Wildlife sightings for 10th May 2017
2 Wood Sandpiper - main lake
2 Common Sandpiper - reservoir lagoon, main lake
1 Ringed Plover - main lake
1 Lesser Whitethroat - singing in world wetlands
3 Little Ringed Plover - wader scrape, reservoir lagoon
3 Redshank - main lake, wader scrape
2 Common Tern - main lake
3 Snipe - grazing marsh
2 Shelduck - reservoir lagoon
5 Whitethroat - reservoir lagoon, entrance area, main lake shore, scrape bank
40+ Swift - site count
1 Yellow Wagtail - main lake p.m.
May bird highlights: Wood Sandpiper, Grey Plover, Whinchat, Oystercatcher, Greenshank, Whimbrel, Little Ringed Plover, Yellow Wagtail, Common Sandpiper, Redshank, Shelduck, Jack Snipe, Peregrine, Barnacle Goose, Wheatear, Kingfisher, Swallow, Ringed Plover, Ring Ouzel, Caspian Gull.
Spring birds have arrived on site with Chiffchaff, Sand Martin, Swallow, House Martin, Swift, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, and Wheatear just some of the Spring arrivals recorded so far. Lapwing and Redshank have territories across the marsh, which is still drawing in large numbers of Gull including a few regular Caspian and Yellow-legged. Migrant Chats, Pipits and possible Ring Ouzel can be searched for along the fence lines and short-grazed grass on the marsh and wader scrape bank. Sand Martin numbers using the artificial nest bank of the wader scrape have already reached over 60 occupied nest holes, containing 160 eggs and 65 chicks at the beginning of May.
Spring insects: Red Admiral, Brimstone, Holly Blue, Speckled Wood, Small White, Comma, Peacock, Large White, Small Tortoishell, Buff-tailed Bumble Bees, Red Mason Bees, White-tailed Bumble Bee, Common Carder Bee, Early Mining Bee, Tawny Mining bee, Chocolate Mining Bee, Hairy-footed Flower Bee, Large Red-tailed Bumble Bee, Dark-edged Beefly, Common Flower Bug, Rove Beetle, Pale Brindled Beauty, Spring Usher, The Herald, Lunar Marbled Brown.
Spring plants: Sweet Violet, Coltsfoot, Wild Daffodil, Blackthorn, Hawthorn, Wild Plum, Hazel, Marsh Marigold, Red Dead-nettle, Neat Feather-moss, Lesser Celandine, Bulbous Buttercup, Cowslip, Cuckooflower, Yellow Iris, Forget-me-not, Cow Parsley.
Bats: Soprano Pipistrelle>Nathusius' Pipistrelle>Common Pipistrelle>Daubentons>Noctule.
