Wildlife sightings for 17th August 2024
Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Snipe, Yellow Wagtail and plenty of migrant Warblers today
2 Greenshank - main lake
2 Green Sandpiper - wader scrape, main lake
2 Common Sandpiper - main lake
4 Snipe - marsh
1 Yellow Wagtail - marsh
26 Chiffchaff - site count (south and west routes)
8 Willow Warbler - sheltered lagoon, wildside
26 Shoveler - reservoir lagoon, main lake, marsh
34 Teal - reservoir lagoon, marsh
70 Gadwall - site count
5 Common Tern - main lake, reservoir lagoon
1 Water Rail - scrape
Cetti's Warblers and Reed Warblers can be found in the reedbed and any other reed fringes. Look for Sedge Warblers at the scrubby edges of the marsh, reservoir lagoon and main lake. Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs are active in the scrublands of wildside, south route and sheltered lagoon.
Dragonflies: (late July survey) Southern Hawker, Norfolk Hawker, Emperor, Brown Hawker, Black-tailed Skimmer, Lesser Emperor, Ruddy Darter, Common Darter, Small red-eyed Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Willow Emerald Damselfly.
Butterflies: (mid August surveys) Comma, Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Marbled White, Speckled Wood, Red Admiral, Large Skipper, Small Skipper, Essex Skipper, Small Copper, Common Blue, Holly Blue, Painted Lady, Small Heath.
Flowering plants: Tufted Vetch, Field Scabious, Devil's-bit Scabious, Knapweed, Lesser Centaury, Creeping Thistle, Spear Thistle, Marsh Woundwort, Yellow Bartsia, Yellow Loosestrife, White Water-lily, Yellow Water-lily, Meadow Vetchling, Bristly Ox-tongue, Hawkbit sp., Hawkweed Ox-tongue, Burdock, Flowering Rush, Sow-thistle, Scentless Mayweed, Pineapple Mayweed, Cut-leaved Cranesbill, Dove's-foot Cranesbill, Nipplewort, Great Willowherb, Monkey-flower, Yarrow, Wild Carrot, Wild Basil, Bird's-foot Trefoil, Hop Trefoil, Spotted Medick, Ox-eye Daisy, Cat's Ear, Smooth Hawk's-beard, Ragwort, Groundsel, Coltsfoot, Teasel, Lady's Bedstraw, Hedge Bedstraw, Honeysuckle, Selfheal and many more.