Wildlife sightings for 14th May 2012
7+ Lapwing broods - main lake, marsh, scrape a.m. 2 Little Ringed Plover - scrape and main lake 14 Common Tern - main lake, resr lagoon 180 Swift - feeding ma [...]
7+ Lapwing broods - main lake, marsh, scrape a.m.
2 Little Ringed Plover - scrape and main lake
14 Common Tern - main lake, resr lagoon
180 Swift - feeding main lake
7 Swallow - feeding main lake
40 House Martin - feeding main lake
35 Sand Martin - feeding main lake
Recent bird highlights: Red Kite, Hobby,Peregrine, Black-tailed Godwit, Jack Snipe, Common Sandpiper, Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Spotted Redshank, Iceland Gull, Pallid Swift, Cuckoo, Yellow Wagtail, Wheatear and Swallow.
May is a great month for bird song now that so many summer visitors have arrived and set up breeding territories. Listen out for Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap , Garden Warbler, Goldcrest, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Cetti’s Warbler, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush and Wren among others. In the reedbeds and other reed fringes at least 20 Reed Warbler are singing away, along with one or two Sedge Warbler and Reed Bunting.
Lapwing are nesting on the main lake/scrape shingle islands and grazing marsh fields, and performing territorial flight displays. Lapwing chicks can now be seen on the scrape, marsh and main lake (7 broods). The Sand Martins have also arrived and can be seen flying in and out of the nest bank.
The marsh will remain wet through spring to attract a host of visiting waders and other wildfowl, as well as Yellow Wagtail and Wheatear. Look out for possible Water Pipit on the flooded field edges. The wader scrape is now being drained and wetted on a weekly basis to attract feeding waders.
Moths: Common Quaker, Hebrew Character, Chestnut, Clouded Drab, Esperia sulpurella, Epermenia chaerophyllea, Powdered Quaker, Light Brown Apple Moth, Early Grey.
Flowering plants: Cowslip, Cuckooflower, Cow Parsley, Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Wild Cherry, Wood Anemone, Ramsons, Common Mouse-ear, Field Wood-rush, Marsh Marigold, Snake’s Head Fritillary, Red Dead-nettle, Primrose, Oxford Ragwort, Tufted Vetch, Common Vetch, Bluebell, Ragged Robin, Buttercup.
Water Voles: 5 seen in world wetlands, waterlife and wildside, Reed Swamp exhibit is a good bet near the sluices.
Butterflies and insects: Green Hairstreak,Comma, Brimstone, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Orange-tip, Holly Blue, Speckled Wood, Small White, Common Bee-fly, 7-spot Ladybird, Large Red Damselfly, Hairy Dragonfly.
Reptiles and amphibians: A recent survey revealed 85 Slow Worms, 3 Grass Snakes, 2 Common Lizards, and 6 juvenile Smooth Newts. There are also small numbers of Marsh Frogs croaking on sunny days. Listen out in wildside.
