaviour continues, with the highlight for the reserve team being a Willow Tit seen on the Pond Walk carrying nest material and calling on Thursday morning! Lapwing are also displaying nesting and territorial behaviour on Deep Water Lake, the West Scrapes, and the Saltmarsh, whilst Black-headed Gulls and Mediterranean Gulls also build nests on the Stony Islands.
Twice this week, a female Marsh Harrier flew over Deep Water Lake, creating a frenzy. The Great Crested Grebe pair weren't too put off, continuing to show breeding behaviour. Other highlights include a Fox seen on Saturday morning, 2 pairs of Jay on the Northern Loop, a Red Kite and a Buzzard. Swallows and a Sand Martins continue to put on great shows feeding all across the reserve.
The butterflies are more active this week with the following species having been observed; Brimstone, Comma, Peacock, Small White, Orange Tip, Red Admiral and Speckled Wood.
British Steel Hide
A species to keep an eye out for this week on the Saline Lagoons is Goosander as a female was seen briefly on Friday's count. Also seen on the count were over 700 Black-tailed Godwits, around 50 Knot, small numbers of both Redshank and Greenshank, and a Spoonbill feeding near the hide.
Dafen Scrapes hosted a Kingfisher on Thursday morning, which joined the Long-tailed Duck that is surprisingly still enjoying her stay here!
Work on the reserve this week has seen the breeding wildfowl survey take place, with Greylag Goslings being seen on the Freshwater Lagoon. An evening survey on Thursday gave the team a chance to take out the bat detector, which located a Soprano Pipistrelle between the Heron's Wing and Peter Scott hides. The Walk with the Warden event that is held every third Saturday of the month proved successful with visitors getting great views of Blackcap, Jay, Slow Worms and Mallard ducklings.
